New Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid Premieres

A successful weekend for Porsche at the start of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring season: At its racing premiere, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R scored an overall victory, the innovative 911 GT3 R Hybrid finished sixth at its debut and Walter Röhrl celebrated a successful racing comeback after 17 years.

The 911 uses an electro-mechanical flywheel energy storage system to drive a pair of electric motors attached to the front wheels. When braking, those motors generate electricity that spins up an integrated flywheel-motor-generator. Spinning at 40,000 rpm, the flywheel can release the electrical energy back to front motors on demand. The system was developed by the Williams Formula One team and licensed to Porsche.

A promising debut had also the new Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid: Porsche works drivers Jörg Bergmeister , Richard Lietz and former Porsche junior Martin Ragginger brought the white orange race car, the combustion engine of which is completed by two electric motors with 60 kilowatt each at the front axle, on sixth place after a perfect race.





Press Release

Three successful Porsche premieres

Stuttgart. A successful weekend for Porsche at the season-opener of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship: At its race premiere, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R claimed victory, the innovative 911 GT3 R Hybrid debuted with sixth place and Walter Röhrl made his much celebrated comeback after 17 years.

Timo Bernhard (Germany), Marc Lieb (Germany) and Marcel Tiemann (Monaco) are the winners of the first race of the season on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. With the new, 480 hp Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by the Manthey Racing team, the trio drove a trouble-free race. "It is extraordinary to climb to the top of the podium at the first race ever of a new race car," said a pleased Bernhard. His works driver teammate Lieb added: "It seems the new 911 GT3 R has inherited the reliability of all racing 911." With 14.5 and 3.6 seconds respectively, the three Porsche pilots relegated the best Audi RS and the BMW M3 to finish second and third.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid also gave a promising debut: Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Richard Lietz and the former Porsche Junior Martin Ragginger (both Austria) brought home the white/orange racer with its combustion engine supplemented by two electric motors delivering 60 kW each to the front axle in sixth place after a trouble-free race. "I'm positively surprised how well this car performed already at its first race," said Bergmeister. "We tried many things out during the race and will be busy further developing the hybrid drive for the 24 hour race in May. Our aim is to use less fuel than our competitors without compromising performance," explains Lietz.

Double world rally champion Walter Röhrl (Germany) made his much applauded racing comeback after 17 years. Sharing driving duties with Horst von Saurma-Jeltsch (Germany) and Chris Harris (Great Britain) he put the standard 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 R through a test under race conditions. "The car exceeded my highest expectations and I had a great time at the wheel," enthused Röhrl. "We were able to match the pace of thoroughbred race cars. The 911 GT3 RS was particularly sensational in fast corners and under braking. And the best thing is, if it wasn't so far tonight I could just put our number plate on the car and drive back to Bavaria without a problem."

Round two of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship takes off on 10 April at midday with a duration of four hours.

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Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss Edition and Hakkinen Shooting Commercial in Barcelona

Somebody at Daimler must have been a big fan of recent photos showing the Audi A1 S-line in Barcelona's Raval district.  The company has been working on a new video shoot for the Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss Edition a few kilometers away from the A1 location, and close to scenes used in a video of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

The SLR Stirling Moss Edition was the last version that became the SLR McLaren, and was filed in 2009. Is inspired by the 300 SLR that Stirling Moss took the victory in the Mille Miglia in 1955, along with journalist Denis Jenkinson, ie, which has no windscreen or roof or anything like it.

With a weight of 200 kilos less than the conventional SLR, and a little more power (650 horses on the original 617), accelerates from 0 to 100 in 3.5 seconds and can take the 350 km / h. S'en only 75 produced, which were offered only to customers who already have a SLR to your garage. The price? Well 750.000 .- €. Almost nothing.
via:worldcarfans

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MW Z4 GT3 Race Car Official Details Released [Video]

The new Z4 GT race car is quickly becoming our favorite modern BMW racer of the past 10 years.

Designed for private racing teams, the GT3 features aggressive styling, advanced engineering, and a 1,200 kilogram (2,645 pound) curb weight. The latter is due in part to the numerous components (front and rear wings, bonnet, roof, and fenders) constructed from carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

As expected the Z4 GT3 car is powered by a 4.0 litre V8 sourced from the M3 GT2. It’s good for more than 480bhp. Other technologies and developments from the Gt2 have been adapted, as well. Things like engine management, ABS, traction control and the sequential shift transmission have all benefitted from previous race experience.

On top of that BMW has also released all the specifications of this V8 powered coupé. As we suspected it’s essentially the same V8 that powers the M3 GT2 race car with over 480 bhp set low and as far back as possible.
Source:BMW






Press Release

Love at first sight: the new BMW Z4 GT3.

Munich, 22nd March 2010. The BMW Z4 GT3, which was officially launched and completed its first test drives at the start of March, is already enjoying great popularity among BMW Motorsport customers. The first cars have been delivered to private BMW teams, who will prepare them for use in various national and international championships.

"The feedback on the BMW Z4 GT3 is extremely positive," says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. "This sports car rounds off our product range, and offers drivers and teams the opportunity to compete in championships in accordance with the GT3 regulations - such as the FIA GT3 European Championship, the International GT Open or the ADAC GT Masters - as well as at 24-hour endurance races." In addition, the BMW M3 GT2, the BMW 320si WTCC, which complies with Super2000 regulations, and the close-to-production BMW M3 GT4 are also available to customer teams from all over the world at BMW Motorsport Distribution.

The production model of the BMW Z4 is already impressive: with its elongated bonnet, flared wheel arches, long wheel base and narrow projections, the car boasts an unmistakable appearance. The two-seater provided BMW Motorsport engineers with a good basis for developing a close-to-production GT3 racing car.

The largest difference between production and racing car can be found under the bonnet: while the production version of the BMW Z4 is driven by a six-cylinder engine, the GT3 car is powered by a 4.0-litre eight-cylinder engine similar to the unit used in the BMW M3 GT2. This powerful heart produces over 480 bhp. Its excellent performance characteristics and good torque curve make the base engine from the production version of the BMW M3 predestined for use in motorsport.

The fitting of the V8 engine had a considerable influence on the development of the BMW Z4 GT3. Initially, design-space examinations were performed using CATIA V5 design software, in order to place the engine in the ideal position and meet racing specifications. The engineers then added all the other components.

When it comes to electronics, the private teams can look forward to innovative BMW solutions, which have already been tried and tested on the BMW M3 GT2: the modern ECU408 takes over the engine management, while the Power400 electronic control unit is responsible for controlling all the actuators. The power is transmitted through a six-speed, sequential gearbox with "Quick Shift" function.

Rims with central locking and safety clip are also included in delivery. In addition, the BMW Z4 GT3 also offers driver assistance systems such as racing ABS and traction control, which have been adopted from other cars in the customer racing range, and then further developed and modified for use in the GT3 car.

The front axle of the BMW Z4 GT3 is a completely new design, based on a series concept. It is equipped with a tubular stabiliser bar with adjustable blades. The rear axle is designed as a longitudinal link axle, as with the series version of the BMW Z4. The steel body of the car comes from the BMW Plant in Regensburg. A safety cell made of extremely rigid, precision steel tubing is then welded into the body. The engine block of the V8 engine is produced in the BMW foundry in Landshut. The BMW Plant in Dingolfing contributes the rear axle differential and drive shaft, among other things.

During the development, BMW Motorsport engineers worked hand in hand in other areas with their colleagues from series production. This allowed them to access calculations from the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) when designing the car's aerodynamics. Furthermore, tests were also carried out in the wind tunnel and on the BMW Group's test benches.

Front and rear wings, bonnet, roof, fender and many other components are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP). Using this lightweight, torsion-resistant material contributed significantly to reducing the weight of the BMW Z4 GT3 to 1,200 kilograms.

As with all cars in the BMW customer racing range, the emphasis was also put on cost-efficiency when developing the BMW Z4 GT3. As a result, the car offers a very good cost/performance ratio and gives private teams the opportunity to participate in affordable motorsport at the highest level.

The BMW Z4 GT3 is available as a racing car at a cost of 298,000 Euros (plus VAT). Interested teams can find further information at: Z4GT3@bmw-motorsport.com.

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Two Video: Sebring 2010: BMW's Dirk Mϋller talks about hour 1

The last 24 hours have been tough for Dirk Mϋller,a single of a drivers of a BMW M3 GT2 in a American Le Mans Series. After environment a fastest GT2 time in subordinate upon Friday for today’s twelve Hours of Sebring, his time was disallowed since of an emanate with his automobile during tech inspection. That meant a #90 automobile was pushed down to a 13th mark upon a GT2 grid.

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2010 SEBRING 12 HOURS - QUALIFYING

The drivers named to start Saturday’s 12 Hours of Sebring – the world’s longest race after the Le Mans 24 Hours – are Austria’s Alexander Wurz in the N°07 car (followed by Briton Anthony Davidson, then Marc Gené) and Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais in the N°08 908 HDi FAP (followed by Portugal’s Pedro Lamy and France’s Nicolas Minassian). The field will be flagged away at 10:30am local time (3:30pm CET).

For the third year running, Team Peugeot Total has chosen to begin its preparations for the Le Mans 24 Hours in Florida. This time round, the two Peugeot 908 HDi FAPs having been lapping at Sebring since Saturday March 13 and will remain at the circuit until Tuesday March 23.

The real action is in the GT2 class.........BMW took pole but failed the subsequent technical inspection, promoting The Flying Lizard Porsche to the front.
via:autoblog




Press Release

PEUGEOT ON POLE: GENE LEADS
FRONT-ROW SEBRING SWEEP
Class pole positions Franchitti, Jeannette, Muller and Keen

Marc Gene's first trip to Sebring International Raceway has been a productive one already. The Spanish star qualified on pole position for the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida with a lap of 1:45.214 (126.599 mph) for Team Peugeot Total, beating out teammate Nic Minassian by 0.627 seconds.

The two diesel-powered factory Peugeot 908 HDI FAPs will start from the front row for the opening round of the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. A victory in Saturday will mean the French manufacturer holds current championships in all three of the world's endurance classics.

Gene will drive with fellow reigning Le Mans 24 Hours winner Alexander Wurz and Anthony Davidson. Only Davidson has competed in the 12 Hours while the trio of Minassian, Sebastien Bourdais and Pedro Lamy in the sister car have 18 starts between them.

"I was very worried before coming here because I had heard so much about it," Gene said. "There were the bumps, the fast curves. I tried to play it on video games but I had to play it so much! Then I moved on to videos and Nic helped me a lot. If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't have won pole position."

The two Peugeots have been utterly dominant this week with the two fastest times in each session. That continued Friday with the 908s locking fellow LMP1 competitors Aston Martin Racing and Drayson Racing out of the front row.

Stefan Mücke qualified third for Aston Martin with a lap of 1:46.079 (125.567 mph). He is driving the Lola B09/60-Aston Martin with Adrian Fernandez and Harold Primat.

Such gaps aren't lulling the Lions to sleep, however. As Gene can attest – even in his limited experience here – Sebring can bite back in a hard way.

"We have lost speed on the straight due to the rules. For sure the Aston Martin will be very tough," he said. "There are a couple of very dangerous corners," he said. "There are no corners like 1 and 17 in Europe. I just came from Bahrain and some of the F1 drivers there would come here and (pull their hair out)."

Marino Franchitti won his second career Sebring LMP2 pole for Patrón Highcroft Racing and Honda Performance Development. The popular Scot qualified the Patrón Highcroft HPD ARX-01c with a time of 1:47.684 (123.695 mph). He will drive with 2009 Series LMP1 champion – and reigning Le Mans overall winner – David Brabham and Simon Pagenaud.

You could throw a net over the three fastest drivers in class. Franchitti was only 0.054 seconds better than Klaus Graf in the Muscle Milk Team CytoSport Porsche RS Spyder; he will drive with team owner Greg Pickett and Sascha Maassen.

Guy Smith qualified Dyson Racing's isobutanol-powered Lola B09/86-Mazda at 1:47.882 (123.468 mph). He will team with Chris Dyson and Andy Meyrick.

"It was certainly very close but we thought our competition didn't show everything they had before qualifying," said Franchitti, who also claimed the LMP2 pole at Sebring in 2004. "We didn't have the best setup but it was good enough. I obviously have two talented and terrific teammates in David and Simon. We have a new big sponsor in GE and it's great to welcome them with a pole. Hopefully we can do that with a win tomorrow."

The Patrón Highcroft entry is an updated version of the ARX-01 lineup that debuted during the 2007 season. Franchitti drove the 01a model for Andretti Green Racing that year and loves the updates the car has received since then.

"There are certainly significant changes that were in the pipeline that didn't come online when I was with Andretti Green," he said. "It was nice for me to get back into a car I know and have everything be better. It's been great. The Highcroft guys have won a lot of races but this is the one race that's eluded them."

Gunnar Jeannette will go down in the history books as the first pole-winner in the new Le Mans Prototype Challenge class. He won out in a terrific qualifying battle with a lap of 1:55.279 (115.546 mph) driving the Green Earth Team Gunnar ORECA FLM09. The former Panoz factory pilot outpaced Ryan Hunter-Reay in the first of Level 5 Motorsports' two FLM09s by just 0.118 seconds.

"It was really exciting," said Jeannette, who will drive with Christian Zugel and Elton Julian. "It's an honor to have the first class for a new car in the series. Our G-Oil car was really hooked up. We skipped the morning practice to do race prep. We were comfortable with our qualifying setup."

The competition between the top three cars in the class has been as tight as any other during the week. The top three qualifiers were within 0.822 seconds; Christophe Bouchut ended the session third in the second Level 5 entry at 1:56.101 (114.728 mph).

Jeannette admitted there is some uncertainly about debuting a new car and new class at America's most grueling race.

"Even though the basis of the car is an endurance racing machine, there are some bits that aren't race-tested," he said. "I think we're all going to aim to get to the finish. Christian did about a stint-and-a-half at the test so we know Michelin has given us a good multiple tire so we'll be doing double- and triple-stints hopefully we can keep doing it lap after lap."

Flying Lizard Motorsports Jörg Bergmeister qualified on pole for GT2. He originally placed second before Dirk Müller's pole-winning BMW M3 was excluded from qualifying after failing a post-session stall test in technical inspections.

Bergmeister's best lap was a 2:01.150 (109.946 mph) pass in the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR that he will drive with fellow factory pilots Patrick Long and Marc Lieb.

"We made a really aggressive tire choice today but we were surprised that the competition wasn't as fast as they were earlier in the week," Bergmeister said. "We're pleased to be on the front of the grid but we know it's a long race."

Müller had set a lap of 2:00.782.

Porsches held the top two spots with an impressive performance for Team Falken Tire. Factory driver Wolf Henzler set a lap of 2:01.201 (109.900 mph) in the car he will drive with Bryan Sellers and Porsche works driver Patrick Pilet. The team is competing in its first full season in the Series for 2010.

Risi Competizione's Jaime Melo qualified third with a lap of 2:01.236 (109.868 mph) in the Ferrari F430 GT that he will drive with Gimmi Bruni and Pierre Kaffer. Risi hasn't lost an endurance round since Sebring 2008.

The top seven cars were under the 2:01 mark, and eight entries – not counting Müller's time – broke the class qualifying record.

Alex Job Racing entries swept the top three positions in GT Challenge with Leh Keen turning a best lap of 2:05.959 (105.749 mph) in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car he will share with Butch Leitzinger and Juan Gonzalez. Keen, whose only other start was at Petit Le Mans in 2005, bested Patrick Kelly by 1.159 seconds.

Kelly will drive with Ricardo Gonzalez and last year's LMP2 co-champion Luis Diaz.

"I've never done this race before and only have done Petit Le Mans a few years ago," Keen said. "The class of drivers here is very high. Now that we can run the GTC class, it brings a few more cars in. My laps were pretty clean. Our guys set up the car really well. The car is going to have more of a race setup now. It's like a 24-hour race squished down into 12."

AJR is a six-time winner at Sebring in GT classes and obviously knows how to get around at Sebring. But there are some new dynamics such as the new car and new class running 12 hours on such a demanding circuit.

"The one that has the cleanest race will have the best chance," Keen said. "We were setting up the car and had a little bit of a push early this week. Turn 17 and 1 are pretty bumpy and that's just the way the track is. Some of the understeer in 14 and 15 was bad. I think we're close to getting something we're comfortable with and can drive for the full race."

Romeo Kapudija qualified the AJR Porsche he will share with Bill Sweedler and Jan Dirk-Lueders third with a lap of 2:07.205 (104.713 mph).

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida, the opening round of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and America's greatest sports car race, starts at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday. The green flag will fall at 10:30 a.m. ET with live coverage on SPEED starting at 10 a.m. ET. Live coverage also will be available on American Le Mans Radio, as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 245.Visit the Series' schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

You can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes) and on our Facebook page and the official YouTube channel.

58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring
presented by Fresh from Florida
Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Fla.
Saturday's lineup
1. Marc Gene, Spain; Anthony Davidson, England; Alexander Wurz; Peugeot 908 HDI FAP (P1), 1:45.214, 126.599
2. Pedro Lamy, Lisbon Portugal; Sebastien Bourdais, France; Nicolas Minassian, England; Peugeot 908 HDI FAP (P1), 1:45.841, 125.849
3. Stefan Mücke, Germany; Harold Primat, Switzerland; Adrian Fernandez, Mexico; Lola B09 60/Aston Martin (P1), 1:46.079, 125.567
4. Paul Drayson, London, UK; Jonny Cocker, UK; Emanuele Pirro, Italy; Lola B09 60/Judd (P1), 1:46.460, 125.117
5. David Brabham, Australia; Simon Pagenaud, France; Marino Franchitti, Scotland; HPD ARX-01c (P2), 1:47.684, 123.695
6. Greg Pickett, Alamo, CA; Klaus Graf, Germany; Sascha Maassen, Germany; Porsche RS Spyder (P2), 1:47.738, 123.633
7. Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Guy Smith, England; Andy Meyrick; Lola B09 86/Mazda (P2), 1:47.882, 123.468
8. Bryan Willman, Kirkland, WA; Tony Burgess, Canada; Pierre Ehret, Santa Rosa, CA; Lola B06 10/AER (P1), 1:54.441, 116.392
9. Christian Zugel; Gunnar Jeannette, Palm Beach Gardens, FL; Elton Julian, Los Angeles, CA; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:55.279, 115.546
10. Scott Tucker; James Gue, Athens, GA; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:55.397, 115.428
11. 12. Scott Tucker; Christophe Bouchut, France; Mark Wilkins, Canada; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:56.101, 114.728
12. Mitch Pagery, Deerfield Beach, FL; Brian Wong; David Ducote; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:59.580, 111.390
13. Jörg Bergmeister, Germany; Patrick Long, Oak Park, CA; Marc Lieb, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:01.150, 109.946
14. Bryan Sellers, Centerville, OH; Wolf Henzler, Germany; Patrick Pilet, France; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:01.201, 109.900
15. Jaime Melo, Brazil; Gianmaria Bruni, Italy; Pierre Kaffer, Germany; Ferrari 430 GT (GT2), 2:01.236, 109.868
16. Jan Magnussen, Denmark; Johnny O'Connell, Flowery Branch, GA; Antonio Garcia, Spain; Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (GT2), 2:01.358, 109.758
17. Olivier Beretta, Monaco; Oliver Gavin, England; Emmanuel Collard, France; Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (GT2), 2:01.628, 109.514
18. Scott Sharp, Jupiter; Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA; Dominik Farnbacher, Germany; Ferrari 430 GT (GT2), 2:01.914, 109.257
19. Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, CA; Tom Milner, Leesburg, VA; Dirk Werner, Germany; BMW E92 M3 (GT2), 2:01.922, 109.250
20. Ed Brown, Las Vegas, NV; Guy Cosmo, Long Island, NY; Joao Barbosa, Portugal; Ferrari 430 GT (GT2), 2:02.242, 108.964
21. Andrea Robertson, Ray, MI; David Robertson, Ray, MI; David Murry, Cumming, GA; Doran Design Ford GT (GT2), 2:03.622, 107.748
22. Butch Leitzinger, State College, PA; Leh Keen, Dublin, GA; Juan Gonzalez, Mexico; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:05.959, 105.749
23. Tracy Krohn, Houston, TX; Nic Jonsson, Sweden; Eric van de Poele, Belgium; Ferrari 430 GT (GT2), 2:06.680, 105.147
24. Ricardo Gonzalez, Mexico; Luis Diaz, Mexico; Patrick Kelly, Minnestrista, MN; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:07.018, 104.867
25. Bill Sweedler, Westport, CT; Romeo Kapudija, Lincolnwood, IL; Jan-Dirk Lueders; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:07.205, 104.713
26. Shane Lewis, Jupiter, FL; Gerry Vento, Palm Beach, FL; Lawson Aschenbach, West Palm Beach, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:07.412, 104.543
27. Brett Curtis, Valencia, CA; James Sofronas, Newport Beach, CA; Andy Pilgrim, Del Ray Beach, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:07.751, 104.265
28. Darren Law, Phoenix, AZ; Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA; Richard Lietz, Austria; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:07.874, 104.165
29. Richard, Henri, Los Altos Hills; Lally, Andy, New York, NY; Duncan Ende, Los Angeles, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:11.371, 101.392
30. Joel Feinberg, Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Kyle Marcelli; Tom Weickardt, Whitefish Bay, WI; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 0, 0
31. Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, MI; Marc Goosens, Belgium; Ryan Dalziel, Scotland; Jaguar XKRS (GT2), 2:04.804, 106.727
32. Robert Rodriquez, Zephyr Cove, NV; Galen Bieker, Burbank, CA; Cory Friedman; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:10.312, 102.216
33. Andy Wallace, England; Tom Sutherland, Los Gatos, CA; JR Hildebrand; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:55.579, 115.246
34. Dirk Mueller, Germany; Joey Hand, Sacramento, CA; Andy Priaulx, Germany; BMW E92 M3 (GT2), 2:00.782, 110.281

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Leaked: Mercedes SLS AMG GT3

Now, a series of leaked pictures showing the Mercedes AMG SLS GT3 racecars have surfaced, showing the car in all its glory.

The car pictured here features a heavily revised body which includes the front bumper with large central intake and lower splitter, canard air foils, hood, fenders with deep wheel well vents, huge side sills, that massive carbon rear wing integrated into the boot lid, fuel filler pocket in the quarter panels and rear bumper with purposeful diffuser.

Inside the car is a true racer with carbon fiber racing seats, a carbon center console and racing digital dash – which even has lights to notify the driver when to shift.

The car will used a modified version of the production V8 engine. This is a 6.2 liter naturally aspirated powerplant that develops 571 hp at 6,800 rpm and 480 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm.

According to the Mercedes-Benz-Passion blog, full details are set to be released on March 27th, with the car set for its racing debut in the Spring of next year.






Press Release



Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3


Spectacular racing car for the sporting customer

Puebla (Mexico) - Coinciding with the market launch of the SLS AMG on 27
March 2010, Mercedes-AMG is presenting a GT3 variant. This racing version of
the gullwing model stands out with its spectacular design and thoroughbred
motor sports technology. Developed to comply with the GT3 specifications of
the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile), the SLS AMG GT3 is
designed as a racing sports car for customers competing in sprints and
long-distance races. These race series for near-series GT cars are noted for
their very varied participants and great excitement. Not least because of
their comparatively favourable cost structure, they are enjoying increasing
worldwide popularity.

AMG, the performance brand within Mercedes-Benz, is entering a new
business sector with the new SLS AMG GT3: the development, production and
marketing of sports racing cars intended for customer use. Sales of these
customer cars are expected to commence in autumn 2010, and homologation of
the GT3 variant will be completed in time for the 2011 racing season.

"Thanks to uncompromising lightweight construction and superior handling
dynamics, the SLS AMG provides an outstanding basis for a highly competitive
racing car. This exciting GT3 version is our response to strong customer
demand for a car designed for these attractive motor sports series. Once
again, it demonstrates AMG's huge experience gained in more than 40 years of
motor sports, and its great expertise in the development of unique
high-performance cars," says Volker Mornhinweg, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG
GmbH.

The new SLS AMG GT3 is an emphatic continuation of AMG's commitment to
motor sports. AMG has been a pioneer in the motor sports world ever since
its foundation in 1967. The new racing version of the SLS AMG is developed
and produced by AMG in close cooperation with HWA AG. HWA is responsible for
the DTM racing team on behalf of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports. The HWA team is
one of the most successful in international motor sports, as witness nine
driver championships in the DTM and ITC, as well as two championship titles
in the FIA GT Championships.

The SLS AMG GT3 is set to write another chapter in this success story,
and harks back to the 300 SL racing sports car of 1952 which first
established the "gullwing" legend. Its historic victory in the "Carrera
Panamericana" long-distance race also made Mercedes-Benz a household name in
North and Central America, and demonstrated the know-how and expertise of
the Stuttgart-based automobile company.

Spectacular racing car looks and top-class performance

The new SLS AMG GT3 is wide, flat and has spectacular racing car looks. The
main focus when modifying the body of this gullwing model was on aerodynamic
performance - as is seen not only in the new front apron with a splitter,
the bonnet with its central cooling air vent and the wider front and rear
wings, but also in the the side wheel arch air vents, the sideskirts with
cooling ducts for the rear brakes, the smooth underbody with a rear diffuser
and the adjustable rear aerofoil. All these features ensure a low drag
coefficient and maximum downforce - while guaranteeing effective cooling of
thermally highly stressed components. The C-pillars accommodate the
standardised filler pipes for the fast-refuel system.

The FIA will determine the maximum output of the AMG 6.3-litre V8
front-mid engine with dry sump lubrication on the "Balance of Performance"
principle. This is intended to ensure that all the racing cars taking part
have an equal chance. The classification process, during which the kerb
weight is also determined, will be completed in 2010. Power transmission in
the GT3 variant is by a sequential six-speed racing transmission with
steering wheel shift paddles and an integrated multi-disc locking
differential. As in the standard SLS AMG, the transmission is located at the
rear axle: the engine and transmission are connected by a torque tube within
which a carbon-fibre shaft rotates at the engine speed, as in the roadgoing
version.

The wheels are located by a double-wishbone suspension of forged
aluminium at the front and rear. Adjustment facilities for the springs and
shock absorbers, the suspension height, the stabilisers, the track width and
camber allow an individual setup for the racetrack. Rack-and-pinion steering
with a more direct ratio and speed-sensitive servo assistance make for
extremely agile handling. Behind the central-locking AMG light-alloy wheels,
a composite steel racing braking system with racing ABS ensures outstanding
deceleration.

Functional racing car atmosphere in the interior

The interior of the SLS AMG GT3 is dominated by a functional racing car
atmosphere: the steel rollover cage not only ensures the driver's safety,
but also adds additional reinforcement to the aluminium spaceframe. Another
eye-catching feature is the racing bucket seat with a six-point seat belt
and HANS system (Head and Neck Support). The central display is perfectly
positioned in the driver's field of vision, and shows all the relevant
information such as speed, engine rpm, operating temperatures, lap times and
the selected gear. The open-top racing steering wheel with gearshift paddles
makes perfect vehicle control possible.

Additional controls are located on the centre console. This is where the
driver can not only start the AMG V8 engine or adjust the traction control,
but also select reverse gear or - if the worst comes to the worst - activate
the integrated fire extinguisher system. The adjustment control for the
brake balance is located on the torque tube tunnel.

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Leaked: Mercedes SLS AMG GT3

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HIGHCROFT AND AUTOMOBLOX REV UP NEW PARTNERSHIP

Our favorite purveyor of heirloom quality toy cars, Automoblox, has partnered with Highcroft Racing to enter the world of toy (and real) motorsports. The company's logo will be displayed on the wing of Highcroft's HPD ARX-01c car being campaigned in the 2010 season of the American Le Mans Series. The season opening 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race occurs this weekend, and Automoblox is celebrating its association with Highcroft Racing by announcing a new model to its extensive lineup of toy cars.


The new car is a Highcroft-branded version of the C9-R sports car. Not only is it decked out for racing duty, but the new model also comes with a color-coordinated version of the heavy duty T900 truck and a trailer to tow the race car to each event. And by "event" we mean the imaginary 12 Hours of Sebring in your living room and the 24 Hours of Le Mans that goes from your spare bedroom into the home office and down the very famous Mulsanne Hallway.


Curiously, these two companies got together when a member of the Highcroft Racing team bought an Automoblox car for his kid. They reached out to Automoblox and found a partner that, according to them, shares their values of "professionalism, precision, high performance and striving to be better than the opposition."


So keep an eye out for the Automoblox logo whizzing by the cameras on the wing of Highcroft's HPD ARX-01c this weekend at Sebring, and if that gets you hankering for some toy racing of your own, the Highcroft-branded Automoblox racer will be available in April (price TBD).

More Photos


Press Release

DANBURY, CT, Monday, March 15: Highcroft Racing is set to inspire the automotive designers and engineers of the future thanks to a new partnership with innovative toy manufacturer, Automoblox.

The range of Automoblox toys consist of wooden car body sections with patented plastic interconnects, polycarbonate wheels and rubber tires, plastic passengers and polycarbonate screens. Each car can be disassembled into its component parts and re-assembled. Parts from different cars can be combined to allow children to design their own models.

As part of the new sponsorship deal, Automoblox will market a Highcroft-branded model which will feature a racecar and accompanying tow-car and trailer. The new Automoblox Highcroft model is expected to be available in April.

The Automoblox logo will be featured on the rear of the #1 HPD ARX-01c chassis that Highcroft will campaign in this year's American Le Mans Series.

"Every member of the Highcroft Racing team played with toy cars when they were a child - in fact, you would have to think everyone in the entire paddock kicked off their passion for the sport with toy cars," Highcroft Racing President, Duncan Dayton said.

"The Automoblox product is really impressive. It is a great quality product and something that can really inspire children's imaginations.

"Anybody who has seen the cars has instantly said 'Wow, I have to get that for my kids' - I think the adults probably enjoy playing with them as much as the children.

"I am really looking forward to seeing the finished Highcroft version - I know one "big kid" who can't wait to have one on his toy shelf."

The Automoblox concept was created by founder Patrick Calello while studying Industrial Design at Carnegie Mellon University. Faced with the challenge of developing new consumer product concept for the do-it-yourself wooden hobby industry - being a "car guy", Calello immediately developed a novel toy car concept that could be fashioned out of wood. It was the fall of 1992 when the original concept was born for what would be become Automoblox.

The idea was to inspire creativity in children by allowing them to visualize assembling cars of their own design.

"Our relationship with Highcroft kicked off after a member of the team purchased one of the cars for their child," Calello said.

"The team got in touch with us and we quickly realized the brand values and the quality of what we do at Automoblox matches the Highcroft philosophy.

"I discovered the team was all about professionalism, precision, high performance and striving to be better than the opposition. Above all, we both like to play with toy cars so it really is a perfect fit.

"A partnership between us really makes sense."

The quality of the Automoblox product is a marked contrast to what many children find under their Christmas tree each year.

"We have taken a fresh look at the toy industry. Presently, many manufacturers focus on low cost and disposability - big retailers are always looking at the next big thing they can put on their shelf. Calello said.

"We wanted to deliver beautiful, high quality play-things for kids that will stand the test of time and enrich their lives.

"In years gone by kids had toys that would last for years but these days they'll get toys for Christmas that will be broken or in a garage sale by the spring.

"Our product really interacts with a child's senses rather that assault them with bright lights and sound - it's about the sense of touch, the materials and the way it clicks together."

The Automoblox logo will get its race debut with Highcroft at next week's opening round of the American Le Mans Series championship, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 20.

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HIGHCROFT AND AUTOMOBLOX REV UP NEW PARTNERSHIP

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