As mentioned in our previous Spec-M Exposé the 2012 Nissan GT-R is set to arrive on the scene shortly with so many changes that Nissan had to go out and revise the chassis designation bumping CBA-R35 in favor of the new DBA-R35 tag. While we touched on the cosmetic changes in part 1 of this post we didn’t delve into the more technical changes yet so here goes.
Aero Updates
Aero changes to the front bumper, rear diffuser and rear underspoiler mean that the 2012 GT-R slips through the air with even less drag than the already impressive 2009 model. As mentioned previously, these changes help it lower it’s co-efficient of drag as well as increase downforce in the rear by as much as 10%. The rear vents also assist in keeping rear underbody temperatures lower meaning less heat transfer from the GT-R’s hot exhaust into the critical areas like the GR6 transmission fluid and rear differential.
Nissan took the opportunity with the rear diffuser/underspoiler rear design to build in a rear Euro mandated fog light using an LED strip along the bottom edge in the center.
Chassis Updates
As well as aerodynamics, street and circuit handling in the 2012 GT-R is going to benefit greatly from some key chassis stiffening updates in the DBA-R35. Strengthening members are added to the front area under the dashboard (highlighted above). In the engine bay, new bracing members extend from the rear of the strut towers to the firewall.
As well as increasing chassis rigidity by adding new key metal – the GT-R engineering team has improved the manufacturing line to improve GT-R build quality and panel fit consitency for every car built.
Suspension Updates
Again showing that the Nissan GT-R engineering team is focussing on driver feel, they’ve gone to the extrordinary length of changing the suspension geometry on the DBA-R35 model. The changes to the front suspension lower arm move the stabiliser bar further out and change the shock absorber lever angle. To go with these changes up front is a castor angle change from 5°35 to 6°00. In the rear, Nissan has tuned the roll center.
All around, Nissan’s update to the suspension to adopt an aluminium free piston design as well as spring, damper and valve rate changes mean the suspension is able to more quickly adapt to changes in surface and direction. The net benefit is a more stable and more responsive feel with even more feedback to drivers than ever before.
Brakes, Wheels and Tires Updates
Nissan’s experience with racing over the past few years with the GT-R has taught them that more stopping power is always better. To that end they’ve upped the front rotor size on the DBA-R35 from 380mm of the CBA-R35 to 390mm.
As mentioned already, the DBA-R35 will debut with a new design Rays forged aluminium wheel each 3kg lighter than the outgoing type. These wheels will come in two new colors Hyper Blue Black and Hyper Titanium. The new Rays wheels feature improved knurling to help further with reducing tire slip on the rims themselves.
To fit these new wheels are updated versions of both summer tires already being fitted to the GT-R, namely the RE070R R2 from Bridgestone and the SP Sport Maxx GT 600 DSST CTT from Dunlop. Both are touted to improve grip and increase sidewall stiffness, something very important in a heavy awd vehicle such as the GT-R.
Part III to come soon where we’ll cover the remainder of the DBA-R35 changes including interior and engine changes, so stay tuned…
Inaugural event of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC)
Two Audi R15 TDI cars to contest the 1000-km race at Silverstone
Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish to spearhead the squad
Ingolstadt, September 3, 2010 – The 1000-kilometer race at Silverstone ( Great Britain ) on September 12 marks the beginning of a new era for Audi and the sports car scene: for the first time since 1992, there will be a worldwide racing series for Le Mans prototypes again. Audi Sport Team Joest will contest the series with two R15 TDI cars. Silverstone, Road Atlanta, Zhuhai – three races in three different continents at the end of the 2010 sports car season will give sports car fans a foretaste of the year 2011. Next year, a total of seven endurance races are planned for the so called "Intercontinental Le Mans Cup" (ILMC). 47 vehicles have been e
ntered in the ILMC inaugural race at Silverstone, as many as twelve of them in the top class, LMP1, whose "king" has traditionally been the Le Mans winner. This year it was the Audi R15 TDI which is powered by a V10 TDI engine delivering about 440 kW and – as is typical for Audi – features numerous innovative technical details. In June the outstanding reliability of the R15 TDI in the fastest 24-hour race in Le Mans history was crucial. "In the shorter ILMC races we mustn’t just rely on this factor," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "The performance has got to be right." To be optimally prepared for the three races of the 2010 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, the aerodynamics of the Le Mans winning car was modified and trimmed toward more downforce because there are no straights at Silverstone, Road Atlanta and Zhuhai which are as long as those at Le Mans.
In addition, Audi has formed a "dream team" for the ILMC races with Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish. Kristensen, who with eight exploits under his belt is the record winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours, was voted "Sports Car Driver of the Decade" by the British "Autosport" magazine last winter. Allan McNish finished the same voting as the runner-up. Now the two will go on the chase for points in a racing series together for the first time. A look at the winners’ list shows that Allan McNish is a safe bet particularly at Silverstone: the Scotsman has competed in his "home round" as many as three times for Audi, and finished three times on the very top of the podium – most recently in 2008 when he clinched the first victory of the Audi R10 TDI in the Le Mans Series together with Dindo Capello.
Another high-caliber pairing has been formed for the "sister" car. Capello will contest all three races of the 2010 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup for Audi. At Silverstone, he will be running alongside Timo Bernhard, one of the three reigning Le Mans winners. In tests at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, all four Audi drivers prepared themselves last week for the Silverstone race that will start on Sunday (September 12) at 11:55 hrs, local time (12:55 hrs in Germany). Eurosport will air live broadcasts of the starting and final phases.
Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers
Timo Bernhard (29/D), Audi R15 TDI #8 (Audi Sport Team Joest) - Winner of the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours with the Audi R15 TDI - Most recently contested a race at Silverstone in the Porsche Supercup "I’m happy that after the huge exploit at Le Mans Audi has selected me again this season. I’m by far the youngest one in the squad and think that I’ll form a good crew with Dindo (Capello). Silverstone is new for me in the prototype but that wasn’t a problem at Le Mans and Spa either. Silverstone marks the beginning of a new era for the sports cars – and I’m happy to be part of it. The race has a superb field. It shows that the trend is pointing in the right direction."
Dindo Capello (46/I), Audi R15 TDI #8 (Audi Sport Team Joest) - With 29 overall victories under his belt is the most successful racer in the American Le Mans Series - Won at Silverstone in 2008 together with Allan McNish - Is sharing the cockpit with Timo Bernhard for the first time "I’ve never had such a long summer break in my career before. After almost three months I’m glad to finally be able to shift into ‘race mode’ again and to sit in the Audi Audi R15 TDI. Even though our rivals are well prepared and have more experience with their car, which has a lot of downforce, I’m confident that we’ll at least be on an equal footing. Not sharing the car with Allan (McNish) and Tom (Kristensen) for the first time in many years is a new experience for me. I’ll have to be careful not to get into the wrong cockpit at the pit stop … But I believe that Timo (Bernhard) and I’ll form a good duo and that we’ll have some hot battles with our team colleagues. Timo showed at Le Mans that he is strong, fast and reliable."
Tom Kristensen (43/DK), Audi R15 TDI #7 (Audi Sport Team Joest) - With a track record of eight wins is the "King of Le Mans" - Contests a complete sports car series for the first time since the 2002 ALMS - Won the 1998 Formula 3000 race at Silverstone
"After suffering a bit from the ‘heel tendon’ issue at the beginning of the year, I’m very happy that my second sports car career is now starting ‘full time.’ It’s great being able to tackle the new racing series together with Audi and Team Joest – and of course together with Allan (McNish), too. It’s also high time to return to Silverstone again. I’ve only driven there twice and won both times – most recently in the BTCC, in 2000. The track has changed a bit since then and has new sections that look challenging because there seem to be bumps in fast corners and a slow complex. I’m very excited about it."
Allan McNish (40/GB), Audi R15 TDI #7 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
- Winner in 2004, 2005 and 2008 (with different team colleagues, respectively) - Shares a cockpit exclusively with Tom Kristensen for the first time "It is important that Tom (Kristensen) and I, and of course Audi, get off to a good start in that Championship as Peugeot, our main competition over the last three years, will be keen for revenge especially after Audi’s 1-2-3 result at Le Mans in June. Silverstone marks the first time Audi and Peugeot have faced each other since Le Mans so you can expect fireworks and a titanic fight between us. The Audi R15 TDI has already won two out of the three races we’ve done this year and ‘TK’ and I will be fighting hard to make it a third win on what is the R15 TDI’s UK race debut."
All winners of the 1000-kilometer race at Silverstone (since 2004) 2004 Pierre Kaffer/Allan McNish (Audi R8) 2005 Allan McNish/Stéphane Ortelli (Audi R8) 2007 Marc Gené/Nicolas Minassian (Peugeot 908 HDi FAP) 2008 Dindo Capello/Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI) 2009 Nicolas Lapierre/Oliver Panis (Oreca-AIM) Track info Track length: 5.891 km Race distance: 170 laps = 1001.470 km Pole position in 2009: Nicolas Lapierre (Oreca-AIM), 1m 32.798s = 199.401 km/h (Sep 12, 2009) Fastest lap in 2009: Jean-Christophe Boullion/Christophe Tinseau (Pescarolo-Judd), 1m 34.316s = 196.192 km/h (Sep 13, 2009)
Schedule (local times) Friday, September 10 13:25-14:25 Free practice 1 17:00-18:00 Free practice 2 Saturday, September 11 09:00-10:00 Free practice 3 11:00-12:00 Meet the Audi Team (Audi Team & Media Hospitality) 13:10-13:30 Qualifying (GT vehicles) 13:40-14:00 Qualifying (prototypes) Sunday, September 12 09:00-09:20 Warm-up 11:55-17:55 Race
TV schedule, Eurosport (German time) 12:30 – 13:45 Starting phase 17:45 – 19:00 Final phase
Looks like the rumors were true after all! General Motors has just released initial images of the Cruze hatchback, ahead of it’s official debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. However General Motors is calling the hatchback a show car, indicating that it is not the final production model. Nevertheless the vehicle looks pretty much production ready, hence the final product shouldn’t look much different. I must admit that this show car looks rather pleasing, except for the blue-ish headlights.
The company said that the hatchback uses body-frame integral system or BFI that “results in high levels of stability and solidity”, according to General Motors that is.
It also said that the cargo capacity is figured at 400 liters and it features a 60/40 rear seat split. The production 5-door Cruze is expected to go on sale in Europe by mid 2011.
Mini is continuing its advertising onslaught for the new Countryman, and in its latest spot, the company visualizes every potential path for the Countryman to run amok in the Italian countryside. The original car eventually multiplies into a fleet of over one hundred CG interpretations, all hopping curbs and harassing pedestrians in what we can only imagine is what the world would look like if a Mini exec ruled the globe. Eventually, the high-riding Countryman flings itself onto a ferry to escape into the sunset.
Back in March, Kia debuted a new top-shelf version of its most popular vehicle, the Sorento crossover, dubbed the ‘SX.’ The announcement included word of a redesigned front clip and more equipment, but we were most interested in the SX’s lower ride height and Dual Flow Damper shocks, which Kia says deliver sporty handling without undue ride harshness.
As we would discover after spending a week traversing the Midwest’s broken roads with a lesser Sorento EX model, that last bit about ride harshness is particularly important, because while the Sorento had a pleasant highway demeanor and tracked well, it was surprisingly stiff and brittle on potholed roads, acquitting itself more like a body-on-frame vehicle than the unibody CUV that it is. Fortunately, Kia noticed this ride quality issue and decided to take the costlier DFD dampers and employ them not just on the new SX model, but across the model’s entire range beginning in the fourth quarter. While Kia officials we spoke with at an Atlanta press event this week stopped short of admitting that the Sorento’s ride quality has been an issue, they did note that once engineers sampled the DFD setup on the SX, they liked the ride so much they decided to institute the new units on all Sorentos.
During the event, we had a chance to sample a pair of Sorento SX models, and over some of the city’s choppy, unkept stretches of pavement, we noticed a markedly less flinty ride, despite the SX model’s large and flashy 18-inch alloy wheels. While we’ll wait to drive a DFD-equipped Sorento back on the Midwest’s mean streets before we give it a clean bill of health, our backsides were encouraged by what they felt, and we’re likewise pleased to see Kia taking quick action to address a sore spot on a new model. How was the rest of the $32,195 SX? Rather accomplished, actually. We like the SX’s new lower fascia and grille (though the standard Sorento’s a good-looking proposition as well), and the 276-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 felt predictably more capable than the merely adequate 2.4-liter four-cylinder we drove recently. Other SX-specific alterations include LED taillamps and a healthy dollop of chrome inside-and-out. The added flash won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it’s quite tastefully done and we suspect Kia won’t have trouble finding buyers.
That said, if you’re merely in the market for a new Sorento LX or EX and you live in an area where the roads are less-than-perfect, might we suggest holding on to your current ride until the fourth quarter-builds trickle into your local dealer?
While everyone and their mother seems to have made Top Gear USA bashing the new national pastime, you might want to take a look at the newest video tease it’s just released. While the appeal of the BBC show undoubtedly revolves around the chemistry between its three mismatched hosts, at its core, it’s a show about cars. So even if we’re not certain the three American hosts can live up to the legacy established by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, perhaps they really don’t need to. Top Gear USA isn’t a replacement for the BBC show after all – it’s more of a spin-off. And as long as the production values stay high – and from the looks of it, they have – it’s just more car pr0n for all of us. Case in point: the video you’ll see after the jump. The storyline is fairly straightforward: Round up the baddest Lamborghinis from the corral – Superleggera, Balboni and SuperVeloce – and open them up so we can see what they’ll do. Can there possibly be a loser? Maybe the matador.
While the debate rages on regarding the Mazda Shinari’s inspiration (Fisker Karma, Infiniti Essence, or something more sinister?), here are some real life photos of the car outside of the studio. Introducing Mazda’s new Japanese-Euro-American Kodo design language, the Shinari shows where Mazda will be zoom-zooming after its Nagare-derived smiley face cars are dead and gone.
Expect the flowing, toned lines to appear on everything from the Mazda3 and Mazda6 to the MX-5 Miata and potential RX-8 successor; on that note, can we get a decent rotary engine around here or what?
Since these "tense" and "organic" designs are becoming more and more common nowadays, how will Mazda emphasize its own unique design elements? As with most unofficial homages (because we all know this isn’t a purely original design or layout), the answer is in the details.
Looking at the nose, new Mazdas should be getting a much more open mouth in place of the silly "happy" look currently plastered across most of the automaker’s offerings. Upon closer inspection, you’ll see a chrome strip (or "signature wing") at the base of the grille which extends out through the headlamps like a bird with its wings spread.
It’s a safe bet that we won’t be seeing those Iron Man power source headlights in production, nor the twisted-metal bits.
The tail of the car seems more in sync with the current lineup, but nicely evolved. Even the little chrome wing-ding from the nose makes an appearance, running below the boot lid and into the taillights.
Inside, the Shinari again impersonates, but does it well: we’ve got carapace-like buckets for its four fictional occupants, as well as a few beer cans’ worth of aluminum trim.
As for the idea of an interior being driver-centric, that’s nothing new. Sadly, neither is the idea of individually tailoring the cockpit for occupants (look at the Essence). If this asymmetrical style does indeed become a recurring Mazda element, they will have beaten Infiniti to the punch. Otherwise, the gauges are beautiful and its layout is nice; if anything, the Shinari shows that Mazda is staying current and has big plans for the future.
The tech inside has so far been limited to rumblings of a Human Machine Interface (HMI) – possibly run by Skynet – which provides drivers with Business, Pleasure, and Sport modes. From the description, it sounds like just another evolution of human/car/computer fusion.
Mazda North America design director Derek Jenkins says, "We want to play in the same group as BMW and Audi. On fit and finish we want the same level of quality." Hooray for benchmarks, now let’s get to it.
Expect to see the Shinari among a slew of other designer cars in Paris this fall.
Here are some amusing TV ads from Honda’s creative Australian division. The spots were made to show off how practical, roomy and versatile the Honda Jazz is (known as the Fit in North America and Japan). So if you want to learn the answer to questions such as "How much Massive can you pack in a Honda Jazz?" and "How much Rap can you pack in a Jazz?",
Mazda has unveiled a new concept called the Shinari at a private press event held in Milan recently. This new four-door coupe concept will give the public a hint to the future direction the Mazda family will take in terms of design language.
Given the designation “Kodo”, it replaces the oddball Nagare design language that we’ve all become accustomed to, most recently seen on the latest version of the Mazda5 M{V. In Japanese, “Kodo” translate to “soul of motion” and the creation of the design was a joint effort between Mazda’s design studios in Japan, U.S. and Germany.
General Manager of Mazda Motor Corp design division Ikuo Maeda had this to say when asked when the new design language will appear on new models, “this design will lead to the next generation of Mazda design and will lead to other elements.”
Apart from the usual, Mazda also unveiled their plans of wanting to compete with luxury carmakers and has confirmed that they will be improving the quality of their interior levels. “We want to play in the same group as BMW and Audi. On fit and finish we want the same level of quality, ” said Derek Jenkins, director of design for Mazda North America.
The Shinari will make its official debut at the Paris Motor Show on the 30th of September this year.
European fans of the Lexus IS-F rejoice; this is one sports car that won’t be axed on the other side of the pond due to the introduction of the more stringent Euro 5 emissions standards. Unlike the current generations of the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Type R and Mazda RX-8 -just to mention a few, the IS-F will make it to the 2011 model year thanks to its tweaked 5.0-liter V8 that is now fully compliant with the upgraded Euro 5 norms.
The specification sheet says power remains unchanged at 423HP with the IS F being capable of accelerating from 0-100 km/h (62mph) in 4.7 seconds and on to an electronically governed top speed of 270 km/h (168mph).
Similarly to the rest of the 2011MY IS range, the flagship IS-F benefits from some subtle exterior and interior revisions. On the outside, the sports saloon gains revised headlamps with LED daytime running lights and a new optional finish named "Starlight Black GF".
On board, changes include new dark sliver fibre inserts, revised front seat design for improved driver support, blue instead of white stitching for the leather upholstery and last but certainly not least, a new instrument panel design that repositions the tachometer, speedometer and shift indicator within the binnacle. U.S. buyers should expect similar styling upgrades for the 2011MY (or 2012MY) version of the IS-F.
A Norwegian website claims to have snagged the first official photo of the 2011 Volkswagen Passat from one of the automaker’s European retailers (they didn’t, see the UPDATE below), and sources suggest we could see the restyled mid-size sedan as early as the Paris Motor Show this October. There’s still some question about what engines will be available when the new Passat arrives in Europe, but VW’s ubiquitous turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four is sure to make an appearance, while a new 300-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 will be available in higher-spec trims, along with the normal assortment of diesel mills. A hybrid model has also been confirmed by VW, and soon after the sedan launches abroad, the wagon variant will debut, along with a possible R36 model. Expect the full details to be revealed before the end of the month.
It has been reported by British tabloids that Ben Collins (allegedly The Stig), has been sacked from the hit motoring show Top Gear. Pictures from the Daily Mirror, showed Collins playing with his kids at his home in England, while the “tame racing driver” was at a Top Gear Live event at the Nurburgring, Germany.
The supposed replacement Stig was brought in a week after Ben Collins’ was unmasked as the Stig. This comes after a row between Collins and the BBC on his right to publish his autobiography. BBC bosses state that the book is in breach of a confidentiality agreement.
Naturally his publishers HarperCollins disagree, stating that the BBC are wasting British TV audiences’ license fee money on costly legal action.
Rumours surfaced as Collins being The Stig, after reports from his company accounts pointed to the direction of Ben Collins as it described “a cornerstone year in 2003”, a month after the white Stig made his first TV appearance.
Ben Collins is remaining tight-lipped about the whole fiasco only saying “I am not allowed to talk about it.” Thus just another log entry into the rumourmill of the most famous-faceless race driver in the world.
