A metallic cherry red Alfa Romeo 4C stole the show at Concorso d’Elegance Villa d’Este by taking the most beautiful machine in the Concept and Prototype class. The votes of visitors and judges were taken into account. No doubt the vivid metallic cherry red paintwork had a part to play alongside the cutting edge design and technology.
The 4C is still being developed, with Alfa Romeo working hard to make the stunning concept car a reality by the end of the 2012. It was announced recently that Maserati will build the cars at its current Modena factory, expected production output is up to 2500 units per annum. Sources from Alfa Romeo claim that the initial production output will be closer to 1500, with over 20% expected to go to the US.
The specification announced last year by Alfa is unchanged, Carbon Tub with Aluminium bolt on front and rear crash structures coupled with the lightweight 1.8 litre turbo. Projected weight of the car is still 900kg and a price of around £40,000 is still likely.
Here is some light entertainment, the first in a series of cartoons about Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren F1 drivers actual voices feature in the short video.
The natural competitiveness comes through in the animation and this relaxed attitude helps cement the camaraderie at McLaren.
No one knows how to hoon better then Ken Block. In his latest video Gymkhana 5, he takes his four wheel drive, 650hp Ford Fiesta across the city streets of San Francisco.
The video on YouTube has already attracted 10 million views in 3 days! The cinematography is incredible. Most of the footage was shot on the GoPro Hero2.
Santander, sponsors of next weekend’s 2012 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix, have released a spectacular concept film, featuring McLaren’s Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, exploring how an F1 race in London might look.
The CGI film, with an imagined 5.156-kilometre circuit taking in some of the UK capital’s most famous landmarks, was produced following a detailed feasibility study for such a race by expert project architects Populous, who consulted Button and Hamilton extensively on the track’s design.
It features a starting grid on The Mall, a near-200mph Santander straight in the run up to Buckingham Palace, and perhaps one of the most audacious corners seen on an F1 track, as 24 cars steer their way from Trafalgar Square into Admiralty Arch.
“Having been immersed in this project, having helped to shape this track, it feels as real to me as anywhere I’ve raced,” said Hamilton. “Jenson and I have worked in the simulator to provide some useful feedback to inform the circuit design, so this is far more than whimsical thinking out loud.”
Conceived as a night race, the lifelike quality of the CGI includes a driver’s perspective from the cockpit of the McLaren MP4-27 car as it races through the streets of London, making for compelling viewing.
“The film that encapsulates all of this work is massively detailed as well as logistically achievable,” added Hamilton. “And I have to say, this is an utterly epic track and would produce the most stunning and compelling Formula One race.”
Button added: “Both Lewis and I are hugely conscious of how integral the UK is to Formula One right the way from our fan base that is highly knowledgeable and engaged to the technology culture and engineering enterprise that makes us the pre-eminent source of racing innovation anywhere on the planet.
“With all of this background, Silverstone is a natural celebration of the UK’s contribution to Formula One. It is nice to add to this rich tapestry the notion of a London street race, and I agree with Lewis, it is a great hypothetical track to drive, and is as appealing as the reality of the Silverstone circuit.”
In order to fashion a credible foundation for the concept of a London race, Santander commissioned Populous to undertake an extensive and wide-ranging approach to its feasibility plan, embracing all logistical considerations.
“We mapped out some of London’s most recognised places and landmarks and then worked out how we would integrate them within the layout,” said Populous architect John Rhodes. “The design process was driven by the twin requirements of creating an exciting circuit and giving the best view of the iconic places associated with it.
“We surveyed the site very carefully so that the plan would be achievable for real. To provide some notion of the level of forensic detail we have considered, we accounted for no less than 27,000 trees in our plan and I am glad to say the race would not impact a single one.”
Formula One group CEO, Bernie Ecclestone, commented: “The idea of an F1 street race in London is something I have had for many years. It would be magnificent. A few years back over half a million people turned up to watch F1 cars parading through the streets of the capital. The public’s appetite for a London Grand Prix is huge as I am sure it is with the F1 teams and sponsors.”
Amid the turmoil surrounding the leadership at Lotus, one thing remains unchanged. Lotus really know how to make great cars. The latest incarnation of the Exige is receiving critical acclaim. Comparisons against the latest derivatives of the BMW M3, Porsche 911 GT3 and Nissan GTR have concluded that the Lotus is on par with the competition, both on road and track.
Whilst on paper, the car has gained weight (1176kg) and a sizeable increase in price (OTR £50,850), the redesign of the wheelbase and use of a six cylinder engine has enhanced the driving experience as well as taken performance up to a new level.
Lotus has also worked with Bosch to install the latest traction ad stability electronics. The Ferrari manettino style dial has 3 choices, Touring, Sport and Race. The most intriguing is Race, unlike most cars that define this as “no driver aids”, Lotus has taken a very different route. The car constantly measures individual grip levels and uses this info to learn the road and apply the maximum useable power to the road without breaking traction, the lightning fast feedback enables incredibly effective driving and on the Lotus Hethel test track the electronics cut around 0.5 seconds off a lap time compared to electronics switched off.
The Lotus Exige S is a real leap forward for Lotus, and placed securely in the junior supercar category.
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Continuing the theme in my previous article of how a Ferrari F40 doesn’t have to be red, I came across the video below that demonstrates beautifully how one owner who sprayed his F40 blue has a very special car in a unique colour. The sound and sight of this car is enchanting. I personally think the results are stunning, but judge for yourself. [Narration is in German]
The Nurburgring requires utmost concentration and respect from track day drivers. However a video I came across this week shows just how much more concentration and also commitment is required if you race there. The video below is 1 lap of the ‘ring during the Porsche Carrera Cup series. It follows the antics of two evenly matched racers battling continuously over the lap. Skip to 2:40 to witness an audacious overtake.
Filmmaker Tamie Moscovici has released a trailer for a documentary film on maverick Porsche customiser Magnus Walker. Walker bases his work purely on classic 911s up to 1973, and although they may not appeal to purists, the results are simply stunning. Walker is a true example of someone who follows their passion.
The Nissan GTR Track Pack is a big hike in price over the standard Nissan GTR. The standard car is a phenomenal machine and already a capable track car. Chris Harris explores whether the £10k premium of the GTR Track Pack is justified, and uses a Porsche 911 Turbo as a benchmark.
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Hertz have partnered with PREMIÈRE VELOCITY to offer supercars and other ultra desirable cars. Highlights include Lamborghini LP560-4 Bicolore, Porsche Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Ferrari 458 Italia, Range Rover Evoque Prestige, Rolls Royce Phantom, Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster and McLaren MP4-12C. The minimum term is 1 day and rates reduce the longer you rent out a car down to £900 per day for a McLaren MP4-12C.
Whilst this service is still a very expensive rental service for most people, it can be seen as a great way to really give someone the ultimate present for a birthday or anniversary.
PREMIÈRE VELOCITY is based in leafy Ware, Hertfordshire and initial reaction in the Press suggests that this partnership with the worldwide Hertz brand will prove very lucrative. Through the Hertz rental network, cars can be made available across the United Kingdom.
For more information and to book visit the Hertz Supercars site
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A metallic cherry red Alfa Romeo 4C stole the show at Concorso d’Elegance Villa d’Este by taking the most beautiful machine in the Concept and Prototype class. The votes of visitors and judges were taken into account. No doubt the vivid metallic cherry red paintwork had a part to play alongside the cutting edge design and technology.
The 4C is still being developed, with Alfa Romeo working hard to make the stunning concept car a reality by the end of the 2012. It was announced recently that Maserati will build the cars at its current Modena factory, expected production output is up to 2500 units per annum. Sources from Alfa Romeo claim that the initial production output will be closer to 1500, with over 20% expected to go to the US.
The specification announced last year by Alfa is unchanged, Carbon Tub with Aluminium bolt on front and rear crash structures coupled with the lightweight 1.8 litre turbo. Projected weight of the car is still 900kg and a price of around £40,000 is still likely.
