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Volkswagen readying EV hill climb racer for Pikes Peak

Volkswagen is currently developing an all-electric race car specifically for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado, USA in June 2018. This all-wheel drive prototype will be VW’s entrant in the world renowned mountain race that is considered a proving ground for manufacturers and daredevils alike.

The annual hill climb race has been one of the source of attraction for many since 1916, due to its challenging turns and steep 4.3km elevation. It’s 19.99km long course starts at a height of 1,440 metres above sea level, which rises gradually to 4,300 metres at the finishing line. US driver Rhys Millen holds the track record for electric prototypes with a time of 8 minutes and 57.118 seconds.

VW wants to break that record on the 24th of June 2018 with its new electric prototype that is being jointly developed by Volkswagen Motorsport and Technical Development in Wolfsburg. The German automaker, sees this competition as a way to challenge itself to reach greater heights. The new Le Mans looking racer has been fitted with massive front and rear spoilers to help it remain planted on Pikes Peak’s changing road surfaces.

“The Pikes Peak hill climb is one of the world’s most renowned car races. It poses an enormous challenge and is therefore excellently suited to proving the capabilities of upcoming technologies,” explains Dr Frank Welsch, Member of the Board responsible for Development.

“Our electric race car will be equipped with innovative battery and drive technology. The extreme stress test on Pikes Peak will give us important findings that will benefit future development, and it will showcase our products and their technologies,” he later added.

It’s been about 30 years since VW participated in the Hill Climb. The last time it fielded a racer in the competition was in 1987. And back then, it entered a twin-engine Golf that showed a lot of promise, but didn’t manage to finish the race. As such, VW sees the 2018 session as a chance of it to redeem itself and come back stronger than ever.

This Motorsport project is also considered part of the company’s process of transforming into a leading producer of electric vehicles. According to the automaker’s near future business plan, VW wants to be a leading producer of electric vehicles by 2025. And by then, it hopes to be able to offer customers about 23 all-electric models.

Rare Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 expected to sell for big money

An ultra rare 1988 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 with just 9,656km on its odometer is about to head to the auction block. The Blue Oval only made 500 such cars but only 56 of them came with a white body colour. This is what makes the RS500 that is up for auction, very special.

A similar 1987 RS500 but with twice the mileage, was sold earlier at auction for £115,000 (RM641,460) during the Silverstone Auctions’ sale at the Silverstone Classic. Speculators suggest that the 1988 RS500 could sell for about £100,000 (RM557,791) – £115,000 (RM641,460), but considering the car’s relative rarity, it may sell for quite a bit more.

Ford developed this road going variant of the RS500 to comply with homologation rules in order for the racing version to compete in the British and European Touring Car Championships. This is the reason why only 500 of them were produced – no more and no less.

The car was discovered in 2007 by car dealer Joe Macarini in a classic Ferrari collection in Germany. He sold it to a private Ford collector who, after realizing the car’s significance, had it stored in a climate controlled storage facility, until now.

It’s rarity, low-mileage and the fact that it is in nearly perfect condition, are criteria that lead to cars being auctioned for huge sums of money. And unlike other performance Fords of that era, this one is free from any kind of modification. As such, preparing it for auction only required a service that included the changing of the engine belts, battery and various fluids.

The 1988 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 in white is expected to be put on on sale at Silverstone Auctions’ NEC Classic Motor Show that will be taking place from 11th – 12th November. There will be a number of other special cars, but this particular Ford will definitely be of interest to many.

McLaren preparing for release of new halo car, expected by ‘early’ 2018

McLaren has announced that it will unveil a new hypercar sometime during the first quarter of 2018. According to the British automaker, the car which remains nameless, will be an addition to its Ultimate Super Series product portfolio under its Track22 Business plan.

It is said to be the most extreme, track-concentrated road car McLaren has ever produced. Having said that, the automaker isn’t muddling its words regarding the purpose of this a vehicle. It has admitted that ‘daily usability will be sacrificed’ to offer the most intensive driving experience on track.

Though completely road legal, McLaren wants you know that, right from the onset, that this isn’t going to be the car of choice for daily commutes. Instead, its going to be a highly precise track-focused race car that can be driven on public roads – if you choose to do so.

McLaren describes the car’s look as ‘brutal’ and will be the ‘purest expression yet of the company’s ‘form follows function’ philosophy’. This could mean that the car will sport some outlandish looks and aero kits that will allow it to reduce drag and increase downforce.

Shortly after the launch of this car, McLaren will be following it up with the reveal of another vehicle that will also be part of the Ultimate Series. Codenamed BP23, the car is supposed to be the world’s first ever Hyper-GT. Both cars will be built in limited numbers and all are already spoken for.

Cars belonging to the Ultimate Series model line are positioned above McLaren’s core Super Series vehicles, which are considered relatively more affordable offerings. Cars like the McLaren P1 and P1 GTR, which are considered supercar royalty, fall under the Ultimate Series product line – the upper echelon of the UK-based automaker’s supercars.

McLaren will reveal further details of its new halo car by the end of this year, which should hopefully include some teaser images and performance specifications.

Hyundai N 2025 Vision included in Gran Turismo Sport vehicle pack

The highly anticipated PlayStation 4 racing game, Gran Turismo Sport, has now been made available for purchase worldwide. The game features some of the best graphics and gameplay ever seen on the gaming platform.

Like previous installments of Gran Turismo, the game has a whole host of amazing real world and concept vehicles that are bound to enthrall gamers and spectators alike. One of the main attractions of the game is the inclusion of a slew of concept vehicles designed by mainstream automakers especially for the game.

Manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Hyundai have their own respective Gran Turismo vehicles that will be featured in Gran Turismo Sport. Hyundai’s N 2025 Vision GT, which was introduced last year will be especially intriguing to try out in the game.

It incorporates styling from the prototype racing series as well as other open wheel competitions to form a body that looks both menacing and functional. It has been placed in the game’s Group 1 Category where it will join other manufacturers’ own virtual racers that bear the Vision Gran Turismo nomenclature.

These vehicles will also join other well-known real-world prototype racing cars from different manufacturers including Aston Martin, Bugatti and McLaren. Besides this, the game also features a plethora of real world sports cars and supercars made by mainstream automakers.

Speaking of the N 2025 Vision GT, Chris Chapman, Chief Designer at the Hyundai Design Center in Irvine, CA, said, “The N 2025 Vision GT is our ambitious take on what we think prototype racing could look like in the not-too-distant future. We’re thrilled to see it presented anew in one of the most visually stunning racing simulations ever created.”

He then added, “This concept is a point of pride for Hyundai on so many fronts. It effortlessly combines beauty and function as a racing car, and it boasts a fuel-cell powertrain that is as progressive as the bodywork wrapped around it.”

The car will be joined by other Hyundai racers that are based on the Genesis Coupe platform that include racing and Group B rally cars. Check out the videos and picture galley below and let us know what you think of Hyundai’s virtual product portfolio.

Modified Hyundai Elantra Concept heading to SEMA 2017

Hyundai will be showcasing another concept vehicle at the upcoming SEMA show. The concept is a modified version of its ever popular C-segment sedan called the BTR Edition Elantra Sport concept. The BTR in the nomenclature stands for Blood Type Racing, the company that has been responsible for turning the humble Elantra into a racer.

The car’s grille has been blacked out, and features more aggressive bumpers and spoilers that wouldn’t look out of place on a WTCC racing car. Building upon the basic recipe of the Elantra Sport, this SEMA concept features methanol injection, new intake and exhausts, as well as new intercooler technologies, tuned suspension and full aero kit.

Speaking of the car, Sam Lee, product manager, Blood Type Racing, said, “The BTR Edition Elantra Sport takes the Elantra beyond its capable OEM-development roots without sacrificing daily drivability. We’ve given enthusiasts a new vision of where this affordable sport compact wants to go.”

The following is the full list of modifications that were carried out on the Elantra:

Torcon CAI intake and Pierce Motorsports exhaust system
Engine management custom ECU Tuning by BTR
Devil’s Own water/methanol injection system
Re-stitched OEM-style sport interior
Diamond-stitched floor mats
SoCalGarageWorks carbon-fiber steering wheel
SSR GTX01 19 x 9.5 +35 wheels
Toyo T1 Sport tires
HSD coilover suspension
Pierce Motorsports sway bars, strut tower brace and chassis brace
Fella Big Brake kit
Diode Dynamics custom headlights and LED interior lighting
Aerotek custom front, side and rear track-ready lip kit
APR GTC-200 GT wing
AutoArt body and paint work
BASF Glasurit Arancio Borealis paint
BTR custom Trunk Track Tool Set and custom full-size spare tire

Unlike most concepts, this Hyundai is meant to be a performance vehicle that can function as a daily driver. Since no major work has been carried out on the engine, Elantra owners in the USA could probably be able to install the kit without voiding their factory warranty.

Geely to go on spending spree to benefit sub-brands

Geely is looking to spend big bucks to ensure its EV performance brand gets the head start it needs to become a global player in the electrified performance market. It, together with its subsidiary, Volvo Cars, have announced that they will jointly invest RM3.18 billion to support the initial phase of Polestar’s development.

This investment will ensure that the newly formed sub-brand (Polestar) of Geely will be able to develop a strong product portfolio as well as have a state-of-the-art facility to build these vehicles. Apart from this, Polestar will also benefit from being able
to rummage through the treasure trove that is Volvo designs and technology.

Volvo Cars and Polestar will continue to enjoy a symbiotic relationship that will see them working together on next-generation technologies, bear shared procurement costs, joint development and economies of scale. Unlike Volvo, Polestar has been chosen to spearhead Geely’s charge for EV dominance by producing enticing EV products.

Rather than start from scratch, Polestar will benefit from Volvo Cars’ technology and take it to the next level, at least that is what they hope to do. But based on what we know so far, Polestar vehicles will closely resemble that from Volvo, albeit they will feature high performance electrified drivetrains rather than the current petrol and diesel ones.

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Latest News

Volkswagen readying EV hill climb racer for Pikes Peak

Rare Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 expected to sell for big money

McLaren preparing for release of new halo car, expected by ‘early’ 2018

Hyundai N 2025 Vision included in Gran Turismo Sport vehicle pack

Modified Hyundai Elantra Concept heading to SEMA 2017

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