The Fruit of Knowledge
Posts tagged Le Mans
‘World’s most valuable’ Austin-Healey on display
May 8th
The ex-works Austin-Healey test car that raced at Le Mans in 1953 and was involved in the disastrous 1955 crash has been restored to its former glory.
     |
Video: Lapping Le Mans with 1956′s version of a dash cam
May 1st
Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Videos, Jaguar, Racing
Mike Hawthorne and Ivor Bueb won The 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955 driving a Jaguar D-Type. The following year, a few days before the race, a British broadcaster put cameras on Hawthorne’s car, hung a mic from a plate on his race suit and had him narrate a lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe.
It is compelling viewing. A new pit complex was built after the massive accident on the front straight in 1955, but this was still a time when crews prepped for the race on roads that were open to the public. Hawthorne’s lap includes maneuvers to avoid bicyclists and cars, and gems like letting us know that doing 185 miles per hour down the Mulsanne Straight was where you could “relax a little, recover your energy.” Watch him work it like the men of old in the video below.
Continue reading Lapping Le Mans with 1956′s version of a dash cam
Lapping Le Mans with 1956′s version of a dash cam originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 May 2013 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Two-time Le Mans winner Melo arrested after high-speed chase and crash [w/video]
Apr 24th
Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, South America
Brazilian race driver Jamie Melo, ex-Risi Competizione Ferrari driver, got into the wrong kind of race with the Brazilian authorities recently. According to reports on the BBC and Speed, Melo (above, middle) got into an argument with a man outside of a nightclub, and when the police showed up, he got in his car and drove away with the headlights off. A high-speed chase ensued, resulting in Melo into a house, then trying to run away, only to be apprehended on the grounds of the 6th Military Police Battalion.
That meant a night in the clink on charges of drunk driving, driving under the influence of narcotics, driving with a suspended license and resisting arrest. To start with…
He’s apparently out now on bail, and his father said he left the country soon afterward to drive a race in Europe. Melo won the ALMS GT2 Championship in 2007 and Le Mans in 2008 and 2009 in GT2. If you’re interested, there’s a video of him below in better days winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2007 in a Ferrari, battling a Porsche throughout the last half of the last lap.
Continue reading Two-time Le Mans winner Melo arrested after high-speed chase and crash [w/video]
Two-time Le Mans winner Melo arrested after high-speed chase and crash [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Audi supercar not yet approved, R4 not quite dead, still room for an MPV
Apr 24th
Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Performance, Crossover, Audi, Diesel, Luxury
According to a report by Autocar, all we thought we knew of the in-development Audi supercar we might not actually know. A piece in Car and Driver, not even a month old, said the diesel-hybrid halo car was in the design stages, would get the engine from the R18 E-Tron Quattro and its carbon fiber tub. Now we get word that that while the coupe is indeed being designed, it hasn’t yet been signed off and there’s no business case for it yet. Said business case, whenever it is built, is also dubious of the diesel aspect of the car at the moment – diesels aren’t known for creating Pavlovian purchase responses in buyers in the two key markets of the US and China.
The report suggests that instead of a diesel, the 2014 Le Mans regulations changes “could swing the favour back towards petrol models,” which would give the so-called Scorpion a better tie to racing technology. Of course, that also assumes that Audi would contest next year’s Le Mans with a gas-powered car. If so, that would be an about-face on the original reasons for the halo sportscar in the first place.
In other news, seems Audi also believes it can slot another sportscar below the R8, it just needs to get the financials sorted. The R4 – a Porsche Boxster-sized roadster – that has been chattered about for years is still in on the table but appears a long way off. Company R&D chief Wolfgang Durheimer said it would need to be mid-engined and bring plenty of tech to separate itself from the TT, but mass-market price point is the catch as is the focus on other segments in the portfolio.
The least sexy side of the Audi pool, but apparently the most important, is boiling with plans for new utility vehicles and possibly an MPV. What Car? quotes Durheimer at the Shanghai Motor Show saying “SUV products are a first priority,” which would fit into what we’ve been hearing about the brand’s design overhaul, the products in question a Q above the Q7 and another below the Q3. A people mover is also said to be under consideration assuming Audi can create something that hauls six or seven while maintaining brand values.
Audi supercar not yet approved, R4 not quite dead, still room for an MPV originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’
Apr 15th
Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Audi, Diesel, Luxury
Speculation continues as to the final nature of the diesel-hybrid Audi supercar said to arrive in 2016 or 2017. A previous report in Automobile had the halo coupe, based closely on the R18 etron quattro endurance racer, codenamed R20 and pegged to look like a Le Mans winner for the street with around 700 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo V6. Now Car and Driver has updated the gossip with a report that the car is internally called “Scorpion,” and it will be even closer to the R18 than supposed.
CD says the heart of the car will use the R18 etron quattro’s carbon fiber tub and its engine will be “taken directly” from the race car. That means a 3.7-liter V6 with a single turbo that, in ACO-spec restricted form, outputs 500 hp and 625 lb-ft – CD suspects production output could get to 600 hp – and drives the rear wheels, aided by hybrid motors driving the front wheels. And remember, at Le Mans the R18′s hybrid motors can’t kick in until they’re above a certain speed in order to prevent Audi from getting an advantage coming out of slow corners. A street car wouldn’t face that restriction.
The Scorpion would be a fulsome and undiluted example of the technologies Audi has created during its return to sports car racing. Its exterior design hasn’t been finalized, with CD citing either the convoluted concept of “a retro take on the future of racing” or packaging that would adhere to the R18′s looks. To make sure it is properly appreciated and sells well, production could be limited to the same 333 units as the R8 GT and A1 Quattro.
Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’
Apr 15th
Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Audi, Diesel, Luxury
Speculation continues as to the final nature of the diesel-hybrid Audi supercar said to arrive in 2016 or 2017. A previous report in Automobile had the halo coupe, based closely on the R18 etron quattro endurance racer, codenamed R20 and pegged to look like a Le Mans winner for the street with around 700 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo V6. Now Car and Driver has updated the gossip with a report that the car is internally called “Scorpion,” and it will be even closer to the R18 than supposed.
CD says the heart of the car will use the R18 etron quattro’s carbon fiber tub and its engine will be “taken directly” from the race car. That means a 3.7-liter V6 with a single turbo that, in ACO-spec restricted form, outputs 500 hp and 625 lb-ft – CD suspects production output could get to 600 hp – and drives the rear wheels, aided by hybrid motors driving the front wheels. And remember, at Le Mans the R18′s hybrid motors can’t kick in until they’re above a certain speed in order to prevent Audi from getting an advantage coming out of slow corners. A street car wouldn’t face that restriction.
The Scorpion would be a fulsome and undiluted example of the technologies Audi has created during its return to sports car racing. Its exterior design hasn’t been finalized, with CD citing either the convoluted concept of “a retro take on the future of racing” or packaging that would adhere to the R18′s looks. To make sure it is properly appreciated and sells well, production could be limited to the same 333 units as the R8 GT and A1 Quattro.
Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’
Apr 15th
Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Audi, Diesel, Luxury
Speculation continues as to the final nature of the diesel-hybrid Audi supercar said to arrive in 2016 or 2017. A previous report in Automobile had the halo coupe, based closely on the R18 etron quattro endurance racer, codenamed R20 and pegged to look like a Le Mans winner for the street with around 700 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo V6. Now Car and Driver has updated the gossip with a report that the car is internally called “Scorpion,” and it will be even closer to the R18 than supposed.
CD says the heart of the car will use the R18 etron quattro’s carbon fiber tub and its engine will be “taken directly” from the race car. That means a 3.7-liter V6 with a single turbo that, in ACO-spec restricted form, outputs 500 hp and 625 lb-ft – CD suspects production output could get to 600 hp – and drives the rear wheels, aided by hybrid motors driving the front wheels. And remember, at Le Mans the R18′s hybrid motors can’t kick in until they’re above a certain speed in order to prevent Audi from getting an advantage coming out of slow corners. A street car wouldn’t face that restriction.
The Scorpion would be a fulsome and undiluted example of the technologies Audi has created during its return to sports car racing. Its exterior design hasn’t been finalized, with CD citing either the convoluted concept of “a retro take on the future of racing” or packaging that would adhere to the R18′s looks. To make sure it is properly appreciated and sells well, production could be limited to the same 333 units as the R8 GT and A1 Quattro.
Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’
Apr 15th
Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Audi, Diesel, Luxury
Speculation continues as to the final nature of the diesel-hybrid Audi supercar said to arrive in 2016 or 2017. A previous report in Automobile had the halo coupe, based closely on the R18 etron quattro endurance racer, codenamed R20 and pegged to look like a Le Mans winner for the street with around 700 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo V6. Now Car and Driver has updated the gossip with a report that the car is internally called “Scorpion,” and it will be even closer to the R18 than supposed.
CD says the heart of the car will use the R18 etron quattro’s carbon fiber tub and its engine will be “taken directly” from the race car. That means a 3.7-liter V6 with a single turbo that, in ACO-spec restricted form, outputs 500 hp and 625 lb-ft – CD suspects production output could get to 600 hp – and drives the rear wheels, aided by hybrid motors driving the front wheels. And remember, at Le Mans the R18′s hybrid motors can’t kick in until they’re above a certain speed in order to prevent Audi from getting an advantage coming out of slow corners. A street car wouldn’t face that restriction.
The Scorpion would be a fulsome and undiluted example of the technologies Audi has created during its return to sports car racing. Its exterior design hasn’t been finalized, with CD citing either the convoluted concept of “a retro take on the future of racing” or packaging that would adhere to the R18′s looks. To make sure it is properly appreciated and sells well, production could be limited to the same 333 units as the R8 GT and A1 Quattro.
Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’
Apr 15th
Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Audi, Diesel, Luxury
Speculation continues as to the final nature of the diesel-hybrid Audi supercar said to arrive in 2016 or 2017. A previous report in Automobile had the halo coupe, based closely on the R18 etron quattro endurance racer, codenamed R20 and pegged to look like a Le Mans winner for the street with around 700 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo V6. Now Car and Driver has updated the gossip with a report that the car is internally called “Scorpion,” and it will be even closer to the R18 than supposed.
CD says the heart of the car will use the R18 etron quattro’s carbon fiber tub and its engine will be “taken directly” from the race car. That means a 3.7-liter V6 with a single turbo that, in ACO-spec restricted form, outputs 500 hp and 625 lb-ft – CD suspects production output could get to 600 hp – and drives the rear wheels, aided by hybrid motors driving the front wheels. And remember, at Le Mans the R18′s hybrid motors can’t kick in until they’re above a certain speed in order to prevent Audi from getting an advantage coming out of slow corners. A street car wouldn’t face that restriction.
The Scorpion would be a fulsome and undiluted example of the technologies Audi has created during its return to sports car racing. Its exterior design hasn’t been finalized, with CD citing either the convoluted concept of “a retro take on the future of racing” or packaging that would adhere to the R18′s looks. To make sure it is properly appreciated and sells well, production could be limited to the same 333 units as the R8 GT and A1 Quattro.
Audi’s diesel-electric supercar is codenamed ‘Scorpion’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Video: Preparing for Le Mans 2014 Porsche remembers 1971 and the 917 [w/video]
Apr 7th
Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Videos, Porsche, Racing
Porsche has given us another look back at its successes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This time it’s 1971, the year that its 917 set records that haven’t all been eclipsed. It’s 45-kilogram magnesium tube frame was the lightest, Jackie Oliver set the fastest in-race lap with a time that still stands, and winning drivers Helmut Marko – the same Helmut Marko currently with Infiniti Red Bull Racing – and Gilles Lethem did so many laps that their distance wasn’t exceeded until the Audi R15 TDI did it in 2010.
1971 was also the year of the “Pink Pig.” With bodywork created by a French aerodynamics firm, the wider, rounder 917 earned the porcine moniker so Porsche painted it pink and labeled it with the cuts you’d get from a pig. Sponsor Martini was so miffed they demanded all Martini branding be removed. No one can remove the thousands of photographs taken of the car ever since. Enjoy that and more in the video below.
Continue reading Preparing for Le Mans 2014 Porsche remembers 1971 and the 917 [w/video]
Preparing for Le Mans 2014 Porsche remembers 1971 and the 917 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
