When you've got the most powerful factory V8 in the world, even the best driver can struggle with getting that power to the pavement. The 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is packing can easily turn its rear tires into expensive clouds of smoke. That's why the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is the first Shelby Mustang to be factory-equipped with launch control. "With so much more power and torque on tap from the new 5.8-liter V8," says SVT senior engineer John Pfeiffer, "launch control makes it easier for drivers to take advantage of the performance." What's different about the Shelby GT500s launch control is that drivers can engage it by just pressing a single button, and it's also capable of being fine-tuned for the best reesults.
Launch control is by now a familiar technology, with systems operating by holding engine RPM at a set point to help facilitate clean, repeatable launches. "Launch control is essentially a special mode of the traction control system that integrates the brake and engine management systems to keep the tires balanced on the peak of the mu-slip curve," explains SVT's Pfeiffer. In plain English, it's designed to send as much torque to the tires as they can handle. What's different about the system in the 2013 GT500 is its flexibility. "Most of our competitors' launch control systems have a fixed engine launch speed," says SVT Engineering supervisor Eddie Khan, but since "not every driver has the same style, and surface, tire, and climate conditions vary," he points out, "we've given Shelby GT500 drivers the ability to adjust the engine speed to achieve the best and most consistent performance."
Drivers can use TrackApps through the instrument cluster or tap a switch to the left of the instrument panel to enable the system. Through TrackApps, the engine launch rpm can be adjusted between 3,000 to 4,500 rpm with steps of 100 rpm. There are other tricks up the GT500s sleeve, too. Extinguish the traction control while using launch control and you'll get an rpm-only mode that keeps the brakes out of the picture to avoid sacrificing any possible speed. Launch control also works with the different stability control modes to allow some wheelspin when that's the fastest way out of the hole. "It's not as intrusive as some TC systems have been in the past," said SVTs Khan. "We'e given our drivers the ability to exert control over all the power and torque this Mustang can produce."
Continue reading 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 features clever variable-RPM launch control
Toyota and Lexus are gearing up for this year's Nüburgring 24 Hours. The two companies plan to take to the track with a total of five entries, including four Toyota GT 86 race cars and one Lexus LFA. Prepped by factory tuner Gazoo Racing, the LFA will compete in the SP8 class while two of the GT 86 models will go fender-to-fender in the SP3 class. Those will be joined by two more GT 86 racers built by Toyota Motorsport and competing under the Toyota Swiss Racing Team banner in the V3 class for production vehicles.
Gazoo Racing has already had a little fun at the Nüburgring this year. While competing at two shorter events at the legendary track, the LFA took home two wins. This year's 24-hour endurance race kicks off this weekend, May 17-20. The even will be streamed online here and here. Scroll down for the quick press release.
Continue reading Toyota GT 86, Lexus LFA racers ready for N"urburgring 24 Hours
Lola may not be a name recognized by the average consumer, but racing fans will know it well. The British concern has built and continues to build race cars that have spanned an enormous variety of series and disciplines since its founding in 1958, including (but not limited to) Formula One, Le Mans, CART and just about every formula feeder series you could think of, including Formula Two, Formula 3, Formula 3000, Formula 5000 and A1GP. Now, unfortunately, the company is filing for bankruptcy protection.
The reasons are pretty simple: too many expenses and not enough revenue, although tax credits it was due from the British government are also said to be partially to blame. As a result, the outfit responsible for - among numerous other accolades - five LMP2 titles at Le Mans since 2000 alone is entering financial administration as it seeks new investors.
Along with it, Lola Cars is taking Lola Composites, however the effect this might have on its concerns in defense and aerospace (among other areas) remains to be seen. As is the future of the SP/300.R track car which Lola builds for Caterham, or the countless racing teams that continue to count on Lola to build and support their sports prototypes. But with so many racing programs at stake, we can hardly imagine the company's considerable capabilities and expertise will go unclaimed for long. Scroll down for the official announcement.
We officially have a new motorcycle hero. Genki Hagata rolled his Yamaha YZF-R6 out onto the track during the second AMA Pro Supersport qualifying session at Sears Point recently. Partway through his out-lap, the bike lost traction in the rear before abruptly regaining it. We likely don't need to tell you that scenario almost always results in a one-way ticket off of the saddle in a not-so-glorious highside. But not for Hagata. The racer exhibited nothing less than super-human strength by clamping onto the handlebars and holding on for dear life.
Miraculously, it worked. After the bike settled down, Hagata managed to cling to the machine as it rode upright until he was able to fling himself back into the saddle. The guy's efforts kept the Yamaha off of the asphalt, but cost him a spot on the grid. Hagata missed the cut-off by a few tenths of a second. Still, we haven't seen heroics like this in a long spell. Scroll down to check it out for yourself.
Continue reading Watch Genki Hagata pull off the world's greatest motorcycle save
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives persona Guy Fieri is making more news with garages these days than kitchens. The Food Network host, who recently had his Lamborghini Gallardo stolen and then recovered in a teen's storage container, has been selected to drive the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car at the Indy 500 this year.
Guy's an admitted car fan, and he should feel at home in the ZR1; he owns seven Chevrolet models that span the decades from 1968 to 2011, and a Cadillac Escalade ESV. He'll be pacing the field in the 638-horsepower special edition Arctic White coupe on Sunday, May 27 at noon EST.
Spec racing series are emerging as an indispensable way for exotic automakers to show what their vehicles can do without the constraints of road regulations, and for their top customers to race wheel-to-wheel on some of the most famous racing circuits in the world behind the wheel of top machinery. Ferrari has the Challenge series, Lamborghini the Blancpain Super Trofeo, Porsche operates several iterations of the Carrera Cup around the world, and Maserati has the Trofeo World Series.
Now entering its third year, the Trofeo is campaigned by a field of specially prepared versions of the GranTurismo coupe, which has been upgraded with several improvements for the season ahead. Maserati Corse has both optimized the aerodynamic setup and trimmed the car's weight, resulting in an average lap time that proved two and a half seconds faster around the Vallelunga circuit outside Rome over last year's car during winter testing.
Whereas previous series have been held almost exclusively in Europe or in the Middle East, this year's Trofeo World Series adds rounds at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, and the Shanghai International Circuit that hosts the Chinese Grand Prix after the returning races at Jarama, Spain (next weekend), Portimao, Portugal (in early June), Imola, Italy (late June), and Paul Ricard, France (in July).
Maserati Corse provides the full motorsport experience to gentlemen racers for €110,000 ($140K) for the full season or €70,000 ($90K) for just the European races, including use of the car. Teams owning and fielding their own cars pay €35,000 ($45K) or €25,000 ($32K), respectively. Scroll down for the full press release and check out the latest machinery in the high-res image gallery above.
Continue reading Maserati upgrades GranTurismo racer for 2012 Trofeo MC World Series
The sequel to Frankenstein is being written in Swedish, by Saab. The ostensibly former car company could teach the good doctor about life after death, having earned itself more good news by winning the inaugural race of the Swedish Touring Car series. Team Tidö's black 9-3 racer was on pole and carried that lead all the way to the checkered flag. Driving it was Linus Ohlsson, whose past triumphs include taking third in the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia series.
Just to be clear, all the cars in the series are silhouette racers, with Saab, Volvo, BMW and Citroën bodies placed over a spec chassis. Still, it was the body with the Griffin badge that beat the rest, and we all know Saab's faithful could use something to cheer about these days. Scroll down for a video recap of the race; it's in Swedish, so hit the CC button for English subtitles if you need 'em.
Continue reading Saab victorious in inaugural Swedish Touring Car race
Carroll Shelby's passing, BMW 3 Series Wagon, Porsche sub-Boxster/Pajun, Google car in public, BMW 2 Series
Episode #282 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Chris, Dan and Zach chat about the passing of industry legend Carroll Shelby, the BMW 3 Series Wagon that's coming soon, Porsche and its rumored small five-door, Pajun (along with plans for a baby Boxster), Google's self-driving car getting the go-ahead to roam Nevada's streets, and the coming BMW 2 Series. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #282:
Topics:
Caroll Shelby passes away
BMW 3 Series wagon headed stateside
Porsche baby Boxster and Pajun
Google self-driving car in public
BMW 2 Series arrives in 2014
In the Autoblog Garage:
2012 Chrylser 300 AWD
2012 Honda Fit Sport
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan
Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman
Runtime: 01:23:51
Get the podcast
[UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10PM Eastern at UStream
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By and large, the machines created for the SEMA show in Las Vegas are built for lounging around under convention center lights and not much else. All those go-fast parts we see bolted on do little more than collect lustful stares from from the crowd. But Creations n' Chrome set out to discover just what their bolt on additions to its Ford Mustang were good for. Under the outrageous 3dCarbon bodykit sits a Vortech supercharged 5.0-liter V8 good for around 580 horsepower at 8 psi of boost on stock internals. KW served up a set of Variant 3 coilovers, and Hotchkis took care of front and rear sway bars.
The crew rolled the blown Mustang out the to the Mojave Mile for a top speed run. The machine racked up a final velocity of 182.4 mph, though the final seconds of the run looked anything but stable (we hear there was a 20 mph crosswind). Still, we're impressed at the machine's performance. For perspective, the Boss 302 is only good for 155 mph. Check out the video for yourself below.
Continue reading This SEMA show car goes 182.4 mph
Mark Heidaker's Hennessey Ford GT is back to work snagging records. Sean Kennedy once again took to the wheel of the machine at the Houston Half Mile Shootout, and just as before, the duo didn't disappoint. Kennedy was able to pilot the wicked GT to an astonishing 212.9 miles per hour in a mere half mile, successfully snagging the world record in the process. Not too shabby.
As you may recall, this same team walked away with the standing mile world record back in March. At that time, Kennedy shot the GT to 257.7 mph in the allotted distance. We have to wonder what these guys have up their sleeves for the next stunt. Click Scroll down to check out the understandably quick half mile video for yourself.
Continue reading Hennessey Ford GT hits 212.9 mph in the standing half-mile
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives persona Guy Fieri is making more news with garages these days than kitchens. The Food Network host, who recently had his Lamborghini Gallardo stolen and then recovered in a teen's storage container, has been selected to drive the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car at the Indy 500 this year.
