2011 Subaru WRX STI at Nurburgring [Video]

Subaru today announced that the Subaru Impreza WRX STI Sedan has become the fastest WRX STI Ever. It recorded a Nurburgring time of 7’55’’00, the fastest lap time ever in a Subaru.The production car goes on sale this summer.

Some of the upgrades received by the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI sedan include an improved chassis and suspension, and as Makinen commented, the car is controllable and precise even on tricky corners.

The test 2011 Subaru STI Sedan has the same turbo brake calipers, flexible tower bar and front lip spoiler as the R205 model from Japan. The car also has the same Bridgestone Potenza RE070 tires and aluminum hood as the 2011 Subaru STI spec C car.

The 2011 Subaru WRX STI is powered by a 305-hp turbocharged/intercooled 4-cylinder Boxer engine and 6-speed manual transmission. It comes with a lowered ride height and new pillow-ball, higher-rate springs for both front and rear suspensions, and spring rates increased by 15.6 percent in front and 53 percent in the rear.




Press Release

Subaru Releases Test Footage of Advanced Subaru WRX STI Research and Development from Nurburgring, Germany

CHERRY HILL, N.J., June 8 - Subaru today released footage covering advanced research and development carried out at the Nurburgring's racetrack in Germany, using a 2011MY Subaru WRX STI 4-door (sedan) test vehicle. Subaru has been using the famous Nordschleife course since 1992 for advanced R&D as well as tests of the WRX and WRX STI models. The video uploaded on the Subaru Global Site www.subaru-global.com features this year's development work. It is presented as a highlight of Subaru's persistent effort to stretch vehicle performance to unprecedented levels.

The concept of the 2011MY WRX STI is "The Fastest WRX STI Ever." At Subaru, the phrase "Fastest" refers to more than just top speed or maximum engine output. It implies driving with confidence. The WRX STI can be taken to its "fastest ever" performance by providing the driver with total driving control with confidence. Major upgrades to the 2011MY WRX STI focused on the chassis and suspension set-up, and tests at the Nurburgring demonstrated the supreme overall dynamics and linear behavior of the new STI. Tommi Makinen, the legendary four-time World Rally Champion, piloted the test vehicle for the development. He commented, "The car was controllable with precise and faithful handling even on tricky corners. I could easily predict the car's behavior. That is exactly what Subaru is offering, confidence. As a result, the 2011MY WRX STI test vehicle recorded 7'55''00, Subaru's fastest lap time ever, which is 4 seconds faster than the previous fastest time recorded in 2004."

The 2011MY WRX STI 4-door will go on sale world-wide this summer. Upgrades to the 4-door version will be carried over to the 5-door model.

2011 Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans

Entrepreneur Don Panoz, founder of the American Le Mans Series, has unveiled his latest automotive creation, a limited-edition 600-horsepower exotic car called the Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans. The first of a limited run of 81 cars is slated to be delivered in 2013.

The hand-built Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans will be built with an engine that produces over 600 horsepower (447 kW / 608 PS) and up to 590 ft-lb (799 Nm) of torque.  Developed by American niche manufacturer Panoz, the car will be limited to 81 vehicles, and is guaranteed to be street legal in Asia, Europe, Middle East and South America.

Only 81 Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans will see the daylight, for which production will stretch on the next three years and all of the future customers will get their cars delivers at the Le Mans circuit where the automaker is also throwing in a free driving course.

The 2011 Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans will introduce the a three-stage TRIFECTA COOLING technology that improves engine performance and efficiency. The body of the 2011 Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans is built using the REAMS material technology - or Recyclable Energy
Absorbing Matrix System - that promises to offer environmental, performance and structural advantages.




Press Release

PANOZ MAKES HISTORY WITH ABRUZZI 'SPIRIT OF LE MANS'

New supercar quite appropriately unveiled at Le Mans

LE MANS, France - Don Panoz again has captured the Spirit of Le Mans. This time, one of the world's most forward-thinking entrepreneurs is pairing his newest automotive masterpiece with the legacy of the world's greatest auto race. The Panoz Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" broke cover today at the Circuit de La Sarthe, an appropriate venue for the world debut of a ground-breaking automobile with a very appropriate delivery and acquisition program for its customers.

"This is culmination of equal parts time, effort and dreams," said Panoz, founder of the Panoz Motor Sports Group. "The Panoz brand always has prided itself on hand-building and delivering an exotic automobile and experience to our customers. Our new offering takes this to a completely new level."

The Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" is more than a technological masterpiece from Panoz Auto Development (PAD), based in Hoschton, Ga. It represents a new chapter in automotive production and delivery, tied into the world's most demanding auto race.

The super sports car will be offered as a strictly limited edition. Only 81 Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" vehicles will ever be produced, corresponding to the number of Le Mans 24 Hour contests between the inception of the race in 1923 and the race to be held in 2013.

Abruzzi: The Car
The hand-built Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" is a unique, front-engine, rear-transaxle and rear-radiator super sports car - road-legal in Europe and many countries of Asia, the Middle East and South America. The powertrain will deliver 600-plus HP with 590 ft.-lbs. of torque. Advanced design and aerodynamics offer astounding downforce and road-holding.

Performance is just one facet that sets the Abruzzi apart from other exotics. It also breaks new ground in environmental design and construction starting with the unprecedented implementation of the R.E.A.M.S.® - Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matrix System - body system that offers environmental, performance and structural advantages like no other automobile body system on the planet. Never used before on any road-going automobile, the multi-layer composite system is lighter than carbon fiber yet equally strong. Unlike carbon fiber however, it is dent-resistant, shatter-proof and recyclable.

Abruzzi also introduces TRIFECTACOOLING® technology. In addition to a normal high-efficiency radiator, there are stage two and stage three systems that lower coolant temperature on both the inflow to and the outflow from the radiator.

"These are advancements that will open up a new era of automotive design," Panoz said. "Dating back to our first road car - the AIV Roadster - PAD has been a believer in efficient construction and design. This philosophy continues with our Abruzzi."

Abruzzi: The Experience
The Panoz Abruzzi harkens back to a day where drivers would pilot their cars to Le Mans, race it twice around the clock then drive back home. It essentially captures the "Spirit of Le Mans" with a never-before-seen acquisition program that sets a new standard for personalization and delivery.

Given the roots of Panoz's automotive dreams, it is only appropriate that the Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" will be delivered to its owners at the famed Circuit de la Sarthe, shipped directly there from the Panoz factory. Each automobile will be linked to a specific Le Mans 24 Hour race, with the chassis number also containing that specific race date and the initials of the winning drivers and the history of that year.

Professional drivers will instruct owners in driving the car on the Bugatti Circuit at Le Mans. Service and repairs also will be attended to at the ACO facilities of the Circuit 24 Hours of Le Mans.

New vehicle owners also will be invited to the 24 Hours of Le Mans as guests of the ACO and Panoz at the ACO's hospitality facilities in the "Model Sportif" at the circuit. New owners also will have the unique opportunity to drive a parade lap of the full 8.3-mile circuit at that year's event.

During the Le Mans race week a "Spirit of Le Mans" reception will be held at the clubhouse of the famed Golf Des 24 Heuers in the historic town of Arnage. The new owners for that year will be the guests of the ACO officials and past "Spirit of Le Mans" award winners such as Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell.

"Being associated with the ACO and Le Mans is something very special to me," Panoz said. "Being able to stand side-by-side with the heroes and legends of Le Mans gives me a sense of appreciation and passion for this grand event. I felt it was important to give our customers the same experience, and I am grateful to our partners at the ACO for helping make this happen."

Panoz Auto Development produces leading-edge, fully certified automobiles and is best known for the first US-manufactured AIV (Aluminum Intensive Vehicle) - the Panoz AIV Roadster. The Panoz Esperante body and chassis also extensively employs aluminum for performance, safety and efficiency. The Panoz Esperante GTLM earned world-famous stature as a race car by winning the GT2 category at both the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a single year - 2006.

Shelby adds SCCA-ready version to the GT350 Mustang

Shelby American has added a normally aspirated version to the 2011 Shelby GT350 lineup. Shedding off the supercharger to abide by the SCCA regulations, the Mustang-based model still keeps intact the full brake, suspension and aerodynamics package.

For an additional $7,000, the model may still be purchased with a supercharger.

"When we brought back the GT350, people wanted to race it like they did with our Shelby GT," said Shelby American Founder Carroll Shelby. "Others asked for an automatic transmission. So we’re dropping the supercharger, retuning the engine and adding an automatic. This gives people more choices with the GT350."

The SCCA racer GT350 is powered by 5.0 liter V8 coupled to a 6 speed transmission producing 412hp. The street version of this model will come with the same engine tuned to deliver more than the factory 412hp, although exact numbers have not yet been calculated. The super-charged GT350 will produce over 500hp and will be mated to a six-speed manual. All cars will be painted in traditional white with Shelby Guardsman blue Le Mans stripes and will get a new front fascia, tail light trim, front splitter, rear deck lid filler panel and rear fascia.

The base GT350 uses a 5.0-liter V8 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.  Six-piston caliper brakes with 14" rotors are included, as is an upgraded suspension with parts from Ford Racing.

Excluding the price of the Mustang GT, the GT350 package will cost $26,995, while the supercharged GT350 will be available for $33,995.





Press Release

SHELBY AMERICAN EXPANDS GT350 LINE WITH TRACK ORIENTED, AUTOMATIC VERSIONS OF MODERN PONY CAR

* Shelby Expands 2011 Shelby GT350 Line with Normally Aspirated Model

* Engine Retuned without Supercharger

* Demand for a Track Oriented Model and 6 speed Automatic Stimulates Option

LAS VEGAS - May 5, 2010 - Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (CSBI:PK) will expand the 2011 Shelby GT350 program to offer a normally aspirated version aimed at competition in Sports Car Club of America events and allow the street car to be ordered with an automatic transmission. The GT350 will be offered in both normally aspirated and supercharged versions as part of a post-title program through select dealers across the United States.

The normally aspirated version of the GT350 was driven by consumer demand. SCCA racing rules typically preclude a post-title added supercharger and the stresses of a forced induction are typically too much for an automatic transmission in a high performance car.

"When we brought back the GT350, people wanted to race it like they did with our Shelby GT," said Shelby American Founder Carroll Shelby. "Others asked for an automatic transmission. So we're dropping the supercharger, retuning the engine and adding an automatic. This gives people more choices with the GT350."

One of the goals for the Shelby GT350 is for it to be eligible for Sports Car Club of America racing, much like the 2007-2008 Shelby GT. Those piloting a Shelby GT dominated the top spots in both the women's and men's F stock class with Sam Strano capturing the national championship last year.

"The GT350 is a street car that is perfect for track day and solo racing activities," added John Luft Shelby president. "Beginning with the small block Ford Mustang GT, we worked with Ford Racing, Borla, Goodyear and Baer to create a car that should be competitive right out of the box."

The GT350 is an enthusiast's dream. It is powered by the 5.0 liter V8 coupled to a 6 speed transmission. The front calipers are Shelby 6-piston and 14" rotors with ERADISPEED rotors on the back and cooling ducts for all four corners. The suspension features new Ford Racing springs, struts, sway bars and adjustable caster/camber plates. The Goodyear 19" tires are a new, aggressive compound.

Each GT350 will be clad in traditional white with Shelby Guardsman blue Le Mans stripes. The car also receives a new front fascia, tail light trim, front splitter, rear deck lid filler panel and rear fascia. Functional scoops are located on the side rockers and hood. GT350 badges on the outside and inside include a Shelby serial number.

"We plan to have development finished and begin building normally aspirated versions of the GT350 by late summer," said Shelby American vice president of production Gary Davis. "This ensures that the car will be fully sorted and ready for fun on the street or track."

The Shelby GT350 is a post title program based on the new Ford Mustang GT. A customer purchases a car from a local Ford dealer, which is turned into a GT350 by the Shelby American Team. A limited number will be built in the 2011 model year. A Ford Mustang GT can be dropped shipped by a Ford dealer to Shelby's Las Vegas facility for conversion or a customer can arrange to have a properly specified car transported to the factory.

The price for the normally aspirated GT350 upfit package is $26,995.00 plus any options, not including the base Ford Mustang GT. The supercharged version of the GT350 post title package by Shelby American has a MSRP of $33,995 and does not include the price of the base car.

Customers interested in either a supercharged or normally aspirated GT350 should call (702) 942-7325 or log onto gt350.shelbyamerican.com.

About Shelby American, Inc. and Carroll Shelby Licensing
Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby American Inc., (www.shelbyamerican.com) manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products. Shelby American is a division of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (CSBI.PK). Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., also a wholly owned division, is the exclusive holder of Carroll Shelby's trademarks and vehicle design rights. It also holds trademark rights for Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. Information is at www.carrollshelbyinternational.com.

All-New Volvo S60 in the Belgian Touring Car Series

The new Volvo S60 gets ready for its racing debut. The Swedish carmaker revealed today that a racing version of the sedan will enter the 2010 Belgian Touring Car Series (BTCS).

The race version of the Volvo S60 has been developed in accordance with the BTCS regulations, meaning it has a tubular chassis, the same type of front and rear suspension and aerodynamics.

Power is provided by a mid-mounted 3.5-liter V6 engine with 410 hp (306 kW / 416 PS) and 412 Nm (304 lb-ft) of torque. It motivates the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential transmission.

"The all-new Volvo S60 sports sedan is Volvo's most exciting driving experience so far and there is no better way to show this than by bringing it to the race track. Volvo and the all-new S60 have a special place in the people's hearts here as several Volvo models, including the new S60, are built in Belgium at the Volvo Cars Ghent plant."






Press Release

Ready for the race track

Volvo Cars enters the all-new
Volvo S60 in the Belgian Touring Car Series

Just weeks after the all-new Volvo S60 was introduced to the public, the
latest Volvo model is also being unveiled in a racing version. Volvo Cars
Belgium will enter the new car in the 2010 season of the Belgian Touring Car
Series. Volvo fans will not need to wait long to see the latest model in
action since the premiere takes place on April 11.

"We are very happy about this development," says Bart Crols, Managing
Director at Volvo Cars Belgium. "The all-new Volvo S60 sports sedan is
Volvo's most exciting driving experience so far and there is no better way
to show this than by bringing it to the race track. Volvo and the all-new
S60 have a special place in the people's hearts here as several Volvo
models, including the new S60, are built in Belgium at theVolvo Cars Ghent
plant."

The new Volvo S60 race car has been developed in record time locally by
Volvo's Belgian S60 Racing Team. It has been developed in accordance with
the BTCS Silhouette S1 regulations which put a major emphasis on
standardised features. All cars must use a tubular chassis, the same type of
front and rear suspension and aerodynamics. A uniform type of engine
specification is also available but manufacturers are allowed to use own
engines.

The Volvo S60 Racing Team will also operate the car at all BTCS races and
the drivers are Vincent Radermecker and Eric Van De Poele.

Its maiden track test will take place on April 1 (today) on the Belgian
Zolder track.

"It has been a hectic period, but we have received great assistance from
Volvo Cars' Motorsport department" says Thomas Neri, Team Manager for the
Volvo S60 Racing Team. He continues: "Our main objective is to get up to
speed and to compete well in the various heats. Next season we hope to put
our own in-house developed engine in the car."

BTCS - low cost, high-performance racing

The BTCS is an endurance racing championship with six competitions on
tracks such as Spa-Francorchamps, Zolder and Dijon. Each race consists of
two 90-minute heats and there is also one 12-hour race in Spa. The all-new
Volvo S60 will face intense competition from the likes of BMW, Audi, Jaguar
and VW. BTCS has grown rapidly in terms of both competing brands and numbers
thanks to its low-cost, high-performance combination and, not least, the
fact that the cars have considerable visual appeal. The race series is
televised in several countries and is gaining in popularity.

"We will support and follow our development in this series very closely
as several other national championships are considering similar standardised
regulations in the future," says Derek Crabb, Motorsport Director at the
Volvo Car Corporation. "This BTCS campaign will give us a good understanding
of what these types of regulations can mean for Volvo."

Technical Specification Volvo S60 BTCS

• Regulation: BTCS Silhouette S1


• Chassis: Tubular frame


• Front Suspension: Independent with 3-way adjustable shock absorbers


• Rear Suspension: Independent with 3-way onboard adjustable shock
  absorbers


• Brakes: 6-piston callipers, 380 mm discs at the front and 6-piston
  callipers, 355 mm discs at the rear


• Engine: Mid-mounted standardised 3500 cc V6


• Engine Power Output: 410 hp with 412 Nm at 5500rpm


• Gearbox: Six-speed sequential. Rear-wheel drive


• Wheels: 10" X 18" front and 12" X 18" rear


• Tyres: Michelin 27/65/18 front and Michelin 30/65/18 rear

2010 Racing Calendar for the all-new Volvo S60 in the BTCS series

• April 9-11 Zolder


• April 30-May 2 Dijon-Prenois


• June 4-6 Spa-Francorchamps


• July 9-10 Spa-Francorchamps


• September 17-19 Spa-Francorchamps


• October 8-10 Zolder

More information about the Belgian Touring Car Series:
http://www.btcseries.be/

New Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid Premieres

A successful weekend for Porsche at the start of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring season: At its racing premiere, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R scored an overall victory, the innovative 911 GT3 R Hybrid finished sixth at its debut and Walter Röhrl celebrated a successful racing comeback after 17 years.

The 911 uses an electro-mechanical flywheel energy storage system to drive a pair of electric motors attached to the front wheels. When braking, those motors generate electricity that spins up an integrated flywheel-motor-generator. Spinning at 40,000 rpm, the flywheel can release the electrical energy back to front motors on demand. The system was developed by the Williams Formula One team and licensed to Porsche.

A promising debut had also the new Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid: Porsche works drivers Jörg Bergmeister , Richard Lietz and former Porsche junior Martin Ragginger brought the white orange race car, the combustion engine of which is completed by two electric motors with 60 kilowatt each at the front axle, on sixth place after a perfect race.





Press Release

Three successful Porsche premieres

Stuttgart. A successful weekend for Porsche at the season-opener of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship: At its race premiere, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R claimed victory, the innovative 911 GT3 R Hybrid debuted with sixth place and Walter Röhrl made his much celebrated comeback after 17 years.

Timo Bernhard (Germany), Marc Lieb (Germany) and Marcel Tiemann (Monaco) are the winners of the first race of the season on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. With the new, 480 hp Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by the Manthey Racing team, the trio drove a trouble-free race. "It is extraordinary to climb to the top of the podium at the first race ever of a new race car," said a pleased Bernhard. His works driver teammate Lieb added: "It seems the new 911 GT3 R has inherited the reliability of all racing 911." With 14.5 and 3.6 seconds respectively, the three Porsche pilots relegated the best Audi RS and the BMW M3 to finish second and third.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid also gave a promising debut: Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Richard Lietz and the former Porsche Junior Martin Ragginger (both Austria) brought home the white/orange racer with its combustion engine supplemented by two electric motors delivering 60 kW each to the front axle in sixth place after a trouble-free race. "I'm positively surprised how well this car performed already at its first race," said Bergmeister. "We tried many things out during the race and will be busy further developing the hybrid drive for the 24 hour race in May. Our aim is to use less fuel than our competitors without compromising performance," explains Lietz.

Double world rally champion Walter Röhrl (Germany) made his much applauded racing comeback after 17 years. Sharing driving duties with Horst von Saurma-Jeltsch (Germany) and Chris Harris (Great Britain) he put the standard 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 R through a test under race conditions. "The car exceeded my highest expectations and I had a great time at the wheel," enthused Röhrl. "We were able to match the pace of thoroughbred race cars. The 911 GT3 RS was particularly sensational in fast corners and under braking. And the best thing is, if it wasn't so far tonight I could just put our number plate on the car and drive back to Bavaria without a problem."

Round two of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship takes off on 10 April at midday with a duration of four hours.

Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss Edition and Hakkinen Shooting Commercial in Barcelona

Somebody at Daimler must have been a big fan of recent photos showing the Audi A1 S-line in Barcelona's Raval district.  The company has been working on a new video shoot for the Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss Edition a few kilometers away from the A1 location, and close to scenes used in a video of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

The SLR Stirling Moss Edition was the last version that became the SLR McLaren, and was filed in 2009. Is inspired by the 300 SLR that Stirling Moss took the victory in the Mille Miglia in 1955, along with journalist Denis Jenkinson, ie, which has no windscreen or roof or anything like it.

With a weight of 200 kilos less than the conventional SLR, and a little more power (650 horses on the original 617), accelerates from 0 to 100 in 3.5 seconds and can take the 350 km / h. S'en only 75 produced, which were offered only to customers who already have a SLR to your garage. The price? Well 750.000 .- €. Almost nothing.
via:worldcarfans

MW Z4 GT3 Race Car Official Details Released [Video]

The new Z4 GT race car is quickly becoming our favorite modern BMW racer of the past 10 years.

Designed for private racing teams, the GT3 features aggressive styling, advanced engineering, and a 1,200 kilogram (2,645 pound) curb weight. The latter is due in part to the numerous components (front and rear wings, bonnet, roof, and fenders) constructed from carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

As expected the Z4 GT3 car is powered by a 4.0 litre V8 sourced from the M3 GT2. It’s good for more than 480bhp. Other technologies and developments from the Gt2 have been adapted, as well. Things like engine management, ABS, traction control and the sequential shift transmission have all benefitted from previous race experience.

On top of that BMW has also released all the specifications of this V8 powered coupé. As we suspected it’s essentially the same V8 that powers the M3 GT2 race car with over 480 bhp set low and as far back as possible.
Source:BMW






Press Release

Love at first sight: the new BMW Z4 GT3.

Munich, 22nd March 2010. The BMW Z4 GT3, which was officially launched and completed its first test drives at the start of March, is already enjoying great popularity among BMW Motorsport customers. The first cars have been delivered to private BMW teams, who will prepare them for use in various national and international championships.

"The feedback on the BMW Z4 GT3 is extremely positive," says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. "This sports car rounds off our product range, and offers drivers and teams the opportunity to compete in championships in accordance with the GT3 regulations - such as the FIA GT3 European Championship, the International GT Open or the ADAC GT Masters - as well as at 24-hour endurance races." In addition, the BMW M3 GT2, the BMW 320si WTCC, which complies with Super2000 regulations, and the close-to-production BMW M3 GT4 are also available to customer teams from all over the world at BMW Motorsport Distribution.

The production model of the BMW Z4 is already impressive: with its elongated bonnet, flared wheel arches, long wheel base and narrow projections, the car boasts an unmistakable appearance. The two-seater provided BMW Motorsport engineers with a good basis for developing a close-to-production GT3 racing car.

The largest difference between production and racing car can be found under the bonnet: while the production version of the BMW Z4 is driven by a six-cylinder engine, the GT3 car is powered by a 4.0-litre eight-cylinder engine similar to the unit used in the BMW M3 GT2. This powerful heart produces over 480 bhp. Its excellent performance characteristics and good torque curve make the base engine from the production version of the BMW M3 predestined for use in motorsport.

The fitting of the V8 engine had a considerable influence on the development of the BMW Z4 GT3. Initially, design-space examinations were performed using CATIA V5 design software, in order to place the engine in the ideal position and meet racing specifications. The engineers then added all the other components.

When it comes to electronics, the private teams can look forward to innovative BMW solutions, which have already been tried and tested on the BMW M3 GT2: the modern ECU408 takes over the engine management, while the Power400 electronic control unit is responsible for controlling all the actuators. The power is transmitted through a six-speed, sequential gearbox with "Quick Shift" function.

Rims with central locking and safety clip are also included in delivery. In addition, the BMW Z4 GT3 also offers driver assistance systems such as racing ABS and traction control, which have been adopted from other cars in the customer racing range, and then further developed and modified for use in the GT3 car.

The front axle of the BMW Z4 GT3 is a completely new design, based on a series concept. It is equipped with a tubular stabiliser bar with adjustable blades. The rear axle is designed as a longitudinal link axle, as with the series version of the BMW Z4. The steel body of the car comes from the BMW Plant in Regensburg. A safety cell made of extremely rigid, precision steel tubing is then welded into the body. The engine block of the V8 engine is produced in the BMW foundry in Landshut. The BMW Plant in Dingolfing contributes the rear axle differential and drive shaft, among other things.

During the development, BMW Motorsport engineers worked hand in hand in other areas with their colleagues from series production. This allowed them to access calculations from the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) when designing the car's aerodynamics. Furthermore, tests were also carried out in the wind tunnel and on the BMW Group's test benches.

Front and rear wings, bonnet, roof, fender and many other components are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP). Using this lightweight, torsion-resistant material contributed significantly to reducing the weight of the BMW Z4 GT3 to 1,200 kilograms.

As with all cars in the BMW customer racing range, the emphasis was also put on cost-efficiency when developing the BMW Z4 GT3. As a result, the car offers a very good cost/performance ratio and gives private teams the opportunity to participate in affordable motorsport at the highest level.

The BMW Z4 GT3 is available as a racing car at a cost of 298,000 Euros (plus VAT). Interested teams can find further information at: Z4GT3@bmw-motorsport.com.

Two Video: Sebring 2010: BMW's Dirk Mϋller talks about hour 1

The last 24 hours have been tough for Dirk Mϋller,a single of a drivers of a BMW M3 GT2 in a American Le Mans Series. After environment a fastest GT2 time in subordinate upon Friday for today’s twelve Hours of Sebring, his time was disallowed since of an emanate with his automobile during tech inspection. That meant a #90 automobile was pushed down to a 13th mark upon a GT2 grid.

2010 SEBRING 12 HOURS - QUALIFYING

The drivers named to start Saturday’s 12 Hours of Sebring – the world’s longest race after the Le Mans 24 Hours – are Austria’s Alexander Wurz in the N°07 car (followed by Briton Anthony Davidson, then Marc Gené) and Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais in the N°08 908 HDi FAP (followed by Portugal’s Pedro Lamy and France’s Nicolas Minassian). The field will be flagged away at 10:30am local time (3:30pm CET).

For the third year running, Team Peugeot Total has chosen to begin its preparations for the Le Mans 24 Hours in Florida. This time round, the two Peugeot 908 HDi FAPs having been lapping at Sebring since Saturday March 13 and will remain at the circuit until Tuesday March 23.

The real action is in the GT2 class.........BMW took pole but failed the subsequent technical inspection, promoting The Flying Lizard Porsche to the front.
via:autoblog




Press Release

PEUGEOT ON POLE: GENE LEADS
FRONT-ROW SEBRING SWEEP
Class pole positions Franchitti, Jeannette, Muller and Keen

Marc Gene's first trip to Sebring International Raceway has been a productive one already. The Spanish star qualified on pole position for the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida with a lap of 1:45.214 (126.599 mph) for Team Peugeot Total, beating out teammate Nic Minassian by 0.627 seconds.

The two diesel-powered factory Peugeot 908 HDI FAPs will start from the front row for the opening round of the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. A victory in Saturday will mean the French manufacturer holds current championships in all three of the world's endurance classics.

Gene will drive with fellow reigning Le Mans 24 Hours winner Alexander Wurz and Anthony Davidson. Only Davidson has competed in the 12 Hours while the trio of Minassian, Sebastien Bourdais and Pedro Lamy in the sister car have 18 starts between them.

"I was very worried before coming here because I had heard so much about it," Gene said. "There were the bumps, the fast curves. I tried to play it on video games but I had to play it so much! Then I moved on to videos and Nic helped me a lot. If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't have won pole position."

The two Peugeots have been utterly dominant this week with the two fastest times in each session. That continued Friday with the 908s locking fellow LMP1 competitors Aston Martin Racing and Drayson Racing out of the front row.

Stefan Mücke qualified third for Aston Martin with a lap of 1:46.079 (125.567 mph). He is driving the Lola B09/60-Aston Martin with Adrian Fernandez and Harold Primat.

Such gaps aren't lulling the Lions to sleep, however. As Gene can attest – even in his limited experience here – Sebring can bite back in a hard way.

"We have lost speed on the straight due to the rules. For sure the Aston Martin will be very tough," he said. "There are a couple of very dangerous corners," he said. "There are no corners like 1 and 17 in Europe. I just came from Bahrain and some of the F1 drivers there would come here and (pull their hair out)."

Marino Franchitti won his second career Sebring LMP2 pole for Patrón Highcroft Racing and Honda Performance Development. The popular Scot qualified the Patrón Highcroft HPD ARX-01c with a time of 1:47.684 (123.695 mph). He will drive with 2009 Series LMP1 champion – and reigning Le Mans overall winner – David Brabham and Simon Pagenaud.

You could throw a net over the three fastest drivers in class. Franchitti was only 0.054 seconds better than Klaus Graf in the Muscle Milk Team CytoSport Porsche RS Spyder; he will drive with team owner Greg Pickett and Sascha Maassen.

Guy Smith qualified Dyson Racing's isobutanol-powered Lola B09/86-Mazda at 1:47.882 (123.468 mph). He will team with Chris Dyson and Andy Meyrick.

"It was certainly very close but we thought our competition didn't show everything they had before qualifying," said Franchitti, who also claimed the LMP2 pole at Sebring in 2004. "We didn't have the best setup but it was good enough. I obviously have two talented and terrific teammates in David and Simon. We have a new big sponsor in GE and it's great to welcome them with a pole. Hopefully we can do that with a win tomorrow."

The Patrón Highcroft entry is an updated version of the ARX-01 lineup that debuted during the 2007 season. Franchitti drove the 01a model for Andretti Green Racing that year and loves the updates the car has received since then.

"There are certainly significant changes that were in the pipeline that didn't come online when I was with Andretti Green," he said. "It was nice for me to get back into a car I know and have everything be better. It's been great. The Highcroft guys have won a lot of races but this is the one race that's eluded them."

Gunnar Jeannette will go down in the history books as the first pole-winner in the new Le Mans Prototype Challenge class. He won out in a terrific qualifying battle with a lap of 1:55.279 (115.546 mph) driving the Green Earth Team Gunnar ORECA FLM09. The former Panoz factory pilot outpaced Ryan Hunter-Reay in the first of Level 5 Motorsports' two FLM09s by just 0.118 seconds.

"It was really exciting," said Jeannette, who will drive with Christian Zugel and Elton Julian. "It's an honor to have the first class for a new car in the series. Our G-Oil car was really hooked up. We skipped the morning practice to do race prep. We were comfortable with our qualifying setup."

The competition between the top three cars in the class has been as tight as any other during the week. The top three qualifiers were within 0.822 seconds; Christophe Bouchut ended the session third in the second Level 5 entry at 1:56.101 (114.728 mph).

Jeannette admitted there is some uncertainly about debuting a new car and new class at America's most grueling race.

"Even though the basis of the car is an endurance racing machine, there are some bits that aren't race-tested," he said. "I think we're all going to aim to get to the finish. Christian did about a stint-and-a-half at the test so we know Michelin has given us a good multiple tire so we'll be doing double- and triple-stints hopefully we can keep doing it lap after lap."

Flying Lizard Motorsports Jörg Bergmeister qualified on pole for GT2. He originally placed second before Dirk Müller's pole-winning BMW M3 was excluded from qualifying after failing a post-session stall test in technical inspections.

Bergmeister's best lap was a 2:01.150 (109.946 mph) pass in the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR that he will drive with fellow factory pilots Patrick Long and Marc Lieb.

"We made a really aggressive tire choice today but we were surprised that the competition wasn't as fast as they were earlier in the week," Bergmeister said. "We're pleased to be on the front of the grid but we know it's a long race."

Müller had set a lap of 2:00.782.

Porsches held the top two spots with an impressive performance for Team Falken Tire. Factory driver Wolf Henzler set a lap of 2:01.201 (109.900 mph) in the car he will drive with Bryan Sellers and Porsche works driver Patrick Pilet. The team is competing in its first full season in the Series for 2010.

Risi Competizione's Jaime Melo qualified third with a lap of 2:01.236 (109.868 mph) in the Ferrari F430 GT that he will drive with Gimmi Bruni and Pierre Kaffer. Risi hasn't lost an endurance round since Sebring 2008.

The top seven cars were under the 2:01 mark, and eight entries – not counting Müller's time – broke the class qualifying record.

Alex Job Racing entries swept the top three positions in GT Challenge with Leh Keen turning a best lap of 2:05.959 (105.749 mph) in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car he will share with Butch Leitzinger and Juan Gonzalez. Keen, whose only other start was at Petit Le Mans in 2005, bested Patrick Kelly by 1.159 seconds.

Kelly will drive with Ricardo Gonzalez and last year's LMP2 co-champion Luis Diaz.

"I've never done this race before and only have done Petit Le Mans a few years ago," Keen said. "The class of drivers here is very high. Now that we can run the GTC class, it brings a few more cars in. My laps were pretty clean. Our guys set up the car really well. The car is going to have more of a race setup now. It's like a 24-hour race squished down into 12."

AJR is a six-time winner at Sebring in GT classes and obviously knows how to get around at Sebring. But there are some new dynamics such as the new car and new class running 12 hours on such a demanding circuit.

"The one that has the cleanest race will have the best chance," Keen said. "We were setting up the car and had a little bit of a push early this week. Turn 17 and 1 are pretty bumpy and that's just the way the track is. Some of the understeer in 14 and 15 was bad. I think we're close to getting something we're comfortable with and can drive for the full race."

Romeo Kapudija qualified the AJR Porsche he will share with Bill Sweedler and Jan Dirk-Lueders third with a lap of 2:07.205 (104.713 mph).

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida, the opening round of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and America's greatest sports car race, starts at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday. The green flag will fall at 10:30 a.m. ET with live coverage on SPEED starting at 10 a.m. ET. Live coverage also will be available on American Le Mans Radio, as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 245.Visit the Series' schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

You can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes) and on our Facebook page and the official YouTube channel.

58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring
presented by Fresh from Florida
Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Fla.
Saturday's lineup
1. Marc Gene, Spain; Anthony Davidson, England; Alexander Wurz; Peugeot 908 HDI FAP (P1), 1:45.214, 126.599
2. Pedro Lamy, Lisbon Portugal; Sebastien Bourdais, France; Nicolas Minassian, England; Peugeot 908 HDI FAP (P1), 1:45.841, 125.849
3. Stefan Mücke, Germany; Harold Primat, Switzerland; Adrian Fernandez, Mexico; Lola B09 60/Aston Martin (P1), 1:46.079, 125.567
4. Paul Drayson, London, UK; Jonny Cocker, UK; Emanuele Pirro, Italy; Lola B09 60/Judd (P1), 1:46.460, 125.117
5. David Brabham, Australia; Simon Pagenaud, France; Marino Franchitti, Scotland; HPD ARX-01c (P2), 1:47.684, 123.695
6. Greg Pickett, Alamo, CA; Klaus Graf, Germany; Sascha Maassen, Germany; Porsche RS Spyder (P2), 1:47.738, 123.633
7. Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Guy Smith, England; Andy Meyrick; Lola B09 86/Mazda (P2), 1:47.882, 123.468
8. Bryan Willman, Kirkland, WA; Tony Burgess, Canada; Pierre Ehret, Santa Rosa, CA; Lola B06 10/AER (P1), 1:54.441, 116.392
9. Christian Zugel; Gunnar Jeannette, Palm Beach Gardens, FL; Elton Julian, Los Angeles, CA; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:55.279, 115.546
10. Scott Tucker; James Gue, Athens, GA; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:55.397, 115.428
11. 12. Scott Tucker; Christophe Bouchut, France; Mark Wilkins, Canada; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:56.101, 114.728
12. Mitch Pagery, Deerfield Beach, FL; Brian Wong; David Ducote; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:59.580, 111.390
13. Jörg Bergmeister, Germany; Patrick Long, Oak Park, CA; Marc Lieb, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:01.150, 109.946
14. Bryan Sellers, Centerville, OH; Wolf Henzler, Germany; Patrick Pilet, France; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:01.201, 109.900
15. Jaime Melo, Brazil; Gianmaria Bruni, Italy; Pierre Kaffer, Germany; Ferrari 430 GT (GT2), 2:01.236, 109.868
16. Jan Magnussen, Denmark; Johnny O'Connell, Flowery Branch, GA; Antonio Garcia, Spain; Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (GT2), 2:01.358, 109.758
17. Olivier Beretta, Monaco; Oliver Gavin, England; Emmanuel Collard, France; Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (GT2), 2:01.628, 109.514
18. Scott Sharp, Jupiter; Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA; Dominik Farnbacher, Germany; Ferrari 430 GT (GT2), 2:01.914, 109.257
19. Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, CA; Tom Milner, Leesburg, VA; Dirk Werner, Germany; BMW E92 M3 (GT2), 2:01.922, 109.250
20. Ed Brown, Las Vegas, NV; Guy Cosmo, Long Island, NY; Joao Barbosa, Portugal; Ferrari 430 GT (GT2), 2:02.242, 108.964
21. Andrea Robertson, Ray, MI; David Robertson, Ray, MI; David Murry, Cumming, GA; Doran Design Ford GT (GT2), 2:03.622, 107.748
22. Butch Leitzinger, State College, PA; Leh Keen, Dublin, GA; Juan Gonzalez, Mexico; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:05.959, 105.749
23. Tracy Krohn, Houston, TX; Nic Jonsson, Sweden; Eric van de Poele, Belgium; Ferrari 430 GT (GT2), 2:06.680, 105.147
24. Ricardo Gonzalez, Mexico; Luis Diaz, Mexico; Patrick Kelly, Minnestrista, MN; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:07.018, 104.867
25. Bill Sweedler, Westport, CT; Romeo Kapudija, Lincolnwood, IL; Jan-Dirk Lueders; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:07.205, 104.713
26. Shane Lewis, Jupiter, FL; Gerry Vento, Palm Beach, FL; Lawson Aschenbach, West Palm Beach, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:07.412, 104.543
27. Brett Curtis, Valencia, CA; James Sofronas, Newport Beach, CA; Andy Pilgrim, Del Ray Beach, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:07.751, 104.265
28. Darren Law, Phoenix, AZ; Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA; Richard Lietz, Austria; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:07.874, 104.165
29. Richard, Henri, Los Altos Hills; Lally, Andy, New York, NY; Duncan Ende, Los Angeles, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:11.371, 101.392
30. Joel Feinberg, Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Kyle Marcelli; Tom Weickardt, Whitefish Bay, WI; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 0, 0
31. Paul Gentilozzi, Lansing, MI; Marc Goosens, Belgium; Ryan Dalziel, Scotland; Jaguar XKRS (GT2), 2:04.804, 106.727
32. Robert Rodriquez, Zephyr Cove, NV; Galen Bieker, Burbank, CA; Cory Friedman; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 2:10.312, 102.216
33. Andy Wallace, England; Tom Sutherland, Los Gatos, CA; JR Hildebrand; Oreca FLM09 (LMPC), 1:55.579, 115.246
34. Dirk Mueller, Germany; Joey Hand, Sacramento, CA; Andy Priaulx, Germany; BMW E92 M3 (GT2), 2:00.782, 110.281