globeandmail.com : Report: Charlotte chosen for NASCAR hall: "Report: Charlotte chosen for NASCAR hall
Atlanta and Daytona Beach still feel good about their chances to land NASCAR's Hall of Fame, even though a report from Charlotte says that city has locked up a deal to build the shrine to stock car racing.
'We've heard rumours in the past. Almost three weeks ago we got calls from all over that Atlanta was getting the nod and that proved to be not true. Two weeks later we're hearing Charlotte got the nod. Maybe two weeks from now the rumour will be Daytona,'' said George Mirabal, the local official in Daytona Beach working to bring the hall of fame to NASCAR's birthplace.
The Charlotte Observer, citing three anonymous sources, reported Wednesday that Charlotte had won the race for the stock car racing museum and an official announcement was expected Monday."
... more at link above...
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Wednesday, March 1, 2006
2006 Maserati Gransport MC Victory
To celebrate winning the 2005 FIA GT Manufacturers' Cup, Maserati has launched a new limited edition model of the Maserati GranSport.
The Maserati GranSport MC Victory will be officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show, and will be on the market from May, with only 180 uniquely numbered units produced.
As well as boasting finer standard equipment than the Maserati GranSport from which it derives, the new Maserati GranSport MC Victory offers a variety of new features that clearly link it to the Maserati MC12, celebrating its driving dynamics.
Externally, the Maserati GranSport MC Victory is immediately recognizable for its aerodynamic, blue carbon front and rear spoilers and for the Italian flag embedded in the side panels, another feature taken from the MC12.
Aerodynamic efficiency increased
The front splitter of the Maserati GranSport MC Victory was redesigned to guarantee more air load at high speeds with the addition of the two lateral aerodynamic profiles and a bigger protrusion. The Maserati GranSport MC Victory is now more driveable thanks to more direct and precise steering and an elevated stability at high speeds, the same characteristics as the Maserati MC12.
Carbon, leather and Alcantara interior trim
The carbon elements, similar to the exteriors, are made of blue carbon. This is coupled with a selection of leathers and Alcantara trim, used on the upper dashboard, the door panels, in the central part of the racing carbon seats to emphasize the sporty look and on the steering wheel for grip. Inside the cockpit of the Maserati GranSport MC Victory each and every driver will be able to experience the same exhilaration as the racing drivers of the Maserati MC12.
© seriouswheels.com
Source: Maserati Press Release
The Maserati GranSport MC Victory will be officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show, and will be on the market from May, with only 180 uniquely numbered units produced.As well as boasting finer standard equipment than the Maserati GranSport from which it derives, the new Maserati GranSport MC Victory offers a variety of new features that clearly link it to the Maserati MC12, celebrating its driving dynamics.
Externally, the Maserati GranSport MC Victory is immediately recognizable for its aerodynamic, blue carbon front and rear spoilers and for the Italian flag embedded in the side panels, another feature taken from the MC12.
Aerodynamic efficiency increased
The front splitter of the Maserati GranSport MC Victory was redesigned to guarantee more air load at high speeds with the addition of the two lateral aerodynamic profiles and a bigger protrusion. The Maserati GranSport MC Victory is now more driveable thanks to more direct and precise steering and an elevated stability at high speeds, the same characteristics as the Maserati MC12.
Carbon, leather and Alcantara interior trim
The carbon elements, similar to the exteriors, are made of blue carbon. This is coupled with a selection of leathers and Alcantara trim, used on the upper dashboard, the door panels, in the central part of the racing carbon seats to emphasize the sporty look and on the steering wheel for grip. Inside the cockpit of the Maserati GranSport MC Victory each and every driver will be able to experience the same exhilaration as the racing drivers of the Maserati MC12.
© seriouswheels.com
Source: Maserati Press Release
BMW Z4M Motor Racing Kit
The press release defines it as "The first BMW two-seater for Nordschleife fans and international customer teams.", and this BMW Z4M Motor Racing Kit is surely impressive.
It's designed for racing in the German Endurance Championship in in the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race. The engine is the classi 3.2 6 cylinders inline tuned by the Motorsport division to output 400 bhp.
The racing kit can ordered starting from may for a mere 250,000 €.
Source: © eurocarblog.com
It's designed for racing in the German Endurance Championship in in the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race. The engine is the classi 3.2 6 cylinders inline tuned by the Motorsport division to output 400 bhp.The racing kit can ordered starting from may for a mere 250,000 €.
Source: © eurocarblog.com
BMW M Coupe worth the wait
Nothing like a BMW press conference to suck the life out of a cool car.
We've come to expect it, but at least there was a reason to suffer through the executive sales drivel. The new M coupe looks even better in person than in pictures. BMW doesn't seem quite so sure, as BMW chariman Helmut Pahnke admitted the M Coupe's status as a halo car. Halo status usually means meager sales expectations. It may be true, but every journalist at the unveiling was looking forward to lining up a test drive, and we expect there will be more than a few customers doing the same.
Source: © blogs.edmunds.com by Ed
We've come to expect it, but at least there was a reason to suffer through the executive sales drivel. The new M coupe looks even better in person than in pictures. BMW doesn't seem quite so sure, as BMW chariman Helmut Pahnke admitted the M Coupe's status as a halo car. Halo status usually means meager sales expectations. It may be true, but every journalist at the unveiling was looking forward to lining up a test drive, and we expect there will be more than a few customers doing the same.Source: © blogs.edmunds.com by Ed
Future Ford niche cars may get carbon-fiber components
The carbon fiber and epoxy material used in the inner rear deck of the $150,000 Ford GT may find its way into other low-volume Ford Motor Co. models, a Ford engineer says.
The GT's clamshell inner panel "has performed flawlessly throughout engineering development and in production, with no issues whatsoever," says Fred Goodnow, program design, engineering and launch manager on the high-performance Ford GT.
He adds, "As a result of the success of the GT clamshell inner panel, we would definitely consider this material in future applications."
But there are drawbacks.
"The limiting factor on carbon fiber usage is the cost," Goodnow says.
"The business case would have to support its usage in any specific application."
Also, he says, the cycle time to make the panel, compared with injection molding, prevents it from being used on higher-volume vehicles.
Engineers drew on carbon fiber's benefits in designing the midengine GT and equally distributing weight for optimal balance and precise handling.
The GT's V-8 engine produces 550 hp.
The GT's clamshell inner panel measures about 4Ѕ feet by 6Ѕ feet. The one-piece, 14-pound composite lid resolved tight-tolerance, weight and complexity issues when compared with another inner lid idea that used four or five pieces of individually stamped aluminum.
The GT's decklid assembly consists of the stiff inner structure and an exterior superplastic-formed aluminum skin.
Sparta Composites, of San Diego, makes the carbon-fiber component, and a Mayflower Vehicle Systems Inc. plant in Norwalk, Ohio, hems the inner lid and aluminum skin. Saleen Inc.'s special vehicle operation in Troy, Mich., handles painting and final assembly.
Source: © autoweek.com by Roger Renstrom
The GT's clamshell inner panel "has performed flawlessly throughout engineering development and in production, with no issues whatsoever," says Fred Goodnow, program design, engineering and launch manager on the high-performance Ford GT.He adds, "As a result of the success of the GT clamshell inner panel, we would definitely consider this material in future applications."
But there are drawbacks.
"The limiting factor on carbon fiber usage is the cost," Goodnow says.
"The business case would have to support its usage in any specific application."
Also, he says, the cycle time to make the panel, compared with injection molding, prevents it from being used on higher-volume vehicles.
Engineers drew on carbon fiber's benefits in designing the midengine GT and equally distributing weight for optimal balance and precise handling.
The GT's V-8 engine produces 550 hp.
The GT's clamshell inner panel measures about 4Ѕ feet by 6Ѕ feet. The one-piece, 14-pound composite lid resolved tight-tolerance, weight and complexity issues when compared with another inner lid idea that used four or five pieces of individually stamped aluminum.
The GT's decklid assembly consists of the stiff inner structure and an exterior superplastic-formed aluminum skin.
Sparta Composites, of San Diego, makes the carbon-fiber component, and a Mayflower Vehicle Systems Inc. plant in Norwalk, Ohio, hems the inner lid and aluminum skin. Saleen Inc.'s special vehicle operation in Troy, Mich., handles painting and final assembly.
Source: © autoweek.com by Roger Renstrom
OSCAAR: Bickle interview
The OSCAAR Outlaw site has a new interview with John & Robert Bickle, as written by Sandy Macfarlane and Don McLeod.
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