GM Inside News Forum - European Competition

Testing the 2011 McLaren MP4-12C

GMusa — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:59:49 GMT

Testing the 2011 McLaren MP4-12C

http://www.insideline.com/mclaren/mp...n-mp4-12c.html

Mercedes SLS AMG crash test video

Toto — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:57:26 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCNxp3r10vo

Two new BMW M3 GTS videos

Toto — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:35:33 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7wh2FixhXs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCzDOpVasHM

Bugatti Sets out to Build the Fastest, Most Powerful Four Door in the World

brnwrng — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:32:40 GMT

When you've built the worlds' fastest production car, what do you do for an encore? That's a question the VW Group execs running Bugatti have been wrestling with for some time.

The Bugatti Veyron exists because in 2001 then VW Group boss Ferdinand Piech demanded his engineers turn the concept car he unveiled at that year's Geneva Show into a properly homologated production vehicle. "Piech wanted four things," recalls one insider. "The car had to have more than 1000hp, do more than 250mph, accelerate to 60mph in less than three seconds, and had to be civilized enough for him to drive to the opera."

The engineering challenges were enormous. Piech insisted the design of the Veyron concept had to be retained, yet no-one how that would affect high speed stability. (This was a particularly hot-button issue at the time, as VW Group had been dealing with an embarrassing rash of Audi TT crashes that were traced to the high-style car's tendency to develop rear end lift at speed, a problem subsequently fixed with the addition of a rear spoiler.) Equally, while the engineers figured the 1000hp engine was doable, no-one knew how they would be able to keep it cool. When tire-makers were first presented with the Veyron's performance and weight parameters, they simply laughed and said it was impossible.

It was a long and costly project -- VW insiders confirm the first attempt at the car was a disaster -- but Piech got his Veyron. It is the benchmark against which all supercars are judged, and one that's unlikely to ever be beaten: VW Group loses money on every Veyron it builds, and rival automakers from Ferrari to Toyota are now more concerned with meeting ever tougher emissions and safety regulations than spending a fortune just to see who can build the world's most extreme supercar.

Topping the Veyron makes no sense for Bugatti, either. When already you have more power, a higher top speed, and faster acceleration than any fully crash-tested, emissions-certified, road legal car in the world, why bother? That explains why the next Bugatti will be a luxury limousine, rather than a sports car.

The Bugatti Galibier will be no ordinary luxury limousine, however. It will be the fastest, most powerful four door in the world, "and by some margin", confirms a smiling Molsheim source. How fast? Top speed will be about 220mph. How powerful? 800 to 900hp. It will also be the most expensive, with a price tag expected to be in the $1.2 million to $1.5 million bracket.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz0WNu0W4QT

First Drive: 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia

GMusa — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:29:52 GMT

First Drive: 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...est/index.html

Small BMW goes 'Mega City'

voyager — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:57:23 GMT

Munich/Wiesbaden. The BMW Group and the SGL Group have agreed on the establishment of a joint venture for the production of carbon fibres and textile semi-finished products (CFRP) for use in vehicle construction. The total investment volume is € 90 million in the first development phase, the two companies stated on Thursday.

The joint venture will be operated through two companies, one based in North America (SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC), and the other in Germany (SGL Automotive Fibers GmbH & Co KG). The BMW Group holds 49% of the shares, and the SGL Group 51%. The two groups will be equally represented in the management of the two companies; major corporate decisions must be made unanimously by both partners. The joint venture will initially create around 180 new jobs in North America and Germany. Its establishment is subject to approval by the cartel authorities.

"This joint venture is designed to be a classic win-win situation. We are acquiring pioneering future technologies and raw materials that we need for our Megacity Vehicle on competitive terms. The SGL Group is moving into the automobile business with us as a strong partner", BMW AG Management Board Chairman Norbert Reithofer emphasised in Munich. "With our concepts within project i, we are breaking new ground when it comes to vehicle architecture, lightweight design and the use of materials", Reithofer continued.

Robert Koehler, CEO of the SGL Group, stated: "This joint venture with the BMW Group is a milestone for the use of carbon fibres on an industrial scale in the automobile industry. For the first time, carbon fibres are taking on an important role in series vehicle manufacture. This confirms our strategy and shows that carbon fibre technology is becoming increasingly important in the materials substitution process to lighter material. This material will help to reduce CO2 emissions and save our natural resources".

Lightweight design has been one of the core skills of the BMW Group for decades – after all, reducing weight is a major factor in cutting fuel consumption. In the use of high-tech Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), the company is also able to draw on its many years of experience. CFRP not only plays an important role in motor sports; the material is also used in series vehicles, such as in the roof of the BMW M6 Coup�.

In the Megacity Vehicle, which will be launched under a BMW sub-brand in the first half of the next decade, the high-strength yet ultra-light material will make up a significant proportion of the materials used. The combination of the advanced CFRP fibres developed by the SGL Group and the BMW Group's expertise in the industrial manufacture of CFRP components is making it possible, for the first time, to install CFRP on a large scale in a series vehicle at a competitive cost.

With the joint venture, the BMW Group is underlining its position as the most sustainable vehicle manufacturer. This claim is reflected throughout the entire value creation chain, from component purchasing to recycling. Producing CFRP in a way that protects resources is therefore a high priority. The high energy requirement for the production of carbon fibres is to be met completely by environmentally friendly hydropower. This is one of the preconditions for the production site of carbon fibres in North America. The raw material is then processed into a carbon fibre fabric at the second location in Germany. Parts and components will then be made from this light-weight durable fabric within the BMW Group.

VIDEO: Weaving the Lexus LFA's carbon fiber A-pillar is mesmerizing

GMusa — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:16:10 GMT

VIDEO: Weaving the Lexus LFA's carbon fiber A-pillar is mesmerizing

If you read our First Drive of the Lexus LFA, you might recall an interesting little factoid we threw in to illustrate the OCD-level of detail Toyota used to produce its first ever supercar.

With over 150 years of looming experience, ToMoCo owns a rotary weaver -- one of two in existence -- which it repurposed to create the carbon fiber A-pillars on the LFA. The process is mindbogglingly awe-inspiring and we were finally able to snag video of the device in action. Make the jump to check it out and get a better idea of why the LFA carries its steep $375,000 price tag.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/29/v...lar/#continued

BMW unveils special edition E60 M5 CSL with 580hp!

rotaryfan — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:30:26 GMT

http://www.bimmerpost.com

Quote:

580bhp and close to 400lb ft tq.
No performance claims have been made for the powered-up-and-pared-down M5, but Biermann says it is �comfortably faster the standard M5�s 4.1sec 0-100km/h�.

:eek: :eek:

http://e60.5post.com/forums/sh...16340

Report: Russian Prime Minister Putin tells Renault to put up or get out

St�phane Dumas — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:18:37 GMT

from Autoblog, about Renault's investments in AvtoVAZ aka Lada
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/r...up-or-get-out/