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Red Bull’s Adrian Newey leaves F1 team, shifts focus to RB hypercar

Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey is officially departing the team in the first quarter of 2025. Rumors of his departure have swirled for the past few days, and now the news is official. But there’s more. Red Bull also revealed that Newey will be shifting his focus to the RB17 hypercar (a road car project) and seeing that project out through its completion.

It’s been 19 years of Adrian Newey designing Red Bull Formula 1 cars, and in that time he’s been a part of seven F1 Drivers’ titles, six Contructors’ championships, 118 victories and 101 poles. Those are the sort of numbers that make you a legend of the sport, especially considering that Red Bull was merely a startup F1 team when he joined.

“Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a designer of fast cars,” Newey said in a statement. “My dream was to be an engineer in Formula 1, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality.”

Of course, the real question everybody wants the answer to is where Newey is headed next. Ferrari and Aston Martin are the two teams that seem to be in the running going by the most recent rumors. However, there’s no real sure indication of where he might eventually land, assuming he stays in Formula 1.

As for why Newey is leaving, the official statement follows below.

“For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning team,” Newey starts. “However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself.”

Of course, there are the reported reasons of him leaving due to being unsettled by the Christian Horner misconduct investigation that stole headlines leading up to this season of racing. Newey’s statement upon leaving mentioned Horner calling him a “business partner but also a friend to our respective families.”

We’ll be waiting impatiently for further news on where Newey might be headed once the dust at Red Bull has settled, because where he goes, success in Formula 1 is almost sure to follow.

May 1, 2024 / Comments Off

Brabham Automotive and the BT62 track car dead for now

Brabham Automotive, maker of the BT62 track car, was formed through a partnership between two Australian enterprises. Private equity firm Fusion Capital, with decades of involvement in Australia’s transportation industry, worked out a deal with Brabham Group to license the Brabham name. As the “majority shareholder, sole funder, and operator of the Automotive company that bears the famous Brabham name,” Fusion Capital bankrolled the operation, with David Brabham — youngest son of three-time Formula 1 champion Sir Jack Brabham and a Le Mans winner himself — the face and soul of the brand. Sportscar 365 reports the collaboration is officially over due to differences of opinion about the “strategic direction” of Brabham Automotive.

David Brabham said in written statement, “The decision to end the relationship was made after careful consideration and what was in the best interests of all parties and the brand.” Mat Fitch, chairman of Fusion Capital, said in his own written statement that the investment firm is “committed to projects that push the limits and defy convention in the motorsport and automotive sectors.”

The breakup seems to have been a slow burn. In July last year, Australian outlet Car Expert spoke to David about what he called “a reboot” for the company, wanting to build more units of the $1.8M AUD ($1.2M U.S.) BT62 and develop a more affordable variant. At the time, Brabham said in response to detailed questions, “Some of the answers are points of discussion at the moment, so we prefer to wait till these have been sorted.”

Looks like that’s happened. Neither man stated the source of the disagreement, but other Fitch comments as well as Fusion Capital investments suggest a major difference was over electrification. Fitch’s statement also included the line, “Powertrains are evolving, and the opportunity to challenge the mainstream OEMs has never been greater.” The company owns Australia’s Bustech, a maker of municipal buses for Australian cities that is heavily engaged in the transition to electric powertrains and clean fuels. As an offshoot, it’s reportedly looking at developing robotaxis.

Brabham Automotive had big plans for the BT62, planning to sell 70 examples of the track version, create a roadgoing variant that would enable entry into racing series’ like the World Endurance Championship, contest Le Mans, and develop a tech-heavy, one-on-one driver coaching operation. We don’t know how many ended up in private hands. It sounds like the BT62’s story isn’t necessarily over, but whatever the BT62 potentially morphs into won’t bear the Brabham name and might not be powered by a naturally aspirated, 700-horsepower, 5.4-liter Ford V8. Yet another Fitch line was, “My family and I have invested in automotive and manufacturing for over 40 years and … what we have created provides the perfect platform for the future.”

Given more time and that road-going version, the BT62 might have been able to make more of a name for itself. The track version set a lap record at Australia’s Mount Panorama circuit, and scored a race win plus a few podiums in the GT2 European Series.

We undoubtedly haven’t heard the last of the Brabham name, either. The scion wrote, “While it is regrettable that our relationship with Fusion Capital has come to an end, the collaboration helped further evolve Brabham to a new and exciting future. … With the brand license for Automotive ended, it opens the doors for future business ventures in the Motorsport, Automotive and Heritage sectors. I would like to personally thank everyone who contributed and supported to this project over the years.”

January 16, 2024 / Comments Off

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Red Bull RB17 due in 2024, makes 1,250 hp, weighs 1,984 lbs

In 2022, Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) announced the development of a new hypercar, the RB17. RBAT is the commercial technology arm for the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team — akin to Williams Advanced Engineering, it’s a place to market technologies developed for F1 and to employ engineers cut from the F1 team when the sport introduced a cost cap. The track-only car’s rough specs in the announcement were a twin-turbocharged V8 hybrid powertrain making 1,250 horsepower, bodywork incorporating every useful F1 performance aid both legal and banned, a price of five million pounds ($6.4M U.S.) plus taxes and options, and a market launch in 2025. Evo magazine, via an interview Red Bull team principal Christian Horner gave to Sky Sports, revealed the debut’s been pushed up to this year instead of 2025 and provided a few more details on what’s inbound.

An unnamed third party is building the twin-turbo V8 engine and, if not the entire transmission, the gearsets inside. Red Bull still isn’t ready to disclose the engine maker, so we’re going to put two placeholder possibilities here. First, Red Bull announced the RB17 in June 2022, stating that the coupe was in the “advanced stages of development.” Porsche began making noises about joining F1 in 2021, then announced it would pair with Red Bull in July 2022, one month after the RB17 news. And Porsche knows all about hybridized twin-turbo V8s and racy track cars. The collaboration process went far enough to reveal that Porsche planned a ten-year project that involved taking a 50% stake in Red Bull F1. In March 2023, both parties deep-sixed the deal over a disagreement about a controlling stake, but there’s no reason the breakup would need to end a potential powertrain partnership for the RB17.

Second, the placeholder we’d love to see: A Ford engine in the RB17. One month before Red Bull and Porsche officially hit the rocks, Ford announced it would return to F1 with Red Bull in 2026. We have no idea what engine sits behind the RB17’s cockpit, and suspect the chance of it wearing a Blue Oval badge (for due cause, not badge engineering) are close enough to zero to be considered zero, but that doesn’t stop us from thinking it would be great to see.

Horner said the RB17’s target weight is 900 kilograms (1,984 pounds). Top Gear, which drove Red Bull’s most recent track-only hypercar project, the non-hybrid, V12-powered Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, said it weighs 1,009 kg (2,225 lbs). The track-only version of the road-legal Gordon Murray Automotive T.50, called the T.50s, weighs 851 kg (1,878 pounds). For comparison, last year’s minimum weight for an F1 car was 798 kg (1,759 pounds).

Red Bull’s targeting a lower center of gravity for its 900 kg than found on the Valkyrie AMR Pro. The RB17’s said to have a longer wheelbase than that of the 124-inch span on the Aston Martin, the Pro’s wheelbase itself stretched 15 inches beyond the wheelbase of the regular road Valkyrie. The RB17’s also expected with larger wheels, too, meaning hoops larger than 18 inches, a bit surprising seeing that would outdo the spec sizes for F1 and LMP1 cars as well.

Motorsports fans have long mused on what Red Bull chief technology officer Adrian Newey could create without restrictions; Red Bull has done the same, creating virtual concepts like the X1 for Gran Turismo in 2010. The RB17 will be the first real-world demonstration, originally described with phrases like “All the tricks we’ve learned in F1” and “Adrian’s greatest hits.”

Production begins in RBAT facilities later this year, the division capping assembly at no more than 15 per year. With a planned production run of 50 cars, that’s more than three years for builds. The multi-million-pound purchase price is said to pay for service and maintenance, access to Red Bull simulators, and on-track instruction. And Christian Horner wants everyone to know, “It will sound fantastic, like a track car should.”

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January 7, 2024 / Comments Off

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Rodin FZero V10 track car delivers an old-school F1 experience

Street-legal performance cars are great, but some of the most exciting vehicles on earth can only be driven on the track. The Aston Martin Valkyrie, the Ferrari FXX, and the McLaren P1 GTR are astonishing feats of engineering, but you won’t see any of them on your morning commute – at least not legally. A New Zealand company hopes its newest car reaches the bar set by those machines, and if the advertised specs are any indication, it might have a great shot.

Rodin recently announced the FZero, its V10 track car. The company has its sights set on an entry to the Formula 1 grid, and this car is said to offer an old-school F1 driving experience. Company CEO David Dicker designed the 4.0-liter V10 powering the car, which delivers 1,013 horsepower and a 10,500-rpm rev limit. Interestingly, that output only takes 11 psi of boost to develop. Rodin said it is working on a naturally aspirated version of the mill that could be offered as a crate engine for motorsport teams. The company also noted a 174-horsepower mild-hybrid system, though we don’t know if it was present during the filmed test.

Ricardo helped develop the eight-speed sequential gearbox using a 3D-printed titanium case. Rodin constructed the chassis from carbon fiber, and extensive aerodynamic bodywork generates up to 8,818 pounds of downforce. All of that adds up to a 223-mph top speed, and carbon-ceramic brakes bring everything to a screeching halt when asked. Rodin included a traction control system to help drivers cope with the power and slick tires.

Rodin hasn’t detailed a price yet, but it’s likely to climb past $1 million. The company only plans to build 27 of the cars, and as these things go, many (or all) of them are likely already sold. That’s not really a problem for most people, as the car’s price tag and track-only design place it in a highly exclusive club.

December 7, 2023 / Comments Off

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Ferrari takes Manhattan

Ferrari hosted a gala for its new charitable educational foundation this week in New York City, at The Shed in the Hudson Yards on Manhattan’s West Side. As part of this, the Italian exotic carmaker displayed 14 “game changing” vintage and contemporary vehicles outside the sculptural Vessel structure. These included vehicles from the contemporary Prancing Horse lineup such as the Purosangue and 296 GTB; custom Icona cars like the Monza SP1 and Daytona SP3; vintage supercars like the Enzo, La Ferrari, F40, and F50; and racing cars like the 66M, F1-89, and 333 SP. According to a Ferrari spokesperson, 40,000 people visited the space on the first day it was open.

The brand also hosted screenings of the forthcoming Michael Mann movie, “Ferrari,” for top clients, following its premiere at the New York Film Festival. Adam Driver, who plays Enzo Ferrari in the dramatic biographical film, attended the gala along with Mann, who, in addition to being a Ferrari owner has also shot promotional video for the brand. Actor Nicholas Hoult (“The Great,” “Renfield”) who has been training to race in the Ferrari Challenge Series, also attended. A performance by musician John Legend was the evening’s entertainment.

If this isn’t enough of a big-city presence, Ferrari also runs a very fancy client showroom uptown on Park Avenue, one of just three Tailor Made sites in the world (the others are in Maranello and Hong Kong), constructed to help clients customize their cars with special high-profit leathers, trim bits, paint-to-sample colors, and the like.

All of this raises the question, why is Ferrari betting so big on New York, the least car-friendly city in America? “We wanted to have also something here in New York, on the East Coast, to be connected with the local community here,” says Enrico Galliera, the Italian marque’s chief marketing officer, as we sit together on the 24^th floor of the Equinox Hotel in Hudson Yards, overlooking the events in the plaza from on high. (As we stare outside, a Ferrari spokesperson points out that the brand’s first importer in America, Luigi Chinetti, had his dealership just a few blocks south on 11^th Avenue.)

As a test driver of high end sport and luxury vehicles for 15 years, a New York resident for over 30 years, and a car lover for far longer, I can attest that seeing a Ferrari driving through the city is an extremely rare experience, unless I am behind the wheel. But apparently, Ferraris are hidden all over town.

“You will be surprised to know how many Ferrari collectors there are in New York and how many big collections there are in Manhattan,” says Galliera. “When I came years ago, I went to visit one of these big collectors that is living in Manhattan, and all his collection is underground in the parking lot of his building. And he was telling me, you know, Enrico, I’m working here. Whenever I get stressed in my work, I take the elevator, I go downstairs in the basement, I decide which one, and then I jump in one, I take it out to drive, I relax, and I go back to work. So in Manhattan, maybe it’s not the best place where you can see Ferraris, but there’s a lot of Ferraris and a lot of big collectors in Manhattan.”

The Tailor Made site has also been a rousing success. “Since the beginning, we understood that there was a huge potential for the client experience. And now it has become an important center of our meetings for clients that visit in New York,” says Galliera. I note that, since it opened in late 2019, Lamborghini and Aston Martin have both opened similar sites in the city. “I didn’t visit them yet,” Galliera says, smiling. “But you know, I keep saying that as far as your competitors, I’m not saying copying. But if they try to do whatever you did before, it means that it was successful.”

At the gala, Ferrari auctioned off a customized one-off 812 Competizione for $5.1 million, as well as other Prancing Horse-branded and -adjacent ephemera, to help fund its educational initiative. The company raised a total of $7 million for the charity. So, at the end of our conversation, I asked Galliera how he would measure success for the event, and its potential continuation: Raising money? Raising awareness? Raising engagement?

“I think all these point that you said,” he said, smiling again. “But I would not measure engagement, because it’s already there.”

October 18, 2023 / Comments Off

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You can own the original Mk 1 Ford GT 40 press car

There have been plenty of Ford racing cars over the years, but none have a legacy that can hold a candle to the GT40’s. The iconic racer took Ford to victory at Le Mans, earning it a starring role in the recent film “Ford vs. Ferrari.” Though they’re exceedingly rare, GT40s occasionally pop up for sale, and one of the more interesting early examples recently surfaced on the UK’s PistonHeads car sales site.

This Ford GT40 was the original press car issued to journalists in the UK for testing and photography. It was originally used as a show and display car, appearing at the Geneva Auto Show in 1967. It was repainted during that time, changing from its factory Opalescent Silver Blue to Metallic Borneo Green.

After its modeling career and a test drive by Formula 1 champ Graham Hill, the car was sold to a collector who repainted it yellow and took it vintage racing. The GT40 also appeared at the Goodwood Revival in 2007 before being returned to street spec and repainted in its original blue hue.

The Mk 1 road cars are super rare, with only 31 produced, though the entire GT 40 production run only includes 105 cars. Race-winning cars have sold for several million dollars, and a prototype hit almost $7 million at auction 10 years ago. This car’s backstory and gorgeous spec will likely drive its price deep into the millions as well. The price is available on request, and we’re willing to bet it’s a shocker.

That said, there is no shortage of reproduction cars, though they often carry hefty price tags of their own. Superformance offers a painstakingly accurate GT 40 that is so close to the original that parts are interchangeable between new and old cars. While not “real” GT 40s, the cars start at more than $150,000 just for the rolling chassis, and complete cars can sometimes reach a quarter-million dollars.

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October 18, 2023 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin Valkyrie could fulfill destiny as Le Mans Hypercar in 2025

Media reports have paired the Aston Martin Valkyrie with a potential entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019, 2021 and 2022. We’re doing it again thanks to a report in Autosport. The outlet alleges that Florida-based race team Heart of Racing is trying to expand its relationship with the English carmaker to include a Valkyrie in the Hypercar-class of the World Endurance Championship. Heart of Racing runs eight cars in five series in 2023, seven of those cars being Aston Martins. Aston Martin co-owner Lawrence Stroll has regularly mentioned his interest in racing, saying last year that the automaker would eventually find its way back to Le Mans “in whichever category aligns with the message we are trying to deliver.”

All the automaker would say to Autosport in response to this latest report is, “We are encouraged by the growth of the Hypercar class, and the hugely successful centenary Le Mans 24 Hours was a shining example of this … Motorsport is an ever changing landscape, so of course as a global hypercar brand we continue to play close attention to the class.” That class, by the way, currently counts entries from Ferrari, Peugeot and Toyota.

Aston Martin had been working on a Valkyrie LMH racer with Canada’s Multimatic before Stroll’s consortium took over, but the arrival of IMSA’s budget-capped LMDh class killed the Valkyrie LMH program. The intelligence gained during development went into the track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro. If the LMH program gets revived, changes to the automaker’s racing division in the meantime could get development quickly reestablished. Aston Martin is finishing its racing headquarters in Silverstone, England. Those facilities now include the Aston Martin Performance Technologies (AMPT) division, set up with the cost savings realized when Formula 1 introduced its budget cap. AMPT will work with the Aston Martin production car division on coming mid-engined products. Meanwhile, AMPT could resume collaboration with Multimatic on a new Valkyrie LMH. It’s said that AMPT brought on ex-Williams F1 engineering director Adam Carter earlier this year to oversee the initiative, and suppliers are already being queried.

Heart of Racing team principal Ian James told Motorsport.com, “Our ambition to ascend to the pinnacle of international sportscar racing is no secret. But currently, no formal agreement is in place.” The outfit was set up in 2020 to run Aston Martin GT cars in IMSA and is backed by Gabe Newell, co-founder and CEO of gaming company Valve Corp. Last year, the team topped the standings in the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship’s GTD class, this year it’s in second place with two races remaining. Its WEC entry is the #98 in the GTE AM class, but that’s a car the Heart of Racing team took over from Northwest AMR in April of this year.

An endurance racer would keep the 6.5-liter Cosworth V12 in every Valkyrie but shed the hybrid component driving the rear axle in the Valkyrie road car. If this all comes true, don’t expect it to join the rolling start at La Sarthe until 2025, when it would certainly try to emulate Ferrari and win on its return after a lengthy hiatus. It’s also possible the car comes to race Stateside.

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September 19, 2023 / Comments Off

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Maserati MCXtrema revealed as a track-only limited-production ‘toy’ at The Quail

The Maserati MCXtrema just had its sheet pulled off at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. It’s yet another race car variation of the MC20, following in the footsteps of the Maserati GT2.

Unlike the GT2, though, the MCXtrema is not designed to be used in any official racing series. Instead, it’s a race car built without boundaries for maximum performance. And of course, because it’s a race car, it’s not street-legal either.

What is it for then? Maserati claims the MCXtrema is meant for “purist collectors and for the loyal customers of the brand, who wish to add a new ‘toy’ to their garage that can swallow up the curbs of the most exciting tracks during private tests.”

Basically, just think of it as a millionaire’s toy to take out on the occasional weekend track day. It’s just for fun, not for any serious competition use. Since it’s not regulated by any specific racing series, Maserati pumped output all the way up to 730 horsepower from the twin-turbo Nettuno V6 engine. That’s 109 horsepower more than the road car and the GT2. Maserati didn’t go into detail about the aero and suspension package, but it sure does look as extreme as the name of the car makes it out to be.

Only 62 MCXtremas will be built, and from what we can tell, they’re already spoken for. We’re not sure how much one will cost either, but you’ll be able to see it in person at The Quail on the Monterey Peninsula today.

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August 18, 2023 / Comments Off

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2024 Ford Mustang interior, and we drive the BMW X7 M60i | Autoblog Podcast #771

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. They kick things off with a discussion about the 2024 Ford Mustang’s interior that Zac got to spend time in this week. Then, in the news, the pair run through news of a CT5-V Blackwing refresh by way of spy shots, the reveal of a new AC Cobra, rumors of the 911 GT2 RS going hybrid for its next generation and hit on the start of the Formula 1 season. Next, they discuss the cars they’ve been driving as of late, including our long-term 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line, the 2023 BMW X7 M60i and the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross. Finally, our hosts field a Spend My Money question for someone looking to go electric for their next vehicle purchase.

Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com.

Autoblog Podcast #771

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March 10, 2023 / Comments Off

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2023 Ford GT Mk IV is a more powerful, track-only GT

Ford is wrapping up the run of this GT supercar generation with a wild final model. It’s the 2023 Ford GT Mk IV, named after the Mk IV versions of the original GT40 that raced in 1967. Like those ’60s racers, the new GT Mk IV gets massively changed and lengthened bodywork. It also packs suspension and powertrain changes.

Compared to the last special track version of this GT generation, the Mk II, the Mk IV has a longer wheelbase and a unique body with a longer tail, all in the service of better aerodynamics. It also has different fenders, hood and front bumper. It loses the full headlights of other GT models and has truly enormous radiator intakes on each side, as well.

The GT Mk IV also gets a beefier twin-turbo V6. It has a larger displacement (which Ford did not share, unfortunately) and will make more than 800 horsepower. That should be at least 100 more than the GT Mk II had.

Ford also says it has bestowed a “racing transmission” and updated suspension to the Mk IV, but it didn’t go into any detail about what distinguished those parts from the Mk II, regular GT or even the GT race cars. It didn’t say anything about the exact weight of the car, either. Hopefully we’ll have more details in the future.

Ford did share pricing and how to get one. Only 67 will be built, and the base price will be $1.7 million. That’s actually more examples than the Mk II, and also a few hundred thousand dollars more in cost. Prospective buyers can apply at this website, and Ford will determine who will get the cars in the first quarter of next year. Deliveries will come in the spring.

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December 9, 2022 / Comments Off

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McLaren Solus screams into Monterey Car Week with 5.2L V10

Say hi to the McLaren Solus, a track-only supercar transformed from the virtual gaming world and into reality. McLaren just revealed this winged and wildly-shaped beast at Monterey Car Week in California — there will only be 25, and every last one of them is spoken for.

The most unique part of this McLaren is its powertrain, as it’s propelled by a unique 5.2-liter V10 (not a twin-turbo V8!). We didn’t see that one coming. McLaren says the engine makes 829 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque on its way to a redline somewhere above 10,000 rpm. It’s going to scream, and before you ask, McLaren makes clear that it’s nowhere near street legal. Claimed 0-62 mph acceleration is 2.5 seconds, and the top speed is simply listed as greater than 200 mph.

For the first time in any McLaren, the engine is an integral part of the chassis, removing the need for additional structures or subframes outside the car’s carbon fiber monocoque. The engine is hooked up to a bespoke 7-speed sequential shift gearbox with straight cut gears that you won’t find in any other McLaren, too. 3-D printed titanium is used throughout the car for items like the halo cockpit protection structure. The suspension is a double wishbone design with the front damping being inboard with a pushrod design. The rear suspension is mounted to the gearbox casing — yes, this is some serious stuff . It features 18-inch center-locking wheels, is fitted with LeMans Prototype spec tires and braking is handled by 6-piston monoblock calipers with carbon discs.

Stop it, @McLarenAuto! 😍 The McLaren Solus GT, originally a virtual concept, driven by millions in the gaming world of Gran Turismo Sport is now a reality. #McLarenSolusGT #SolusGT pic.twitter.com/VjcXmpAi0y

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 19, 2022

This Solus originally saw the light of day as a virtual gaming concept of a hypercar in the Gran Turismo Sport video game. Now, McLaren says it’s the closest thing it’s built to the sensation of driving a Formula 1 car. Curb weight is a miniscule 2,205 pounds, and all of that wild aero — including ground effect tunnels in the full structural floor — is capable of producing “more than” 2,645 pounds of downforce.

It’s a single seater with an aircraft style sliding canopy that opens, allowing you to pop in and out of the car. Each Solus will get a driving seat molded to the owner’s body shape, along with a full race suit, gear and racing coaching to go with. As you’d expect, the Solus can be customized in every way imaginable via McLaren’s MSO program. Deliveries are meant to start in 2023, and no price was provided by McLaren.

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August 19, 2022 / Comments Off

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McLaren Artura Trophy lets loose the GT4 race car

McLaren already showed off the new Artura GT4 race car this year, but now there’s another Artura racer being added to the stable. This is the McLaren Artura Trophy, and at its core, it’s an Artura without any Balance of Performance (BoP) restrictions taken into consideration.

Without having to limit power, add weight or reduce downforce, the Artura Trophy is said to have similar performance to a GT3 class race car as opposed to the GT4 that it’s based on. Just like the Artura GT4, though, the Trophy throws out the road car’s hybrid system in favor of gasoline power only. However, the 120-degree twin-turbo V6 outputs a strong 577 horsepower all on its own. It features an enhanced exhaust system to improve sound, too.

The Artura Trophy was designed with a single-make race series in mind, and that’s exactly where it will compete next year. Independent teams will be able to purchase and run the Artura Trophy in a series called “McLaren Trophy,” and they’ll be eligible to field both amateur and Pro-Am pairings. This series will serve as support to the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe and follow them along to the iconic tracks they’ll race at around Europe. Five total races are planned for 2023, and the tracks include Paul Ricard, Hockenheim, Spa-Francorchamps, Misano and Barcelona-Catalunya. Those who have a McLaren 570S Trophy will also be eligible for entering into this series.

After the McLaren Trophy races are done, though, McLaren says it’s easy to turn the Artura Trophy into a GT4 class race car. Engine management software allows you to re-map it for Balance of Performance compliance, and you can remove aero elements to get it into spec, too.

When you buy an Artura Trophy, McLaren rolls out a whole concierge package for you. This includes hotel bookings, transportation to and from the track and a luxurious paddock that McLaren says is inspired by what you see at Formula 1 races.

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August 1, 2022 / Comments Off

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Ferrari 296 GT3 brings V6 power to Ferrari sports car racing

This is the Ferrari 296 GT3 race car, and it’s here to succeed the 488 GT3 racer in sports car competition. Yes, this means that Ferrari’s mid-engine racer will no longer by powered by a V8. Instead, the 296 GT3 uses a racing version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 found in the road-going 296 GTB.

Since the 296 GT3 is exclusively for racing purposes, Ferrari deleted the plug-in hybrid system, meaning that this 296 is gasoline-powered-only. Balance of Performance (BoP) will dictate how much power this 296 is running in competition, but Ferrari quotes 600 horsepower and 524 pound-feet of torque as the baseline figures. That’s a smidgen down from the road car’s engine-only horsepower figure of 654 ponies. The GT3’s engine is also positioned further forward and lower down versus the road car. Ferrari says its goal was to make an engine with maximum performance, but also provide maximum reliability and driveability — this car will compete in 24-hour races, after all. The engine is connected to a bespoke gearbox developed for this car. It’s a six-speed single-clutch Xtrac system that now features electric clutch actuation via the steering wheel as opposed to a foot pedal.

The 296’s design and the new aero work done for the GT3 result in 20% greater downforce than the outgoing 488 GT3 race car. Ferrari says it worked to make the car more drivable even when in the slipstream of other cars. It’s not the prettiest Ferrari racer we’ve ever seen, but it sure doesn’t look like it’ll be lacking for downforce with the massive wings and appendages protruding every which way from it. If the 296 GT3 is damaged mid-race, Ferrari promises easier replacement of the front and rear aprons to get back on the track quicker.

Ferrari designed a new chassis using learnings from the 488 GT3. It’s made of aluminum, and Ferrari says its lightness will allow for better and more efficient ballast placement for BoP restrictions. The wheelbase is longer than the road-going 296, and the suspension is changed from the 488 GT3 to offer a wider range of adjustment for different styles of driver and different tracks. A new (and larger) braking system is integrated, and shrouding those brakes is a new wheel from Rotiform that was made specifically for the 296 GT3.

The interior is totally new versus the 488 GT3. Drivers will have an easier time getting comfortable with adjustable pedals and an adjustable steering wheel. Most controls have moved to an F1-style steering wheel. Plus, an air conditioning system combined with improved ventilation should help keep drivers cooler.

Ferrari says it’s already put thousands of miles on test cars to prepare for competition. The 296 GT3’s debut race will be next year’s Daytona 24 Hours.

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July 29, 2022 / Comments Off

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2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed Mega Gallery

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June 29, 2022 / Comments Off

274

Acura Integra to make its racing debut at Pikes Peak Hill Climb

Acura is headed to this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with a bevy of race cars. Most notable of all is a Pikes Peak-prepped Acura Integra — yes, Acura is already getting the Integra out there for some racing.

Beyond the new hatchback making its motorsports debut, Acura is also bringing two TLX Type S race cars and two NSX Type S racers. For the icing on the cake, an NSX Type S will be serving as the official pace car for Pikes Peak this year, too. This particular running of Pikes Peak is special, for it’s the 100th running of the event. The first hill climb at Pikes Peak took place all the way back in 1916; the race went on hiatus during the world wars.

As for the cars themselves, Acura provided the greatest detail on the Integra. Modifications include upgraded brakes, new suspension, an HPD differential, wider (and lighter) 18-inch HRE wheels and 245-section-width Pirelli slick tires. The 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and six-speed manual transmission remain untouched, so it’ll be heading up the hill with the stock 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. However, we’ll note the this Integra is sporting some extra-large exhaust tips out the rear, so Acura has clearly done something with the exhaust.

The livery for the Integra is an homage to Acura’s first endeavor into motorsports where the first-gen Integra competed in IMSA and won the 1987 and 1988 championships. Pikes Peak rookie Paul Hubers will pilot the Integra up the hill for Acura.

As for the other cars, Acura says that both the NSXs and TLXs are fully prepped for Pikes Peak with plenty of modifications, but doesn’t go into detail about them. The NSX Type S will be trying to beat the previous record set by an NSX in the hybrid fuel class.

All of these Acuras, and the rest of the field, will be running up the hill on June 26.

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June 14, 2022 / Comments Off

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Glickenhaus SCG004CS passes last hurdle, ready for deliveries

After five years of gestation, development, and crash tests for global homologation, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus is ready to begin customer deliveries of the 004CS this month. Conceived and developed as a GT3 racer that was then turned into a road car, the New England car company worked with Italy’s Podium Advanced Technologies honing the race version to do well at the Nurburgring. SCG namesake James Glickenhaus took the final ESC calibration prototype to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and talked to Road & Track about what’s ahead. In the immediate future, the Danbury, Connecticut factory expects to have 25 hand-built cars in customer hands by the end of the year, the three-trim lineup starting at $483,000.

There’s the standard road-legal 004S — the only one that can be had with a six-speed manual transmission, the road-and-track 004CS, and the track-only 004C. The first two are powered by a supercharged GM 6.2-liter V8 in 650- or 750-horse tune. The track car drops the supercharger, taking it down to 520 hp in endurance racing trim, but that can be upped to 600 horses if the sanctioning body allows. SCG hasn’t disturbed the small block with insanely complicated engineering, R&T summarizing the SCG philosophy in a way that would make any DIY enthusiast weep: “Glickenhaus believes the moment you’re no longer able to get a supercharged Chevy small-block fixed at the local mechanic, the world as we know it would have ended anyway, and your car wouldn’t matter much.”

The other side of that garagiste credo is hardcore racing performance. Despite a software bug, crashes, and errant holes in some parts, the SCG004C finished last weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hours race in 12th place overall — and first in its class. The four drivers finished just a lap down on the race-winning Audi Sport Team Phoenix R8 LMS GT3 Evo, same as every runner from seventh to 14th, keeping company with much bigger teams like Falken Motorsports with their Porsche 911 GT3R and Mercedes-AMG Team Bilstein in an AMG GT3.

Despite the team’s entry in the World Endurance Championship, SCG might opt to narrow its focus to the ‘Ring event and Baja, where its off-roaders romp. James Glickenhaus is dubious about how much return on investment the WEC provides, where the disparity between top teams and smaller entries is much larger. “The only question is what we’re going to do going forward with the WEC and what we’re going to do going forward with our hydrogen pickup truck,” he said, in reference to the Baja Boot. “It’s dependent on the capital raise we are in the process of trying to finalize.”

June 3, 2022 / Comments Off

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NHRA’s drag racing rules now allow faster street-legal cars

Up until now, rules laid out by the National Hot Rod Association required any car that was capable of running the quarter mile in less than 10 seconds to have a roll cage. That means a sturdy set of metal tubes welded together to internally brace the interior of a vehicle, thereby making it safer in the event of a serious crash. As of today, however, that rule has been altered to allow for faster street-legal cars to compete.

Vehicles like the Dodge Demon, Tesla’s Model S and X Plaid, Chevy Corvette ZR1, Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 and possibly some other Hellcat-badged or supercar competitors may have been too fast to legally compete at NHRA-sanctioned drag racing events, depending on the driver’s ability and determination. The revised NHRA rules state:

2014 and newer OEM model-year production cars to run as quick as 9.00-seconds and/or 150-mph (5.65-eighth mile). In addition, racers with 2008-2013 OEM model-year cars will still be permitted to run as quickly as 10.00-seconds and/or 135-mph (6.40-eighth mile).

The rules do stipulate that the car’s factory safety equipment has to be installed and operational, including things like the brakes and airbags, and that DOT-approved tires are fitted. Drivers will have to have the appropriate competition license to race, and convertibles and cars with T-tops have different regulations. Stickers celebrating the racing accomplishments will be offered.

“At NHRA, we very much support their commitment to performance and recognize that there is still a very large market for performance cars,” Lonnie Grim, NHRA National Tech Director, said in a statement. “At the same time, we acknowledge that NHRA needs to keep pace with the current trends, which is why we’ve announced these rules adjustments.”

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March 3, 2022 / Comments Off

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Everrati and Superformance team up to build an all-electric GT40

Britain’s Everrati and America’s Superformance are teaming up to build all-electric continuation models of the iconic GT40 race car. Everrati, which has developed electric overhauls for the Porsche 911 (964), Land Rover Series IIA and Mercedes-Benz SL Pagoda, will take the lead on the powertrain, with Superformance supplying the body.

Superformance’s licensed replicas may conjure images of America challenging the best from Italy at Le Mans, but that was a trans-Atlantic effort as well; the body for the original was built in Coventry. The roles may be reversed, but the pairing is as old as the idea of dethroning Enzo Ferrari.

“The Everrati and Superformance partnership will allow enthusiasts to drive an electric-powered GT40, with development of this first model already underway,” the two said in their announcement. “A prototype chassis has been built and is being comprehensively adapted from ICE power to advanced electric propulsion at Everrati’s UK development centre in Upper Heyford, a former U.S. air base in the English Cotswolds.”

Neither provided any details regarding the GT40’s potential powertrain or its ultimate performance, but Superformance has pretty much always left such things up to the end customer, letting them choose from existing vintage and modern powertrains for its licensed replicas. There likely won’t be as many options for the electric GT40, but we sincerely doubt it will be a one-size-fits-all setup. Stay tuned.

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July 15, 2021 / Comments Off

358

Dallara EXP is a track-only toy based on the Stradale road car

Dallara just revealed a new sports car, but this one is for the track, unlike the road-focused Stradale. It’s called the Dallara EXP, and it’s what happens when you remove all road-going intentions from the Stradale.

You can see that there is no roof, and there isn’t a windshield either. Its design is heavily modified with high downforce in mind. There’s still a little Stradale in there, but most of the bodywork is modified to make it stick to the ground through corners. Visually, we can see a massive rear wing, a totally new front end and an enormous diffuser among many other added elements. Dallara says it produces 2,756 pounds of downforce at its top speed of 178 mph.

The neat thing about this Stradale-to-EXP exterior turnabout is that the entire package is modular. You can transform the EXP into the Stradale and back again if you so choose. Buyers in the U.S. are better off just sticking with the EXP configuration, though, because the Stradale is not federalized. That means the EXP will be for track-use-only here.

The Ford 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is still being used as the power source, but it’s making significantly more power than it does in the Stradale. Output is raised to 492 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, and the 0-62 mph time is now 3.2 seconds. Shifting is done via a six-speed sequential gearbox. Dallara claims a dry weight of only 1,962 pounds, the true key to making the EXP as good as it is.

And that’s all Dallara is saying for now. Dallara claims its car laps Mugello in Italy quicker than GT3 competition cars, so there’s no doubt it’s a serious performer. Pricing isn’t out yet, and timing isn’t either. For some perspective, though, the street Stradale sells for about $200,000 (approximate U.S. dollar equivalent) in the places where you can buy it.

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July 1, 2021 / Comments Off

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McLaren dresses in Gulf livery, reveals 720S and F1 car in orange and blue

If you’re a Gulf livery fan, McLaren has your back this week. McLaren revealed a 720S Gulf livery creation, and a Gulf livery for its Formula One cars to run around in for the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix.

Starting with the road car, this Gulf livery is no sticker package. Mclaren’s MSO team spent 20 days painstakingly painting this design onto a 720S in an effort to make a callback to the McLaren F1 GTR raced by the Gulf GTC team. Both the blue and orange were perfectly matched, and the details are impressive. You’ll notice orange brake calipers, blue and orange interior stitching, Gulf logos on the headrests and side sills and an orange center stripe on the steering wheel with blue spokes.

McLaren worked directly with Gulf on this entire build, too, having just renewed the relationship between the companies last year — that deal makes Gulf the preferred oil and gasoline supplier for McLaren cars, and they’re filled with both from the factory. If you want a 720S that looks like this, McLaren says that “a limited number of customers will exclusively have the opportunity to have their McLaren supercars hand-painted by MSO in Gulf livery.” That means not many, so raise your hand if you want one.

As for the F1 cars, this Gulf livery is perhaps even more exciting. We never get to see the Gulf livery in F1, so McLaren’s one-off cars this year are going to be somewhat of a spectacle. Both Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris will race in this get-up while wearing matching racing suits and helmets. The cars look superb in photos, and we can’t wait to see them on track this coming weekend.

“This will be McLaren’s homage to Gulf’s celebrated race car design,” says McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. “We’re enormous fans of brave and bold design, and the striking Gulf blue is among the most loved liveries in racing, a celebrated piece of culture which transcends the world of motorsport.”

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May 17, 2021 / Comments Off

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