This is the new Ginetta G60, a £68k rival for the Porsche’s 911 and Cayman, and a homegrown opponent for Jaguar’s forthcoming XE sports car.
Don't I recognise the Ginetta G60?
You do. It started life as a Farboud, then became a Farbio when Chris Marsh (of Marcos fame) bought the rights. And now Ginetta owns the company and has completely redeveloped the car.
But before you get all cynical, let's present a little of Ginetta's recent history. Ginetta was acquired by businessman Lawrence Tomlinson in 2005, and he and his team spent the next five years expanding the racing side of the business. In 2010 Ginetta announced plans for the G40R (its first road car in 18 years) and also acquired Farbio Supercars and its GTS sports car to sit further up the road-going range. The GTS was renamed as the F400 but production was halted so Ginetta could completely re-work and redevelop the car. Move forward to 2011 and the G40R was launched, and two months later the revised F400 is with us, and now known as the G60.
So what's different?
The basic silhouette and shape remains, but there are new cooling vents, a revised splitter adds downforce, and beneath the carbonfibre body is a stiffer and stronger tubular steel chassis. The mid-mounted engine is a Ford-sourced 3.7-litre V6, with a six-speed manual ‘box sending the 310bhp and 288lb ft to the rear wheels via limited slip differential.
Bigger drilled and grooved Alcon four-pot brakes feature, the ECU and wiring harness are all-new, and the driving and pedal positions have been changed too. The double wishbone suspension has been changed to incorporate unassisted steering, so it’s goodbye to PAS, and also out is the ABS and traction control systems. Want an electronic safety net? Look elsewhere.
Basically, it’d be easier to list the items Ginetta hasn’t upgraded, overhauled or completely replaced. The result is a 1080kg carbon sports car, able to hit 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds and at least 165mph. Prices start at £68,000, just 50 will be built each year and first deliveries are expected in February 2012. Third time lucky? With Tomlinson's record we reckon so.
Thứ Ba, 28 tháng 2, 2012
Porsche 991: our comprehensive guide to the new 911
Porsche president and chief CEO Matthias Muller couldn’t be accused of lacking confidence when he introduces CAR to the new 991-generation Porsche 911 at the Porsche Museum, Stuttgart. ‘Technologically and visually the car is a masterpiece,’ he says. ‘I don’t think I am promising too much here. I already know this car, I know it at detail level; the engineers took a basically perfect car and improved it again. The new 911 is the best 911 of all times.’
We've spoken to the engineering, designing and marketing chiefs and pored over the new 991-spec 911 to bring you everything we know. Here is our detailed guide. And don't forget we've already ridden in the new 911 alongside rally legend Walter Rohrl. Read all about in the October 2011 issue of CAR Magazine.
1. Engines in the new Porsche 991
In line with tradition, the 911 launces in two variants: Carrera and Carrera S. The big news is the Carrera engine, which actually shrinks from 3.6 to 3.4 litres, thanks to a 4mm reduction in piston stroke. Power rises from the old car’s 340bhp at 6500rpm to 345bhp from 7400rpm, while torque remains unchanged at 288lb ft, but at a higher 5600rpm, not the previous 4400rpm.
With a manual gearbox, fuel consumption improves from 27mpg to 31mpg and C02 emissions fall from 242g/km to 212g/km, reducing the cost of 12 months’ tax from £445 to £260 in the UK. Opt for the dual-clutch PDK transmission and fuel consumption falls from 34mpg to 29mpg, and C02 from 230g/km to 194g/km, with a similar tax saving.
The new Carrera S sticks with a 3.8-litre engine, power rising from 380bhp at 6500rpm to 395bhp at 7400rpm, torque from 310lb ft at 4400rpm to 325lb ft at 5600rpm.
Go for the manual gearbox and you’ll get 30mpg and 224g/km (improving on 27mpg and 250g/km); the PDK yields 32mpg and 205/km (compared with the old car’s 28mpg and 240g/km), both variants saving approximately £200 on the cost of a tax disc.
We ask executive vice president of R&D Wolfgang Hatz if, like some rivals, Porsche had considered further downsizing the Carrera engines and adding turbochargers. ‘At the moment, we still believe there is a market for naturally aspirated cars,’ he explains. ‘Maybe in the future there is scope for more downsizing with turbos, but it’s not coming soon and we are very good [in terms of mpg and emissions] compared with rivals. And I like naturally aspirated – it’s fun to drive!’
IN A NUTSHELL More power, lower running costs – and the Carrera engine is smaller too.
2. Equipment, prices of the new Porsche 991-era 911
The Carrera will cost £71,449 in the UK, the Carrera S £81,242. Standard on both models are leather seats, auto climate control, bi-xenon headlights, a seven-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, MP3 compatibility, and Porsche Stability Management.
As well as a larger, more powerful engine, the Carrera S also adds 20-inch alloys, Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Torque Vectoring with either a mechanical locking differential (manual gearbox) or an electronically actuated locking diff (PDK). Ceramic brakes and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control – de-coupling the anti-roll bars when the car isn’t cornering – are optional on both models.
IN A NUTSHELL Carrera S carries £10k premium – but it’s packed with equipment.
>> Click 'Next' for more of our deep-dive profile of the new 991-spec Porsche 911
We've spoken to the engineering, designing and marketing chiefs and pored over the new 991-spec 911 to bring you everything we know. Here is our detailed guide. And don't forget we've already ridden in the new 911 alongside rally legend Walter Rohrl. Read all about in the October 2011 issue of CAR Magazine.
1. Engines in the new Porsche 991
In line with tradition, the 911 launces in two variants: Carrera and Carrera S. The big news is the Carrera engine, which actually shrinks from 3.6 to 3.4 litres, thanks to a 4mm reduction in piston stroke. Power rises from the old car’s 340bhp at 6500rpm to 345bhp from 7400rpm, while torque remains unchanged at 288lb ft, but at a higher 5600rpm, not the previous 4400rpm.
With a manual gearbox, fuel consumption improves from 27mpg to 31mpg and C02 emissions fall from 242g/km to 212g/km, reducing the cost of 12 months’ tax from £445 to £260 in the UK. Opt for the dual-clutch PDK transmission and fuel consumption falls from 34mpg to 29mpg, and C02 from 230g/km to 194g/km, with a similar tax saving.
The new Carrera S sticks with a 3.8-litre engine, power rising from 380bhp at 6500rpm to 395bhp at 7400rpm, torque from 310lb ft at 4400rpm to 325lb ft at 5600rpm.
Go for the manual gearbox and you’ll get 30mpg and 224g/km (improving on 27mpg and 250g/km); the PDK yields 32mpg and 205/km (compared with the old car’s 28mpg and 240g/km), both variants saving approximately £200 on the cost of a tax disc.
We ask executive vice president of R&D Wolfgang Hatz if, like some rivals, Porsche had considered further downsizing the Carrera engines and adding turbochargers. ‘At the moment, we still believe there is a market for naturally aspirated cars,’ he explains. ‘Maybe in the future there is scope for more downsizing with turbos, but it’s not coming soon and we are very good [in terms of mpg and emissions] compared with rivals. And I like naturally aspirated – it’s fun to drive!’
IN A NUTSHELL More power, lower running costs – and the Carrera engine is smaller too.
2. Equipment, prices of the new Porsche 991-era 911
The Carrera will cost £71,449 in the UK, the Carrera S £81,242. Standard on both models are leather seats, auto climate control, bi-xenon headlights, a seven-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, MP3 compatibility, and Porsche Stability Management.
As well as a larger, more powerful engine, the Carrera S also adds 20-inch alloys, Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Torque Vectoring with either a mechanical locking differential (manual gearbox) or an electronically actuated locking diff (PDK). Ceramic brakes and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control – de-coupling the anti-roll bars when the car isn’t cornering – are optional on both models.
IN A NUTSHELL Carrera S carries £10k premium – but it’s packed with equipment.
>> Click 'Next' for more of our deep-dive profile of the new 991-spec Porsche 911
Toyota will compete at 2012 Le Mans with a hybrid
Toyota today announced it would compete at the 2012 Le Mans 24-hour race with a hybrid sports car in the LMP1 class.
This single rendering has been issued of the new Toyota hybrid race car. The Japanese giant has not competed at Le Mans in a factory team since the late 1990s with the GT-One, which set a lap record in 1999.
Toyota hybrid Le Mans car: the lowdown
Toyota Motorsport in Germany will develop the new hybrid LMP1 racer, with the hybrid drivetrain coming from HQ in Japan.
Not much is being said about the Toyota Le Mans challenger yet; it will be unveiled fully at a later date, with pre-season testing starting in early 2012.
In the past few months Toyota Motorsport set a new electric car games record at the Nurburgring with a 7min 47sec record in a battery car. It's pretty clear that Toyota is cranking up its EV activities and introducing us to the idea they can be fun as well as frugal.
The Toyota team speak
Tadashi Yamashina, chairman of Toyota Motorsport, said: 'Toyota has entered Le Mans before, but by using our hybrid technology this time will be a completely new challenge. We want to write a new chapter in the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours, as in the FIA World Endurance Championship, through our use of hybrid technology.
'In addition, we aim to learn from the experience of competing in such a challenging motorsport environment to enhance our production car technology. Le Mans is a legendary race and I would like to thank the ACO and the FIA for their constructive and positive co-operation over the last few months.'
This single rendering has been issued of the new Toyota hybrid race car. The Japanese giant has not competed at Le Mans in a factory team since the late 1990s with the GT-One, which set a lap record in 1999.
Toyota hybrid Le Mans car: the lowdown
Toyota Motorsport in Germany will develop the new hybrid LMP1 racer, with the hybrid drivetrain coming from HQ in Japan.
Not much is being said about the Toyota Le Mans challenger yet; it will be unveiled fully at a later date, with pre-season testing starting in early 2012.
In the past few months Toyota Motorsport set a new electric car games record at the Nurburgring with a 7min 47sec record in a battery car. It's pretty clear that Toyota is cranking up its EV activities and introducing us to the idea they can be fun as well as frugal.
The Toyota team speak
Tadashi Yamashina, chairman of Toyota Motorsport, said: 'Toyota has entered Le Mans before, but by using our hybrid technology this time will be a completely new challenge. We want to write a new chapter in the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours, as in the FIA World Endurance Championship, through our use of hybrid technology.
'In addition, we aim to learn from the experience of competing in such a challenging motorsport environment to enhance our production car technology. Le Mans is a legendary race and I would like to thank the ACO and the FIA for their constructive and positive co-operation over the last few months.'
BMW 3-series (2012): first official pictures of the new F30
BMW today slid the covers off the new 3-series. Dubbed F30 in BMWspeak, this is an important car for Munich, selling in six-figure numbers across the world. One in five BMWs sold globally is a 3-series.
The new 2012 3-series family will be available as a saloon (F30) first, with a 3-series Touring estate (F31) and 3-series Coupe (F32), Convertible (F33) to follow. It's the sixth generation 3-series family.
There'll even be a 3-series Gran Turismo this time (that'll be F34) and potentially a four-door coupe (F35). Make no mistake, BMW's throwing the kitchen sink at the new Three.
When can I buy the new F30 BMW 3-series?
UK sales start in February 2012 and prices will start at £24,100. That entry point should dip over time, as new engines arrive.
At launch the range looks like this:
Petrol
328i 2.0-litre 4cyl twin-turbo, 242bhp, 258lb ft, 5.9sec 0-62mph, 155mph, 44.1mpg, 149g/km, £29,060
335i 3.0-litre 6cyl twin-turbo, 302bhp, 295lb ft, 5.5sec 0-62mph, 155mph, 35.8mpg, 186g/km, £35,525
Diesel
320d 2.0-litre 4cyl, 181bhp, 280lb ft, 7.5sec 0-62mph, 146mph, 62.8mpg, 120g/km, £28,080
320d EfficientDynamics 2.0-litre 4cyl, 161bhp, 280lb ft, 8.0sec 0-62mph, 143mph, 68.9mpg, 109g/km £28,080
By March 2012, BMW will offer eight different models with CO2 emissions under 120g/km – Munich says the opposition can only muster one each. That's some achievement.
Every petrol engine at launch has BMW TwinPower turbo tech. Downsizing is rife here: the 328i ditches the 3.0-litre straight six for a 2.0-litre bi-turbo four.
A 316d and 318d arrive in March 2012, mustering 114bhp and 141bhp respectively. A 181bhp 320i arrives at the same time.
What tech can we expect on the new 3-series?
There's the latest version of what BMW calls Drive Performance Control. It's a switch on the centre console that flicks the Three between Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Eco Pro, tweaking throttle mapping, steering assistance and damping (where adaptive) between different modes to set the car up for dynamic handling or eco pootling.
Lowering CO2 is very important, naturally. Every model has stop-start as standard – regardless of manual or eight-speed auto transmissions – and the new F30 3-series is up to 50kg lighter than before, despite a minor growth spurt which sees the car stretch by 93mm (the boot's 20 litres bigger, too, at 480).
That 5-series Lite design is slippery, too, with a drag coefficient of just 0.26 claimed. There's no penalty for picking an auto these days; with an overdriven eighth ratio, the automatic 3-series are all as economical or better than their manual equivalents.
Will the F30 Three still handle?
Sounds like it should. Weight distribution is 50-50 front-rear and suspension is by wishbones (front) and the five-link axle at the rear from the outgoing E90 3-series.
Run-flats will again be fitted to alloys of at least 17in in diameter (though the 320d ED rolls on 16s). We're sure you'll all go and spec yours up with big rims and the M Sport styling pack.
See the new BMW 3-series for the first time at the 2012 Detroit auto show; UK sales start on 11 February 2012.
The new 2012 3-series family will be available as a saloon (F30) first, with a 3-series Touring estate (F31) and 3-series Coupe (F32), Convertible (F33) to follow. It's the sixth generation 3-series family.
There'll even be a 3-series Gran Turismo this time (that'll be F34) and potentially a four-door coupe (F35). Make no mistake, BMW's throwing the kitchen sink at the new Three.
When can I buy the new F30 BMW 3-series?
UK sales start in February 2012 and prices will start at £24,100. That entry point should dip over time, as new engines arrive.
At launch the range looks like this:
Petrol
328i 2.0-litre 4cyl twin-turbo, 242bhp, 258lb ft, 5.9sec 0-62mph, 155mph, 44.1mpg, 149g/km, £29,060
335i 3.0-litre 6cyl twin-turbo, 302bhp, 295lb ft, 5.5sec 0-62mph, 155mph, 35.8mpg, 186g/km, £35,525
Diesel
320d 2.0-litre 4cyl, 181bhp, 280lb ft, 7.5sec 0-62mph, 146mph, 62.8mpg, 120g/km, £28,080
320d EfficientDynamics 2.0-litre 4cyl, 161bhp, 280lb ft, 8.0sec 0-62mph, 143mph, 68.9mpg, 109g/km £28,080
By March 2012, BMW will offer eight different models with CO2 emissions under 120g/km – Munich says the opposition can only muster one each. That's some achievement.
Every petrol engine at launch has BMW TwinPower turbo tech. Downsizing is rife here: the 328i ditches the 3.0-litre straight six for a 2.0-litre bi-turbo four.
A 316d and 318d arrive in March 2012, mustering 114bhp and 141bhp respectively. A 181bhp 320i arrives at the same time.
What tech can we expect on the new 3-series?
There's the latest version of what BMW calls Drive Performance Control. It's a switch on the centre console that flicks the Three between Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Eco Pro, tweaking throttle mapping, steering assistance and damping (where adaptive) between different modes to set the car up for dynamic handling or eco pootling.
Lowering CO2 is very important, naturally. Every model has stop-start as standard – regardless of manual or eight-speed auto transmissions – and the new F30 3-series is up to 50kg lighter than before, despite a minor growth spurt which sees the car stretch by 93mm (the boot's 20 litres bigger, too, at 480).
That 5-series Lite design is slippery, too, with a drag coefficient of just 0.26 claimed. There's no penalty for picking an auto these days; with an overdriven eighth ratio, the automatic 3-series are all as economical or better than their manual equivalents.
Will the F30 Three still handle?
Sounds like it should. Weight distribution is 50-50 front-rear and suspension is by wishbones (front) and the five-link axle at the rear from the outgoing E90 3-series.
Run-flats will again be fitted to alloys of at least 17in in diameter (though the 320d ED rolls on 16s). We're sure you'll all go and spec yours up with big rims and the M Sport styling pack.
See the new BMW 3-series for the first time at the 2012 Detroit auto show; UK sales start on 11 February 2012.
Mazda Takeri concept (2011) first official pictures
Mazda today unveiled its Takeri concept car ahead of its global debut at November's 2011 Tokyo motor show.
The swooping mid-sized saloon is the latest recipient of the Japanese marque's Kodo design language and drops a very heavy hint about the styling of the next Mazda 6 range, expected in 2012.
What do we know about the new Mazda Takeri?
Details so far are scant but the images show the Mazda Takeri to be a pretty three-box saloon with voluptuous curves augmenting its bodywork. The nose bears a slight resemblance to recent Mercedes concept and production models, but that aside, it's a distinctive design that has the potential to shake up the fleet market.
Big wheels, trick door handles and other minor styling details aside, the Takeri doesn't look too far off being production ready, but the interior retains more of the traditional show car glitz. Expect that to be toned down before it reaches showrooms.
Mazda Takeri: blue SkyActiv thinking?
The Takeri also majors on Mazda's much-vaunted SkyActiv Technology, which aims to reduce fuel consumption by a series of advancements in powertrain, chassis and body technology.
Earlier in 2011 Mazda revealed its SkyActiv programme could reduce body-in-white weight by 8% yet be a remarkable 30% stiffer than its previous chassis design.
The concept is fitted with the SkyActiv-D engine which debuted in the small Mazda CX-5 crossover, featuring a lower than usual compression ratio of 14:1 in a bid to slash NOx emissions.
Additionally, the Takeri also introduces Mazda's regenerative braking system that harvests electrical energy in capacitors in order to power its electrical equipment and reduce demands on the engine. In conjunction with the integrated stop-start system, fuel consumption is decreased and performance boosted.
The swooping mid-sized saloon is the latest recipient of the Japanese marque's Kodo design language and drops a very heavy hint about the styling of the next Mazda 6 range, expected in 2012.
What do we know about the new Mazda Takeri?
Details so far are scant but the images show the Mazda Takeri to be a pretty three-box saloon with voluptuous curves augmenting its bodywork. The nose bears a slight resemblance to recent Mercedes concept and production models, but that aside, it's a distinctive design that has the potential to shake up the fleet market.
Big wheels, trick door handles and other minor styling details aside, the Takeri doesn't look too far off being production ready, but the interior retains more of the traditional show car glitz. Expect that to be toned down before it reaches showrooms.
Mazda Takeri: blue SkyActiv thinking?
The Takeri also majors on Mazda's much-vaunted SkyActiv Technology, which aims to reduce fuel consumption by a series of advancements in powertrain, chassis and body technology.
Earlier in 2011 Mazda revealed its SkyActiv programme could reduce body-in-white weight by 8% yet be a remarkable 30% stiffer than its previous chassis design.
The concept is fitted with the SkyActiv-D engine which debuted in the small Mazda CX-5 crossover, featuring a lower than usual compression ratio of 14:1 in a bid to slash NOx emissions.
Additionally, the Takeri also introduces Mazda's regenerative braking system that harvests electrical energy in capacitors in order to power its electrical equipment and reduce demands on the engine. In conjunction with the integrated stop-start system, fuel consumption is decreased and performance boosted.
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