Aston Martin Vulcan Unveiled

Aston Martin was kind enough to release the first details about the track exclusive Vulcan without letting us wait until the public unveiling next week in Geneva. The very exclusive track car will be limited to just 24 units and will be powered by a 7.0-Liter naturally aspirated V12 engine producing more than 800 Hp! More details will follow next week but for now you can check out the high res gallery and the press release please.

ON TRACK FOR GLORY: ASTON MARTIN VULCAN PREPARES FOR TAKE-OFF

Geneva global reveal for limited edition, track-only, 7.0-litre V12 supercar
Motorsport-developed technology for extreme on-track performance
Expert tuition, technical support and experience programme for owners

25 February 2015, Gaydon: Introducing the Aston Martin Vulcan – a track-only supercar and the British luxury brand’s most intense and exhilarating creation to date.


Born out of extensive motorsport experience – and using the brand’s acknowledged flair for design and engineering ingenuity – the 800-plus bhp, all-carbon fibre Aston Martin Vulcan promises truly extreme performance.


Uniquely for Aston Martin, the new supercar – limited to just 24 examples worldwide – will allow owners the opportunity to precisely tailor their track day experience through a graduating scale of detailed power and dynamic performance adjustments.


CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said: “Aston Martin Vulcan is, by its very nature, a rare and thrilling supercar. Designed and engineered to deliver a genuinely bespoke driving experience that draws on our rich heritage, this car tailors its power and handling to both the capabilities of the driver and the characteristics of the track.


“A sports car for true sports car lovers, I believe the Aston Martin Vulcan – and the unique ownership programme that sits behind it – sets a whole new standard in the ultra-high luxury supercar class.”


Motorsport-inspired


Styled entirely in-house by the Aston Martin design team led by Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman, and with a design language hinting at the next generation of Aston Martin sports cars, this supercar is powered by the most potent iteration yet of the company’s naturally-aspirated, 7.0-litre V12 petrol engine.


With its 800-plus bhp powerplant developed in conjunction with Aston Martin Racing, this front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car draws extensively on the brand’s rich GT motorsport experience.


Utilising the techniques of world-class motorsport engineering, the supercar sees its power-to-weight ratio exceed those of the GTE cars which compete in the FIA’s annual World Endurance Championship.


Comprising cutting edge engineering including that sourced from the brand’s successful GT racing campaign, the car features a carbon fibre monocoque and body constructed by Aston Martin’s long-term specialist body engineering and manufacturing partner Multimatic, integral limited-slip differential, magnesium torque tube with carbon fibre propeller shaft and Brembo racing calipers acting on carbon ceramic racing disc brakes which measure 380mm in diameter at the front and 360mm at the rear.


Drive is channelled to the 345/30 x19 rear wheels and Michelin race specification tyres through a race-bred rear mid-mounted Xtrac six-speed sequential shift gearbox.


Track-derived pushrod suspension with anti-dive geometry is complemented by Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars front and rear, driver-adjustable anti-lock braking, and variable traction control.


The new track car will comply with all relevant FIA race safety requirements.


Aston Martin’s Director of Special Projects and Motorsport, David King, said: “Taking the extensive learning from our various successful racing programmes and applying it to this exceptional track car for customers has been an exciting and sometimes challenging task for the team here at Gaydon.


“Our deep and broad motorsport experience, allied to our renowned road car expertise, has allowed us to make the Aston Martin Vulcan the absolutely compelling proposition it is today.”


Fast-track training


Prior to taking delivery of their cars, owners will be offered the opportunity to take part in an extensive and detailed programme of intensive track driver training.


Experienced racers including Aston Martin Racing’s Le Mans-winning Darren Turner will support owners on their learning journey, offering them the chance to refine their track driving technique and increase their ability through a carefully-constructed series of practical and theoretical driver training events.


Using a number of exciting high performance Aston Martins including the V12 Vantage S and One-77 road cars and the Vantage GT4 race car, customers will gradually build experience and develop their track technique, before beginning their thrilling personal journeys into the immense performance potential of their Aston Martin Vulcan.


David King said: “We will be running a series of exclusive track day events commencing in 2016 that will offer the opportunity for these customers to explore their driving capabilities, and the car’s performance potential, on some of the world’s most famous and glamorous race circuits.”


There will also be the option of time in the virtual race car world of Darren Turner’s Base Performance Simulators, where buyers will have ample opportunity to further refine their driving style in the safety of the digital race track.


No longer the exclusive preserve of Formula 1, it is widely acknowledged that using a simulator can help prepare a driver for any race; improving technique and consistency as well as, ultimately, lap times.


Almost infinitely flexible in terms of colour and trim options, the exclusive new sports car will be offered to buyers through Aston Martin’s VIP sales programme, using the expertise and luxury customer service that is now a hallmark of the brand’s ‘Q by Aston Martin’ bespoke personalisation service.


Dr Palmer added: “We have already received strong interest from the customers we have spoken to about Aston Martin Vulcan.


“The cars will blend our traditional Aston Martin values of Power, Beauty and Soul with an unrivalled ownership experience; a unique combination that will guarantee their place in the brand’s rich and charismatic history.”


Performance data, together with further technical details about the ultra-exclusive track-only supercar, will be released closer to its track debut later this year.


The Aston Martin Vulcan will make its world debut on the brand’s new stand at the 85th Geneva International Motor Show (Hall 5 Stand 5253) at 10.15am on Tuesday March 3.

9:21 AM Read More +

Ferrari FXX K Revealed

Ferrari's latest moving laboratory has just arrived. The new track only beast features a series of improvement over the road going LaFerrari including a more powerful engine and one of the most aggressive aero packages ever fitted to a Ferrari.

The FXX successor produces 1035 Hp (1050 PS) coming from a 848 Hp (860 PS) V12 engine and a 187 Hp (190 PS) electric motor. Ferrari says the new FXX K achieves a 50% improvement in down force in the low drag configuration and a 30% improvement in the more aggressive down force configuration.

More pictures and details in the press release after the jump.

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Track only McLaren P1 in the Works

According to the latest report from Autocar, McLaren is working on a track only version of the P1 which might simply be called "McLaren P1 Track". This even more extreme version of the hybrid hypercar will feature an aggressive aero package, a new suspension as well as a reduced weight. The power train might receive some upgrades too even though 900+ Hp sounds enough. The P1 Track will be the direct competitor of, you've guessed it, the upcoming LaFerrari XX.

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The Track Focused SRT Viper TA will Be Limited to 159 Units [UPDATE]

The track focused SRT Viper TA (Time Attack) will finally hit the showrooms. However, it will be limited to only 159 units. But it's a good thing since a production run of just 33 units was initially planned. With a heavily modified chassis, upgraded brakes and suspension, the road legal Viper TA promises a huge jump in terms of performance.

The 2014 SRT Viper TA is powered by the same 8.4-Liter V10 producing 640 hp and 600 lb ft of torque that sends power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gear box. With a weight of 1537 Kilograms (3390 pounds) it's lighter than the stock model. It also features a new aerodynamic package that is claimed to develop 7 times more down force than the stock model at speeds above 241 km/h (150 mph).

Inside, the cockpit features bucket seats and six-point harness racing belts. The 159 models will be painted as follows: 99 units in TA Orange (pictured), 33 units in Venom Black and finally 33 units in Bright White. More pictures of the beauty in the gallery below.

UPDATE:

The pricing of the limited edition Viper TA has finally been announced. The model will hit the Chrysler dealerships with a price tag of $123,080.

2:03 PM Read More +

KTM X-BOW GT by Wimmer Rennsporttechnik

If you have the money, there's always something you can improve, even in a car as extreme as KTM's X-BOW R. German tuning company Wimmer Rennsporttechnik (or Wimmer RS) has applied a series of engine tweaks to the 2.0-liter turbo inline-four originally producing 285 Hp to make the output jump to a whopping 435 Hp and 500 Nm of torque! This figure was achieved thanks to the use of a bigger turbo, new forged pistons, an upgraded fuel pump and remapped ECU.

The result is a 0 to 100 Km/h (62 mph) time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 247 km/h (154 mph). Does this make it an Ariel Atom V8 rival? More pictures of the Austrian beast in the gallery below.

5:46 PM Read More +

Magnum MK5 Track car Revealed

The Magnum MK5 is a Canadian track car that was built to compete with the likes of the Ariel Atom and the BAC Mono. It is powered by a mid-mounted inline four producing 250 Hp linked to a 6-speed sequential gearbox. The Mgnum MK5 is made from carbon fiber, which means it's very light with just 545 Kg (1,200 pounds). That enables it to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds and achieve a top speed of 249 Km/h (150 mph).

The car already has what it takes to be a successful track car withe ventilated brake discs equipped CNC-machined aluminum hubs, front and rear adjustable push-rod suspension with two-way dampers and adjustable anti-roll bars. Wheels are 18-inch ultra-light alloys wrapped in 225/40 R18 front and 265/35 R18 high-performance, road-legal competition tires.

The Magnum MK5 can already be ordered for a tax free starting price of $139k. A yearly production run of 20 units is planned. More pictures in the gallery below.

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Tramontana Introduces the GT Track Beast

I'm not sure if this is the best way to spend €455,000 ($626,000) but the new Tramontana track car is one of the very few track cars powered by a big V10. The car is currently for sale here at jamesedition if you're interested by the Spanish track beast.

I still prefer the cheaper BAC Mono though.

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Praga R1 on the Track

Photo credits: Roberto Blank
In case you didn't know, there's a track car called Praga R1 and it comes from the Czech Rebuplic. When it was first unveiled, the concept car looked like this, but now it looks like the white beauty you are seeing in the picture above.

The lightweight track car is powered by a 2.0-Liter Renault Sport engine mounted to a six-speed Hewland JFR sequential transmission. The engine produces 210 Hp but that should be enough for R1 to be a real track beast since it only weights 590 Kg (1300 pounds) thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber. This track toy will cost €98,000.

8:24 AM Read More +

Praga R1 Track Beast Revealed

Powered by a Renault Sport Engine
Czech racing firm Praga introduced this stunning track car concept dubbed R1. The lightweight track car is powered by a 2.0-Liter Renault Sport engine mounted to a six-speed Hewland JFR sequential transmission. The engine produces 210 Hp but that should be enough for R1 to be a real track beast since it only weights 590 Kg (1300 pounds) thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber. This track toy will cost €98,000. More pictures of the Czech track car in the gallery below and presentation video after the jump.

3:03 PM Read More +

Spartan V: A very fast track machine with a classic look

The Spartan V track machine is minimalistic in every way, except for performance where it really shines. With a full carbon fiber body and a tibular space frame it weights only 300 KG (661 pounds) while still looking like a regular two seater.

Under the ultra light carbon fiber body lies the Ducati 1098S engine that produces nearly 170 Hp, which means this car will be able to do the 0 to 100 Km/h (62 mph) sprint in 3 seconds and according to Spartan Motor Company, this beast won't stop accelerating until it reaches 280 Km/h (173 mph).

If i had to pick one, i'll take this over the Palatov DP4. Which one would you choose?








[source: Spartan Motor Company]

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