RE: Autosport round-up
Friday 10th January 2014
If you can be drawn away from our fabulous selection of PH Heroes at the Autosport International Show, there are a few interesting new cars making their first appearance at the NEC too. The Zenos E10 is arguably the star of the show, but there's plenty more besides.
Abarth 595 50th Anniversary Edition
Yet another special variant of Abarth's smallest car, now with 180hp. The 50th Anniversary also comes with 305mm Brembo brakes, 17-inch wheels, a paddleshift Abarth Competizione gearbox and 'the distinctive Record Monza' exhaust. The white paint is intended to mimic the original 595 and the Scorpion graphics are there for the same reason.
Twisted
Twisted is exhibiting its pair of new models at Autosport on which all subsequent Twisted Defenders will be based. The £50K Definitive Edition and £70K Ultimate Edition come as standard with the 2.2-litre diesel familiar from the standard Defender; the Definitive has 165hp and the Ultimate 190hp.
Radical RXC Turbo
No Radical is slow, the latest RXC in particular. But a new twin-turbocharged version of the RXC will take the car's performance into another league altogether. It isn't actually powered by a blown version of the standard car's 3.7-litre Ford V6, instead using a 3.5 V6 with 460hp and 500lb ft. That's 80hp and 180lb ft up on what was already a very quick car.
Lotus Elise S Cup R
A more hardcore, track-only version of the Elise ready to do battle in the 2014 Lotus Cup. Despite the hardtop, it weighs the same 924kg as a standard Elise and it comes with a few engine management tweaks to make it more suitable for track use. With adjustable suspension, upgraded pads and Yokohama AdvanAD07s, the Elise S Cup R really is ready to race.
Vauxhall VXR8 GTS
This car's UK debut and a model that has always had a fond following in Britain. For £54,999 the GTS offers 585hp and 545lb ft, but the 155mph limiter remains. There's also Brake Torque Vectoring, magnetic dampers and launch control as standard. We should be able to drive one in the next few weeks.
Porsche 991 GT3
What hasn't been said about the GT3 already after Monkey's video and review plus our farewell to the previous model? Not a lot really, but Autosport offers the opportunity to see the GT3 in Britain for the first time.
Bowler Defender Challenge
Possibly the coolest motorsport series that will be running in 2014, the Defender Challenge will run at seven different rallies across this year. The engine, interior and suspension have been completely overhauled for competition use. See the car in the flesh at the NEC, and resist the urge to begin a rallying career...
Renault Twizy F1
Not really comparable with the other cars on show, but and fascinating little thing nonetheless. Born from an idle conversation about engineering possibilities, the 97hp rollerskate is as quick to 62mph as a Megane 265. It was described as sounding like ‘part electric lawnmower, part Harrier Jump Jet and part Dyson vacuum cleaner’.
Autosport round-up
Everything PH-worthy that has to be seen at the NEC this weekend
Caterham AeroSeven
Though perhaps overshadowed by the Zenos, the latest Caterham model is being shown in Britain for the first time at Autosport. The 240hp, 600kg AeroSeven will reach customers this autumn. It will be the first Caterham with traction control, which will be fully adjustable and incorporate launch control too.
Yet another special variant of Abarth's smallest car, now with 180hp. The 50th Anniversary also comes with 305mm Brembo brakes, 17-inch wheels, a paddleshift Abarth Competizione gearbox and 'the distinctive Record Monza' exhaust. The white paint is intended to mimic the original 595 and the Scorpion graphics are there for the same reason.
The most expensive 160hp 595 currently is the Competizione MTA at £20,205. Expect a price in that region for the 50th Anniversary, perhaps slightly more.
Twisted is exhibiting its pair of new models at Autosport on which all subsequent Twisted Defenders will be based. The £50K Definitive Edition and £70K Ultimate Edition come as standard with the 2.2-litre diesel familiar from the standard Defender; the Definitive has 165hp and the Ultimate 190hp.
But Twisted Defenders aren't really about the diesels, are they? A 3.2-litre is available too but the 6.2-litre 520hp V8 remains an option too.
The Definitive version gets improved soundproofing and some leather inside with upgraded suspension parts too. The Ultimate adds to this with more leather, sat-nav and Bluetooth.
No Radical is slow, the latest RXC in particular. But a new twin-turbocharged version of the RXC will take the car's performance into another league altogether. It isn't actually powered by a blown version of the standard car's 3.7-litre Ford V6, instead using a 3.5 V6 with 460hp and 500lb ft. That's 80hp and 180lb ft up on what was already a very quick car.
A few bodywork tweaks help channel air into the intercooler and improve further the aero efficiency. The RXC turbo will cost £129,000.
A more hardcore, track-only version of the Elise ready to do battle in the 2014 Lotus Cup. Despite the hardtop, it weighs the same 924kg as a standard Elise and it comes with a few engine management tweaks to make it more suitable for track use. With adjustable suspension, upgraded pads and Yokohama AdvanAD07s, the Elise S Cup R really is ready to race.
This car's UK debut and a model that has always had a fond following in Britain. For £54,999 the GTS offers 585hp and 545lb ft, but the 155mph limiter remains. There's also Brake Torque Vectoring, magnetic dampers and launch control as standard. We should be able to drive one in the next few weeks.
What hasn't been said about the GT3 already after Monkey's video and review plus our farewell to the previous model? Not a lot really, but Autosport offers the opportunity to see the GT3 in Britain for the first time.
Possibly the coolest motorsport series that will be running in 2014, the Defender Challenge will run at seven different rallies across this year. The engine, interior and suspension have been completely overhauled for competition use. See the car in the flesh at the NEC, and resist the urge to begin a rallying career...
Not really comparable with the other cars on show, but and fascinating little thing nonetheless. Born from an idle conversation about engineering possibilities, the 97hp rollerskate is as quick to 62mph as a Megane 265. It was described as sounding like ‘part electric lawnmower, part Harrier Jump Jet and part Dyson vacuum cleaner’.
Show photos: LAT Photo
Discussion
have a look on the Maxxis tyres stand ultra 4 offroad racing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2vpk0OVurc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2vpk0OVurc
AndyBrew said:
Is that really it???
+1It looks like a complete waste of time/money visiting this year, I have been two previous years and less and less interesting stuff each time.
You are better off going to the Classic Motorshow in Oct, massive show too much to see in a day. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=135...
And a few Sunday Services through the year.
Looks like ph has missed all of the new btcc car launches and about the big news that haymarket has taken over the btcc net/motorsport news/autosport mag under one banner and all the btcc cars will have pistonheads logo on all the car. Just so happened to miss that and make a bit about a fiat.
MG CHRIS said:
Looks like ph has missed all of the new btcc car launches and about the big news that haymarket has taken over the btcc net/motorsport news/autosport mag under one banner and all the btcc cars will have pistonheads logo on all the car. Just so happened to miss that and make a bit about a fiat.
This. Despite still having a driver posting on the forum and the sponsorship deal why has it been ignored? Once again!From what I have seen on twitter etc the BTCC cars and stand are a huge draw at the show this weekend and some of the liveries look fantastic.
http://www.btcc.net/2014/01/09/btcc-and-haymarket-...
Article said:
Porsche 991 GT3
What hasn't been said about the GT3 already after Monkey's video and review plus our farewell to the previous model? Not a lot really, but Autosport offers the opportunity to see the GT3 in Britain for the first time.
This can't be right. There was one at Carfest last year. I'm sure Penfolds has photographed one on the streets in London, and I think I saw one in the dealers at Porsche Leeds the other weekWhat hasn't been said about the GT3 already after Monkey's video and review plus our farewell to the previous model? Not a lot really, but Autosport offers the opportunity to see the GT3 in Britain for the first time.
I was there yesterday and to be honest there wasn't much to excite me. There was a lot of empty space which suggestes the uptake has been poor from the industry; no Ginetta being an example.
Arrived at 10, had a few meetings and a good look around and left at 1:30 - says it all really.
Arrived at 10, had a few meetings and a good look around and left at 1:30 - says it all really.
BubblesNW said:
I was there yesterday and to be honest there wasn't much to excite me. There was a lot of empty space which suggestes the uptake has been poor from the industry; no Ginetta being an example.
Arrived at 10, had a few meetings and a good look around and left at 1:30 - says it all really.
How's Ginetta doing?Arrived at 10, had a few meetings and a good look around and left at 1:30 - says it all really.
roystinho said:
This can't be right. There was one at Carfest last year. I'm sure Penfolds has photographed one on the streets in London, and I think I saw one in the dealers at Porsche Leeds the other week
You are correct, I couldn't even be bothered to raise it.There was one at Goodwood as well.
I thought the show was good (but I had to go)- for me the highlights were the Bentley GT3, the TVR Speed 12 (exhaust test bed-remake) & the Severn Valley 1000 bhp Qashqai-R http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/175782-svm-release-proj...
The PH Heroes line up of the concourse Quattro/e30 M3/NSX was also v nice
The PH Heroes line up of the concourse Quattro/e30 M3/NSX was also v nice
Edited by Amizade on Friday 10th January 13:49
sjw said:
Classic case of an NEC show
Too expensive for exhibitors and the public
£31 entry + parking £10
WTF
I was gobsmacked when I went there for the CC&B show in November. Mental prices. Luckily I had wristbands to get in so avoided that raping but the carpark charge required some dilligent scouting & studying of exit options to avoid losing £30 over the three days to the robbing barstewards...Too expensive for exhibitors and the public
£31 entry + parking £10
WTF
I agree !I went to the cc , they have your pants down on prices,takes all the fun out of it.
Ennoch said:
I was gobsmacked when I went there for the CC&B show in November. Mental prices. Luckily I had wristbands to get in so avoided that raping but the carpark charge required some dilligent scouting & studying of exit options to avoid losing £30 over the three days to the robbing barstewards...
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