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It is very much part of the unpredictable ebb and flow of motorsports that most racing series go through periods of dominance at some time or another, where one team or one particular driver seems to be constantly a step or two ahead of the completion. On two wheels, Giacomo Agostini staked his claim to being the greatest motorcycle rider of all time by winning seven back to back world championships from 1966 to 1972. Sébastien Loeb and Citroën’s nine year stranglehold over the WRC is a feat that will probably never be surpassed, whilst in Formula 1 Michael Schumacher led Ferrari through an era of such dominance in the early 2000’s that fans actually started to accuse the sport of becoming ‘too boring’.
And so the same has come to pass in the oldest race of them all, the 24 hours of Le Mans. Audi, thanks largely to a perfect recipe of revolutionary diesel engineering combined with the unparalleled talents of Danish racing mastermind Tom Kristensen, have reigned supreme over the endurance classic for the best part of a decade. However, rule changes for 2014 will test their resolve to the maximum as other manufacturers grow ever hungrier to topple them from their perch.
This season, Toyota will be one of the teams in pole position to do just that. The car on which they will be pinning their hopes will be named the TS040 Hybrid and has been unveiled to the public in the South of France ahead of the official championship testing season. In order to take the fight to Audi’s recently released R18 WEC, Toyota’s new machine can call on a total of 986bhp via the combined 513bhp 3.7 litre V8 petrol engine and a 473bhp all-wheel drive hybrid motor. This represents a significant evolution from last year’s 3.4 litre TS030 Hybrid which managed second place. New regulations limit teams to using 25 per cent less fuel than in 2013 and therefore place greater emphasis on hybrid power and energy recovery systems. Indeed, Porsche’s claim that they will be able to harvest up to 8 megajoules per lap through a two-pronged kinetic and thermal energy recovery system has already laid down a significant marker to the rest of the field.
The Japanese outfit retains the same squad of drivers for 2014, with Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin and Kazuki Nakajima sharing the No7 car and Anthony Davidson, Nicolas Lapierre and Sébastien Buemi piloting the No8 machine.
The TS040 Hybrid has already completed 12 days of testing across Europe and will now enter the final few weeks of preparation in the run-up to the start of the 2014 World Endurance Championship season on 20 April at Silverstone. The main event itself at Le Mans gets underway on 14 June.
Audi have dominated the world of endurance racing for over a decade. The Germans have won the famous Le Mans 24 hour 12 times and it would have been 9 times in a row if it were not for pesky Peugeot in 2009. Audi want to retain their Le Mans crown but with strong competition from Toyota and now Porsche, their 2014 Audi R18 WEC has to be one of the most capable cars racing has ever seen.
Audi revealed to the world their new car in race trim complete with updated livery. However, they have decided to backtrack on a technology that regenerates energy lost through heat. The system, MGU-H, is just like that found on the 2014 specification Formula One cars, but the team will not use it as planned due to reliability issues. Instead they will stick with their tried and tested kinetic energy recovery system that can harvest 2 megajoules over a lap. Their competitors, and in particular Porsche, are expected to be recapturing 6 to 8MJ per lap. This potentially puts Audi at a disadvantage but they say that the increased reliability and fuel efficiency of their new turbocharged 4.0 litre V6 diesel engine will prevail.
The 2014 Audi R18 WEC reignited tradition as it was driven through the streets of Le Mans before being shown to the media.
Endurance racing is the ultimate test for any piece of engineering. Every component from things as big as a pistons to as small as a wheel nut has to function without failing under extreme load for prolonged periods. The Le Mans 24 Hour is arguable the worlds most famous race and this year Porsche return to an event they once dominated. Today it is Audi who rule the World Endurance Championship, but the Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 hopes to upset that.
The Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 racer complies with the latest regulations that will see this class of car utilise their hybrid systems to a much higher level. The engine in the 919 is a direct injection 2.0 litre turbocharge V4 petrol engine. Revving to 9,000rpm one of the two cars will be piloted by ex-Red Bull Formula One pilot Mark Webber. The new Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 is rear driven by the combustion engine, but has temporary all wheel drive when the electric motor is activated to drive the front wheels.
Ever since man first put candlelit lanterns on horse drawn carriages in order to see at night, engineers and scientists has been on a quest to better illuminate the road ahead. With the invention of the lightbulb things became a lot easier, no need to carry around a box of matches. However the way we drive at night hasn’t really changed very much since then, yes LED’s have furthered our ability to light the road in a more efficient manner, but come on it is 2014! Shouldn’t we be seeing something a bit more futuristic by now? Whilst we don’t possess hover boards just yet, BMW are to give us something that isn’t too far away from what was once considered science fiction. BMW i8 to introduce laser lights.
Did anyone read that and not have the Jessie J song pop into their head? That is right, the already rather futuristic BMW i8 hybrid sports car will have the option of being fitted with lights that use lasers. The new lights will be almost twice as bright as the best LED’s fitted to cars currently and will be capable of lighting the road up to 600 metres ahead.
The BMW i8 launches later this year with a 1.5 litre petrol engine and two electric motors. 0-62MPH can be done in just 4.4 seconds and it will go onto do 155MPH. Not bad for a car capable of 113MPG. Putting these lights on the i8 means that BMW beat rivals Audi to introducing the technology. After the i8 the lights will be offered on the rest of the BMW range.
Whilst car manufacturers are testing their up and coming models, a few accidents are expected. As well as all of the usual bumps and scrapes that might happen out in the real world away from a test track, you have to factor in engineers pushing the machines a little bit to find limitations. Add a dose of bad luck and you have a recipe for one written-off test car. Much like this BMW i8 Crash in Germany.
Posted on the forum Bimmerpost, the wrecked preproduction BMW i8 was on the A92 in Germany. According to reports a 30 year old BMW test driver was in the car but was thankfully unharmed. Apparently crashing into the central barrier and then into the opposing one, the hybrid sports car is quite a mess. Police Chief Nicholas Bishop suspects the car may have been going “a little too fast.” This BMW i8 crash appears to be only the fault of the driver at this point, however, the image does suggest that weather conditions may have been adverse.
In fully functioning condition a BMW i8 can do 0-62MPH in just 4.4 seconds, yet, its two electric motors and 1.5 litre three cylinder engine is capable of a 310 mile range averaging 113MPG. More on the BMW i8 HERE.
Earlier this year Honda revealed to the world a new concept SUV. Named the Urban SUV concept car, the compact high riding machine previewed what is to become a production model for the Japanese company. At the Tokyo motor show the finished article has been revealed and is to join the UK range in 2015 along side the new NSX, Civic Type-R and hydrogen powered FCEV.
The production car is called the Vezel, though that name will likely change for the European market. As a direct competitor to the Nissan Juke, the small SUV will be sold as both a petrol and hybrid model. Based upon the all-new Honda Jazz, the car has neat proportions and sweeping body lines in keeping with the companies current design language. Inside the Vezel its interior features a touchscreen display and piano black finishes for a premium look and feel.
Lexus are going on a big push to introduce new customers to their brand. The LFA certainly did that, all be it in small numbers, and their range of F-Sport models provides an interesting alternative for buyers of premium German models. Now Lexus are looking to take BMW on directly with a rival for the 4 Series. Making its debut at the Tokyo motor show, this is the Lexus RC Coupe Concept.
Though not badged as a concept, it is clear for all to see that this two door four seater coupe is part of the brands new concept-to-reality slogan. The RC Coupe takes its deign influence from the LF-LC Concept car of last year with its long bonnet and short rear overhang. Two RC’s are being shown; the 3.5 litre V6 model named RC 350, as well as the RC 300h which is a 2.5 litre hybrid. The interior receives the usual high quality Lexus treatment whilst instilling a sporty character.
Lexus have spent a fair amount of time over the past decade to poke their elegantly designed noses into the pastures of the Germans. However, Germans are a very tight set bunch and the somewhat poor economy and not too inspiring performance figures of the mark 2 IS left the luxury arm of Toyota in the dust. We spied our first glimpse of the mark 3 IS in 2012 and then in January we saw a very similar looking car get a few styling tweaks and a re-badging as the IS.
The IS300h is kept moving by a naturally aspirated 2.5L 4 cylinder petrol engine providing 178bhp and bolting on a 141bhp electric motor. All the power goes to the rear wheels and the total output comes in at a rather lavish 220bhp. The petrol engine runs on the Atkinson combustion cycle which increases engine efficiency and the new fuel injection system positions injectors in both the port and the chamber. Combining all of this means the jolt to 62mph will take a somewhat uninspiring 8.3 seconds (the BMW 320d takes a mere 7.4 seconds) and will top out at 125mph. Helping you get there is the unbelievably smooth and well crafted electric CVT gearbox. Where this gearbox feels excellent around small village roads or motorway cruising, though it can come across somewhat sterile when trying to give the IS300h the full beans. Giving the car a good dose of the right pedal does leave you feeling disconnected from the whole driving experience and the presence of the vaguely raspy sounds funnelled into the car to replicate the genuine growl of a non-hybrid does take some of the real joie-de-vivre of the car.
This isn’t a high powered sports car though. It definitely puts a smile on your face and will leave your bank account fairly intact due to it’s low tax bands. The base specification IS300h comes in at just under 100g/km in terms of emissions and even with the sportier tyres of the F-sport spec you’ll only be paying pennies due to mere 109g/km. This is the grand finale of Lexus’ rollout of hybrids in every model and the combined mpg figure is an impressive 60.1mpg while the urban figure is an equally good 57.6mpg. With the benefit in kind of 11% as well as the sub-100 figure on the SE spec you’ll be saving a fair bit of money on the comparable BMW 320d Efficient Dynamics, and company car drivers can also expect an impressive reduction in their annual tax bill as well by moving away from the German competitors.
Inside you’ll be greeted by the beautiful design we’ve all come to expect from the Japanese kings of luxury with a cockpit inspired by the £350,000 Lexus LFA supercar. The wheel is luxurious and the digital dials give the car the super-modern feel and the exquisitely comfortable leather seats (albeit at a premium of £1,400) hug you around every single twist and turn. An easy to use multimedia and navigation system is paired with a clear 7” screen and my only real niggle is that the ‘joystick’ style control is somewhat over-responsive. Sound inside the car is excellent with a powerful 6-speaker audio system and DAB radio as standard. There is also ans aux-in cable input for MP3 players and USB ports for connecting smartphones. The rear-view camera makes parking the IS300h a dream and the dual-zone climate control is easy to use with excellent touch-pad style temperature controls which you can increase or decrease by sliding your finger up or down. Heated and electric seats in the front as well as 60:40 split-folding rear seats in the back mean space and comfort with the added bonus of ‘smart entry’ which means once you’ve pushed the big shiny start button the drivers seat and steering wheel will return to its previous position making entering and exiting the car very easy.
Outside, the car is just art. Lexus do styling very well and the F-sport bumpers and mesh grille give the car real panache coupled with the metallic white paint (a £610 extra). LED lights all round and seductive 18inch F-sport alloy wheels add the finishing touches and even in the sleepy villages of north Berkshire, this car was turning heads. The rear legroom is good and headroom is excellent as well. In the boot you’ve got 450 litres to play with as well.
On the road price for a Lexus IS300h F-sport is £33,495. Other models available include the IS250 which uses a naturally aspirated V6 to generate a shade over 200bhp with a standard automatic box which will whisk you to 62 in 8.1 seconds, but much like we’ve seen with BMW, Audi and Mercedes, this bigger engine will not be as popular is the more economic diesels/hybrids and are aimed more at the US market. The IS250 starts at £26,495 while a base model IS300h without the F-sport gear will set you back a mere £29,495 which slots nicely with the competition.
To conclude, I genuinely enjoyed every second I was in this car, in fact it’s the best Lexus I’ve ever driven. Sure the CVT gearbox was occasionally frustrating and the underwhelming performance figures did cause some grief, but I didn’t settle into the beautifully crafted leather sport seats expecting a rocket ship. I doubt the IS300h will topple the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes; but that’s not to say it’s a bad car. Class leading style and comfort, coupled with the reliability of a Toyota subsidiary and the low tax band, not to mention a competitive price tag, will undoubtedly make waves in the boardrooms of the Germans.
When you are spending £657,400 on a new car you would be quite within your rights to demand exactly what your heart desires. The new Porsche 918 Spyder with its 4.8 litre mid-mounted V8 and electric motors clocked the fastest time for any production car at the ‘ring, but what if you wanted red stripes on the seat belts? Forget its 875BHP and 0-62 time of 2.8 seconds and focus on the fact that if you bought this car you would specify the carbon floor mats.
The 918 configurator is now live on Porsche’s website and after 10 minutes of tinkering we were pretty happy with our next-gen supercar. Give it a go HERE.
It feels like we have been seeing the BMW i8 for years already but in truth we have never, until now, seen it out of camouflage. The finished car makes up the second model in BMW’s new i range that promoted future technologies and ecology. The i8 concepts have always looked like something from the future but the real question is just how much of that has been lost in the production model?
The answer is absolutely none. Still looking like Batman’s hire car, the i8 has been revealed in full at the Frankfurt motor show. Sporting a unique carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body, the sports car seats four and is powered by a combination of a 1.5 litre three cylinder engine as well as two electric motors. 113MPG is claimed with a combined range of 310 miles. That is pretty good considering that it will do 0-62MPH in 4.4 seconds and go onto a top speed of 155MPH. Total power output is 356BHP accompanied by 420lb ft of torque.
