Zenvo TS1 GT - named ‘Sleipnir’

Zenvo Automotive presents the '10th Anniversary TS1 GT'

The car is a unique, one-off, bespoke TS1 GT which has been built specifically to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the company. Zenvo has specified and built the car to reflect the heritage of the company and its founders from Denmark. This historic TS1 GT has been named ‘Sleipnir’ [pronounced: “Sleep-near”] after the eight-legged horse ridden by Odin, the King of the Norse gods in ancient Scandinavian mythology. Sleipnir was ‘the fastest and best horse among gods and men.’
 

The recognition of the heritage of Scandinavia and its historical significance does not stop there. This very special TS1 GT has been painted in ‘Fjord Blue’ and highlighted by copper-bronze strips on the hood and roof of the car which are set into the bare carbon-fibre panels as well as contrasting copper highlights both inside and outside of the car. The use of copper-bronze recognizes the technological advancements by ancient Danes in exploration, trading and commerce extending from North America to Russia and the Middle East. In the pre-history of Scandinavia, Bronze was the most advanced material available. It was used in multiple applications including the design and building of chariots. Bronze was the carbon-fibre of its age and provided a technical advancement which allowed the unparalleled growth of the Vikings and the Scandinavian region.

The application of advanced technology within the region continues with the production of some of the most technically advanced hypercars in the world. Using extensive lightweight carbon-fibre and other hybrid composite materials as well as a unique proprietary drivetrain with ultra-fast advanced gear-shift, traction control and ESC technology, the quality of Zenvo engineering and the precision quality of production are the worthy successors of our innovative ancestors.
 

“Presenting this car at Geneva and celebrating our tenth anniversary makes me very proud and humble”, said Troels Vollertsen, Technical Director and Founder of Zenvo Automotive A/S. “We have achieved so much with a small team of highly dedicated and capable individuals. All of us recognize our heritage as pioneers of technology and remain totally committed to continue to produce and develop Zenvo cars which provide our owners and drivers with a sensational experience of performance, quality and perfect driving pleasure which is the DNA of our brand and our cars. We look forward with great excitement to the next ten years.”

The heart of the beast

The TS1 GT is a technical tour-de-force and our Hyper GT.  Using Zenvo’s extraordinary 1,163bhp engine with twin superchargers, the TS1 GT incorporates a newly developed gearbox with Zenvo ultrafast gearshifts that change gears at speeds not far off a Formula 1 car.

The entire shift system and linked engine management software were designed in-house at Zenvo, The TS1 GT is the most awesome Grand Tourer capable of a limited top speed of 375kph and a 0-100kph of only 2.8 seconds but providing the most effortless and luxurious cruising comfort that can only be experienced in a Zenvo TS1 GT.

The Interior

 The interior is completely original with an asymmetrical design leather and carbon fibre.  Switches and instrument surrounds are in copper and rhodium with these parts alone costing the same as a Porsche 911R.  Every single part is individually handmade and hand finished over nearly 8,000 man hours.  There are no materials which could give the impression that this car is anything other than totally bespoke, a masterpiece of quality, detail and engineering made to measure, literally, for the customer.

 

 

ABOUT ZENVO AUTOMOTIVE A/S

The Company was formed in 2007 as a channel for the aspirations and ambitions of a small group of highly talented Danish engineers and designers with extensive experience gained from working with Italian and German automotive companies. Led by powertrain specialist, Troels Vollertsen, with the design and styling vision of ex-RCA graduate Christian Brandt, the team wanted to realise long-held passionate ambitions to build a car which combined the traditional skills of Danish styling design with German-derived high performance technology.

Functionalistic and immediately aesthetically iconic, the Zenvo ST1 was developed over six years to demonstrate the use of ultra-lightweight composite materials in the design realisation of a car capable of performing alongside contemporary iconic supercars. A uniquely designed and engineered engine of 6.9 litres was produced for the ST1 incorporating both supercharger and turbocharger delivering 1120PS in a car made extensively from Carbon Fibre but featuring an aluminium and steel safety cell which, when tested, provided the ideal passenger environment for safety and comfort.

In 2016 Zenvo presented their revised hyper-GT, the TS1 GT, along with its racetrack-bred sibling, the TSR. A completely new engine of 5.8L capacity with twin superchargers had been developed now producing more than 1165PS. The new engine boasts a dry sump and flat-plane crankshaft configuration allowing the engine to spin more freely, rev much higher, produce power more efficiently and be mounted lower in the body for improved handling. Uniquely developed software running the Zenvo-designed high performance gearbox provides one of the fastest-shifting powertrains in existence confirming the on-going technological progress of Zenvo Automotive.
 Source: http://www.zenvoautomotive.com/

New Audi R8 LMS GT4

Audi Sport customer racing headed for growth

Before the New York International Auto Show the Audi R8 LMS premiered in its GT4 version. Audi Sport GmbH’s customer racing program has been experiencing rapid growth. Audi has been offering the Audi R8 LMS GT3 race car since 2009, followed by the second generation of this success model in 2015, and the RS 3 LMS for the TCR category in 2016. Now Audi Sport’s portfolio of models has been extended once again.

The Audi R8 LMS GT4 stands for production-based racing. It has directly been derived from the road-approved Audi R8 Coupé V10, is powerful and offers a high level of safety. At the same time, it is an affordable choice in terms of purchasing price and cost of ownership. It is the ideal race car for amateur campaigners, in line with the spirit of the GT4 regulations that continue a great sports car tradition, as fascinating road-going sports cars were a popular base in GT racing around the world more than half a century ago.

In racing, the audience will be able to see the production-based Audi R8 LMS GT4 for the first time in the Nürburgring 24 Hours from May 25 to 28. With that, the brand fills another growth category in international motorsport. The GT4 class, which originated in Europe, will be intensively marketed on an international scale starting in 2017, with fielding opportunities in North America, Asia, Australia and Europe. “13 racing series in which GT4 models can compete worldwide already exist today worldwide,” says Stephan Winkelmann, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH. “Audi Sport GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers offering cars in the GT3 and TCR customer sport categories.

 Now we’re targeting the GT4 class at exactly the right time. These fast-growing business segments and the DNA shared by our race cars and production vehicles underscore our ambition to become a true global player in the high-performance league.”

The Audi R8 LMS GT4 shares more than 60 percent of its assembly components with the road-approved Audi R8 Coupé and is produced at the Böllinger Höfe site as well. The customers of the new race car benefit from these synergies in terms of purchasing price and cost of ownership.
Audi Sport is developing the GT4 model, which delivers up to 364 kW (495 HP) depending on its rating, during the course of the 2017 season before a final homologation level has been achieved and approval for racing is requested.

During the second half of the year, the team of Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing, will be preparing the production of the race car. Consequently, the first customers will be able to receive the new Audi R8 LMS GT4 before the end of the year. Around the globe, Audi Sport draws on an extensive network of service, spare parts logistics and professional support for the R8 LMS GT4. Audi Sport customer racing has established this infrastructure for the GT3 project on four continents and, like for the RS 3 LMS, uses this proven network for the GT4 model range as well.

Technical Data

 Engine

Type 90° V 10 gasoline engine with combined multi-point and gasoline direct
injection, 4 valves per cylinder, four double overhead camshafts,
longitudinally mounted in front of the rear axle
Emission control system Upstream oxygen sensor, metal catalytic converters
Engine management 2 x Bosch MED 17 (master-slave concept)
Engine lubrication Dry sump
Cubic capacity 5,200 cc
Power output Up to 364 kW (495 HP) *
Torque Over 550 Nm *

Drivetrain/transmission

Type of drive Rear-wheel drive
Clutch Two electrohydraulically operated wet-type multi-plate clutches
Transmission 7-speed double-clutch S tronic transmission with paddle shifters
Differential Mechanical limited-slip differential
Drive shafts Constant-velocity joint shafts

Suspension/steering/brakes

Steering Electrohydraulic rack-and pinion steering, height and length adjustable
steering wheel
Suspension Double wishbones front and rear, 2-way gas pressure dampers, ride
height, toe, camber and stabilizers adjustable
Brakes Hydraulic dual-circuit braking system, steel brake discs front
(380 x 34 mm) and rear (365 x 32 mm)
Wheels 5-hole cast aluminum wheels,
front: 11” x 18” ET 63; rear: 12” x 18” ET 56
Tires Front: 305/645 R18; rear: 325/705 R18

Weight/dimensions

Length/width/height 4,467 mm/1,940 or 2,037 mm **/1.240 mm
Wheelbase 2,650 mm
Dry weight/minimum weight 1,460 kg + X *
Fuel cell capacity 118 l (FT3 safety fuel cell)

Performance

0–100 km/h Under 4 seconds *
Top speed Over 250 km/h *

* depending on BOP (SRO Balance of Performance)

Source: https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/new-audi-r8-lms-gt4-audi-sport-customer-racing-headed-for-growth-7612

The new 2018 Porsche 911 GT3

 

The new 911 GT3 was born in Flacht. The road has been its home – and its school – since day one. So, then, what should become of it?

An unadulterated sports car, naturally. One that breathes motorsport and defies the tarmac. A race car that pushes its drivers into their Sports seats more firmly than they would ever have imagined possible.

Many have still never heard of it. Some believe it’s all just a myth. For the true fan, though, behind the idyllic green hills of the Swabian region in Germany the promised land does exist: Flacht. The home of Porsche Motorsport. Our home. The place in which the Porsche heart beats the fastest. Where the transfer from motorsport into series production is routine daily practice. Where the proving ground is our playground. And precision is our greatest passion.

Here, in Flacht, is where the new 911 GT3 turned its first laps. Here is where the mighty sound of its 4.0-liter horizontally opposed and naturally aspirated engine roared for the first time. Here is where the chassis was tuned over the course of countless test kilometer with the meticulous scrutiny only otherwise afforded to the Porsche 919 Hybrid for Le Mans.

Our engineers invested all their racing experience into it, tweaking and honing into the night. Afterwards, they would all say: “It couldn’t get any better.” Only to ask themselves the next morning: “Could we not make it even better?” A hundredth of a second faster, a percentage point more agile, a gram lighter?

Aerodynamics and design

The greatest resistance we know here in Flacht? Headwind. It’s a matter of confronting it – with optimum aerodynamics and favorable drag coefficients. But it’s also a matter of exploiting it. By using it to cool the brakes, for example – or as a supply of combustion air. And, of course, to generate downforce on the racetrack.

How do we reconcile these most conflicting of parameters? With a harmonious overall concept. And, of course, a design in which every detail must demonstrate its functionality first and foremost.

The new front end of the 911 GT3 makes one thing instantly clear: this car is not here simply to make up the numbers. Large openings left and right, together with new airblades on each side, improve cooling. Even the customary 911 GT3 air outlet to the front of the luggage compartment lid helps to ensure plenty of fresh air.

All cooling air intakes are protected by air intake grilles in titanium colour.
Responsible for the leaner build: lightweight polyurethane with hollow glass microspheres and carbon-fiber elements. The complete front end is made from this light yet extremely robust high-tech material. Responsible for the extra downforce at the front axle: the wide front spoiler lip.

Responsible for clear vision: Bi-Xenon main headlights, fitted as standard, including dynamic range control and headlight cleaning system. LED headlights are available as an option. Direction indicators, daytime running lights and position lights, all designed with LED technology, have now been made even sleeker – leaving a larger surface area for the air openings.

The first impression is like the second: the new 911 GT3 has a more imposing appearance. And always looks ready to pounce. More aggressive as well? We prefer to say: more impatient. At least for those on the racetrack who see it approaching in their rear-view mirror.

Squat is how the rear looks. And squat is also its stance on the road. That’s because the 911 GT3 is an extra 44 mm wider and sits approximately 25 mm lower than the 911 Carrera. It’s because the LED taillights are not only slimline, they are now also shaped three dimensionally. It’s because the central twin tailpipe of the sports exhaust system is a visual clue to the car’s low center of gravity.
Like the front, the revised rear end is also manufactured from lightweight polyurethane. The rear lid, wing and wing uprights are in carbon. The central air outlet slit is larger and positioned higher than on the predecessor model. The two black-finish ram-air scoops on the rear lid supply the engine with combustion air.

A trademark of the GT models and a pointer in the direction of motorsport: the fixed rear wing. It is approximately 20 mm higher than on the predecessor model. For a further gain in downforce.
Four additional fins at the rear of the underbody panelling reinforce the aerodynamic effect of the diffuser. And they also appear to pull the new 911 GT3 down closer to the racetrack. Especially to those who just saw it overtake.

Performance

The engine of the new 911 GT3 is not meant as a friendly Swabian gesture, but as a throwing down of the gauntlet. To everyday life. To physics. But, above all, to all the other drivers on the racetracks of this world.

Brief for the new engine: naturally aspirated engine from motorsport, low down in the rear, six cylinders, horizontally opposed pistons. A full four liters of displacement. And high performance potential with unadulterated sound.
The new drive unit was developed – where else? – in Flacht. Particularly robust and powerful, it is based on the engine fitted in the 911 GT3 Cup.

The oil supply principle, which uses a separate engine oil tank, and the concept of four valves per cylinder with cam followers and rigid valve train have also been derived directly from motorsport.
From its impressive capacity of 3,996 cm³, the engine draws a maximum power output of 368 kW (500 hp). With Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK), fitted as standard, the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h takes just 3.4 seconds and top track speed is 318 km/h. With the optional 6-speed GT sports manual transmission*, the time is 3.9 seconds. Top speed? Not reached until 320 km/h.
At Porsche, natural aspiration also means a high-revving concept. The needle in the 911 GT3 doesn’t hit red until 9,000 rpm. Maximum torque is 460 Nm – some 20 Nm more than is offered by the predecessor model. It is available at 6,000 rpm, while maximum power output is achieved at 8,250 rpm.

As far as the efficiency of the engine – and its power output – is concerned, direct fuel injection (DFI) makes a decisive contribution. It does so with millisecond precision and a pressure of up to 200 bar. For optimum mixture formation and combustion in the combustion chamber. And, relative to the engine’s high power output, it helps to achieve favourable fuel consumption and comparatively low CO2 emissions.

*Provisionally available from 09/2017

VarioCam

VarioCam is an engine timing concept that distinguishes between various engine speeds and load states so that timing can be adapted to suit the current power demand. It regulates not only the adjustment of the intake camshafts but also the exhaust camshafts in order to deliver increased power and torque.
Adjustment takes place imperceptibly under the control of the electronic engine management. The result is very smooth running and, above all, high power and torque across the entire engine speed range.

High-revving concept

The valves are operated by cam followers – a principle derived from motorsport. Clearance compensation between the camshafts and valves of the new 911 GT3 is realized not by hydraulic means, but by shim plates as part of a solid arrangement. This kind of valve timing design provides greater robustness and enables remarkably high engine speeds even under hard use.

Interior

The interior of a sports car is like an athlete’s clothing: it must fit perfectly and feel like a second skin. Only then can human and machine function as a single, sporty entity. To deliver superlative performance, the driver needs information that can be accessed quickly and an interior ergonomics concept that enables even faster use of it.

The requirement is fulfilled by an ascending center console that places the gear selector within direct reach of the steering wheel, by ergonomic gearshift paddles on the steering wheel itself and by conveniently positioned controls that dispense with unnecessary gadgetry but do open up new possibilities on the racetrack. Over 30,000 racing victories were not achieved by engine power alone.

Instruments

Precise not fanciful, minimalist not trendy. True to Porsche style, the five round instruments integrated into the cockpit lead the way. The rev counter resides in the middle. Its dial is titanium colored and bears the ‘GT3’ logo.
The instrument cluster with 4.6-inch color screen provides you with a continuous stream of data from the on-board computer, including average speed and fuel consumption, fuel range and outside temperature, and allows you to view Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) information as well as the stopwatch of the optional Chrono Package. It also reminds you of your selected communication and audio settings or displays the map of the navigation system – but only for the rare occasion you aren’t on the racetrack.

Specs

Engine

	Manual	PDK
Cylinder layout / number of cylinders	6	6
Displacement	4.0 liters	4.0 liters
Horsepower	500 hp	500 hp
@ rpm	8250 rpm	8250 rpm
Torque	339 lb.-ft.	339 lb.-ft.
Compression ratio	13.3 : 1	13.3 : 1

Performance	Manual	PDK
Top Track Speed	198 mph	197 mph
0 - 60 mph	3.8 sec	3.2 sec

Price

 $ 143,600.00

In motion

See it in motion in the video bellow:

Source: http://www.porsche.com/usa/models/911/911-gt3-models/

The new Lexus LC 500

A Lexus Coupe that combines elegance and performance 

 The new Lexus LC 500 is a world-class prestige luxury coupe and a new era of uncompromising design and performance. An all-new platform, 471 horsepower and a class-leading 10-speed automatic transmission come together to create our most responsive vehicle yet. Zero to 60 mph in just 4.4 secs. The prices start bellow 100k US dollars, around 92k to be more precise.

The LC displays performance coupe proportions with an exterior design that projects an avant-garde elegance, remaining faithful to many of the defining features of the LF-LC concept car that inspired it. The design wraps the car in a glamorous body that represents an evocative and fluid interpretation of Lexus’ “seduction and technology” design theme.

Athletic profile

The coupe’s athletic profile is characterized by its sweeping roofline, which tapers rearward from above the centrally positioned cabin to create a distinctive silhouette. Chrome-plated moldings along the side of the glass roof amplify the elegant coupe profile, their rear edges shaped to echo the lines of a traditional Japanese sword. The blacked-out finish to the roof and rear pillars creates a floating effect that visually separates the roof from the rear spoiler.

The LC’s appearance can be made even more dynamic with the addition of an optional Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic composite roof and active rear spoiler.

 The LC has a 2,870mm (112.99 in.) wheelbase and—in a direct reference to the styling of the LF-LC— very compact overhangs (920mm/36.22 in. front, 970mm/38.19 in. rear) and a notably low hood line.

The LC can be outfitted with 20-inch cast aluminum or available 20 and 21-inch forged aluminum alloy wheels. The prominent front and rear spoilers flare away from the center of the car, housing wide, large-diameter wheels, while the door panels are pulled inwards, creating a powerful three-dimensional form that mirrors the spindle shape of the Lexus grille.

Strategic use of different steels, aluminum and Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic to achieve the optimal combination of strength, light weight and weight distribution.
Detailed management of inertia specifications, using low center of gravity, vehicle mass distribution and moment of inertia to achieve sharp and refined dynamic performance.

Lexus Dynamic Handling with Limited Slip Differential ensures sporty handling and steering response.

The LC is the first car to be developed on Lexus’ new front engine/rear-wheel drive Global Architecture – Luxury (GA-L) platform, which gives Lexus the ability to take design and performance to another level.

 

Rear styling

At the rear the roof tapers down between muscular wheel arches, reinforcing the car’s wide and stable stance. The Lexus spindle shape is visible here in a three-dimensional form that is generated by lines flowing from the front of the car and along the sides, before cutting back around the inner edge of the rear combination lamps. The line of the spindle then moves outwards, following the shape of the license plate mounting and outer edges of the tailpipes.

The rear combination lamps, set vertically at the outermost edge of the bumper, have a graphic that guides the eye in three directions, accentuating the flow along sides of the body and emphasizing the vehicle’s strong, planted look. The use of several different materials in the lens and bezel provide a further indication of the sophisticated workmanship invested in the LC. Within the combination units, the taillights feature a new Lexus concept, using mirrors to create a multi-reflection, three-dimensional sequence of L-shaped graphics.

An available active rear spoiler is automatically deployed when vehicle speed rises above 80km/h (50 mph). This suppresses lift at the rear to help provide a high degree of stability when driving at speed.

The Engine

On the LC 500’s V8 engine, the front air intake is fitted with a sound generator, with carefully engineered dimensions tuned to maximize the desired sound frequency and level. The opening is directly connected to the cowl reinforcement, so sound reverberates within the enclosed space, resulting in a natural, emotional quality.

The LC 500 is powered by the latest development of Lexus’ normally aspirated V8 gasoline engine, tuned to deliver 471 hp, with improved acceleration feel to the driver and the kind of engine note that only eight cylinders can deliver. This unit is matched to the aforementioned 10-speed direct shift automatic to offer a genuinely rewarding driving experience. Another version available is the hybrid with less power, based on a V6 3.5 liter engine, but much more economic to run.

Dynamic Luxury Interior

The dynamic luxury theme of the exterior is carried through into the LC’s 2+2 cabin. This space is designed to provide sophistication and intricate attention to detail with a driver-focused cockpit.

Regarding the Cabin design, the area around the front passenger spreads outwards to create a comfortable and welcoming space. In fact, the flowing line of the door trim is an extension of an exterior line that flows from the hood and through the windscreen, building a sense of continuity between the outside and inside of the car.

The driver’s cockpit has been ergonomically designed to instill confidence and invite spirited driving, with an intuitive layout of the controls and an excellent seating position. The driver’s hip point has been located as close as possible to the coupe’s center of gravity, maximizing direct feedback of the vehicle’s dynamic performance.

 
The driver also enjoys an excellent view of the road, uncompromised by the low seating position thanks to the low hood line, the low-profile instrument panel and the location and narrow width of the front pillars. The shallow height of the instrument panel has been helped by the development of compact air vents.

See it in action 

Let's see how it behaves down in the road in the video bellow:

Source: http://www.lexus.com/models/LC