Lotus Exige Cup 380

A truly race car!

The new Exige Cup 380 provides the perfect balance between fully type approved road car and genuine race car to deliver the ultimate track-and-back street-legal Lotus. With a purity of drive unheard of in road cars, and a power-to-weight ratio of 355 hp per tonne, the Exige Cup 380 delivers genuine race pace, with 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds) and top speed of 175 mph (282 km/h).

 
However, unlike some rival’s cars, the Exige Cup 380 really can drive to a track, set the fastest lap and take the win, before heading home. Indeed, the Exige Cup 380 is not just unbeatable point-to-point and capable of winning highly competitive races: it is also a car that can be used and enjoyed every single day.

Aerodynamics

Honing the Exige Cup 380’s high speed abilities was paramount in its development, and the inclusion of new wind tunnel developed aerodynamic elements allow this road-going Exige to deliver up to 200 kg of aerodynamic downforce at a top speed of 175 mph. Making their first appearance on a road-going Lotus, heavily revised bodywork elements contribute to this increased downforce. Located over the wheels, the front louvers equalise the pressure differential within the wheel arches, increasing downforce at high speed and under hard braking, whilst the cut-out sections behind the rear wheels work with the aero blades mounted either side of the race diffuser. Even the Exige’s windscreen wiper has been aero tuned - now resting in a vertical position to avoid disrupting air flow.  

Low weight is key

Key to the Exige Cup 380 reaching its low weight of 1,057 kg is the comprehensive adoption of carbon fibre and extreme engineering. The high-gloss, hand-made carbon fibre components of the car include new front splitter, front access panel, bargeboards, roof, diffuser surround, new larger aperture air-intake side pods, a new one-piece tailgate reducing weight by 6.5 kg and a straight-cut high efficiency motorsport derived rear wing. Inside the Exige Cup 380, the carbon continues with visible-weave, handmade sections including beautifully detailed carbon race seats and door sills as standard. Cumulatively these composites contribute to the Exige Cup 380’s low weight, but every part of the car has been considered, even down the removal of the boot carpet, to reduce mass.

Optional carbon fibre components include one-piece inner door panels, HVAC console and face-level vent surrounds, which together offer an additional 1kg reduction over the standard car. In addition to the Exige’s strong, stiff and durable aluminium chassis architecture, the Exige Cup 380 comes with a T45 steel roll over bar as standard. Tremendously strong, yet light compared to alternatives, its cost means that it’s only used in the highest of motorsport applications. The substantial Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (285/30 ZR18 rear and 215/45 ZR17 front) are fitted to ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels, available in red, black or silver as standard. The optional full exhaust system in titanium enables also to remove 10 kg from beyond the rear axle.

Racing performance

Extremely quick off the line, the Exige Cup 380 laps the Hethel track in 1 minute 26 seconds – a record for a road-legal Exige. Packing the same 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine as the Exige Race 380 and featuring a close-ratio, six-speed manual transmission as standard, the new Exige Cup 380 boasts 375 hp at 6,700 rpm and 410 Nm (302 lbft) of torque at 5,000 rpm. Stopping power is provided by AP Racing forged, four-piston brake calipers and grooved performance two-piece brake discs. The Exige Cup 380 features as well four user selectable ESP modes (Drive, Sport, Race and Off). Sport, Race and Off increase throttle response, lower traction slip thresholds and remove understeer recognition to provide a finer degree of driver control before intervention and utilises an engine exhaust bypass valve which reduces exhaust back pressure at higher engine speeds.



To harness the huge hike in downforce, and provide increased mechanical grip, the Exige Cup 380 features larger rear tyres (285/30 ZR18 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2) as standard. In a new development, the Lotus Exige Cup 380 includes a variable traction control function which is linked directly to the ECU and allows the amount of wheel slip to be set by the driver. The six-position rotary switch is located on the steering column and is only available with ESP switched off, with the percentage of target wheel slip from 1% to 12% in five settings and “off”, displayed via the instrument cluster. The Exige has long been regarded as delivering benchmark handling, but owners of the Exige Cup 380 can configure the set-up, thanks to the Nitron two-way adjustable dampers and Eibach adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars fitted as standard. Other racing additions include a towing eye at the front and a fabric tow strap at the rear. Buyers can also specify a number of additions and deletions, including FIA compliant roll cage, full race harness, electrical cut-off and fire extinguisher controls as well as airbag deletion and a non-airbag steering wheel.

Interior

Specifications

PERFORMANCE*

	Manual
Max power	375 hp at 6700 rpm (380 PS) (280 kW)
Max torque	302 lbft at 5,000 rpm (410 Nm)
0-60 mph	3.4 seconds
0-100 km/h	3.6 seconds
Max speed	175 mph
Aerodynamic downforce at max speed	200 kg
Kerb weight	1105 kg
Dry weight	1071 kg
Lowest possible dry weight	1057 kg
EMISSION AND FUEL CONSUMPTION (l/100 km*)
Urban	19.5 (14.1)
Extra Urban	37.2 (8.3)
Combined	28.0 (10.4)
CO2 emissions, Combined	242 g/km

Source: http://www.lotuscars.com/exige-cup-380

Ferrari Sergio - Concept car

Exclusivity, innovation and passion

It is named Sergio, after the man who led Pininfarina for 40 years and conceived some of the greatest car legends. It is the new, amazing concept car created to celebrate the Life Senator Sergio Pininfarina. At its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show 2013, the Sergio joins the brand that has so marked the history of Pininfarina: Ferrari. The Sergio, in fact, is a two-seater barchetta that looks to the future, very compact, very sporty, racy, pure and sensual. An exercise that Pininfarina decided to undertake on Ferrari 458 Spider mechanicals. Its formal interpretation is absolutely free, in the best tradition of the Pininfarina research which has produced so many Ferrari-based concept cars or unique models now recognised as masterpieces.
 

The result is a modern, organic view of the mid-rear-engined two-seater barchetta. The willingness to revisit volumes and surface treatments in a subliminal way emerges with the Sergio, which evokes the spirit of Pininfarina's best achievements for Ferrari of the ‘60s and ‘70s. A radical object, unique and essential, which rejects the superfluous and is performance-oriented. A real open air car with an explicit nod to racing cars, in the sense that a cupola is not fitted to protect occupants, for which two helmets are provided. Its exclusivity and development on the basis of a production car, in fact, sets the Sergio in the tradition of the great Pininfarina custom-made cars specifically designed for "special" clients. It is therefore a real car that can easily be produced in limited series of a few units.

A custom-made car designed to convey emotions

The Sergio is distinguished by a very simple and clear style, that becomes memorable the moment you look at it. Proportions pushed to the extreme, a dynamic front volume penetrating into a rear that is projected forward, a sculpted, three-dimensional interpretation of the typical barchetta. The composition of the two body masses through a longitudinal black insert becomes the design's guideline.

The Sergio also expresses an iconicity linked to ‘60s Ferraris proposing bulging and sensual wings inspired by those of sports cars and racing cars of that era, achieved by compacting all volume accessories as much as possible. The extreme lightness of the Sergio, which appears to float with the front up, is a direct result of aerodynamic research.

The front semi-floating development with the spoiler under the front, expresses aesthetic force and is at the same time functional for the stabilisation of the aerodynamic load and the heat exchange. The aerodynamic deflector in front of the cockpit also creates a virtual windscreen through the deviation of the air flow, protecting the passengers from turbulence.

The roll bar, designed as a wing surface, is perfectly tuned to the evolution of the flow coming from the front, adding a further down force effect. Finally, the rear nolder and the extractor close the design effectively and functionally. Still on the subject of aerodynamics, even the rear-view mirror takes on a fluid form that, given the flow of the front baffle, helps to divert air from the heads of the passengers.

To enhance the formal purity of the Pininfarina style criterion, all the technical parts of the Sergio (handles, fins, air intake holes) are concentrated in dark parts of the body, leaving the red painted parts free.

The Numbers

Maximum length: 4550 mm
Maximum width: 1940 mm
Maximum height: 1140 mm
Boot capacity: 110 litres
Power train (original Ferrari 458 Spider): 4499cc V8; Sequential gearbox 7M + RM
Package: 2 doors, 2 seats
Chassis: original 458 Spider
Cx XS: about 5% lower than the original car
Weight: about 1280 kg
Maximum speed: approx 320 km/h
Acceleration from 0 to 100: less than 3.4 seconds

The Interior

Source: http://www.pininfarina.com/en/sergio

Arash AF10 Hybrid - Max system power 2080bhp

Arash AF10 Hybrid

The 2017 Arash AF10 Hybrid was first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show 2016. The new car is a significant improvement over the previous-gen. It costs 1.57 million dollars.

Spaceship technology

The things that matter – It’s tear-drop cabin over a wing plane surface. Fixed rear wing and moving front wing for when it’s needed – big speed. With the tight cabin, you could argue the AF10 has more spaceship DNA than car.

The body is carbon reinforced plastic with aluminium honeycomb sandwich construction throughout. Naked polished finishes in defined areas. Front and side aerofoils. Fixed active rear wing with smaller lower fixed rear wing as well as an active front high speed wing. I also includes 2 x  dihedral hydro electically lifting doors with safety anti-drop valve system. Neonode Air Bar gesture open system. Arash AP via Vodafone for body functions on Apple Watch or Iphone.
To access to the hear of the beast, and electro hydraulic rear engine cover and front bonnet lift.

The wheels  are 20 x 12 inch rear, 19 x 9 inch fronts. Tyres – Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, premium super car tyre. 345, 30 – 20 (Y) rear

The chassis it’s awesome! It’s a carbon bathtub – a tub in car world lingo. It has a patented 13 piece construction. Very strong, light, stiff – like a plastic construction toy block  – which sounds like ‘eggo’. Everything hangs off this structure. It’s what F1 and endurance sports cars have and the AF10 looks really cool when being assembled.

The engine, motors and transmission

The  petrol engine is a 6,2 litre V8 with a compact supercharger mounted inside its V cavity. No need for a large surface mounted pump – it all sits low and cools itself well with a built in charge cooler.
This engine again is simplified and lightened by using 2 valves per piston – makes the head size compact.

 All rotating parts are below your waist when seated in the car – crank, piston, gearbox bits, clutch. That makes AF10 a great go cart feel. Its 6.2 litres of direct injected power with 120kg total weight. (Mainly aluminium parts).

Additionally to the petrol engine, the beast has four electric motors. The total power is insane. It’s 1180 BHP electric motors, plus 900 BHP petrol engine, thus total 2080 BHP! If the acronyms are too much to put it into other words that’s really, really, really, REALLY fast.

Each of the 4 electric motors in the Warp Drive System are outputting:

220 KW; 270 Torque Nm; 13000 RPM.

Regarding the transmission, each electric motor has its own gearbox with 2 speeds. Petrol engine has a 6 speed manual or paddleshift gearbox.

Performance

The all-new AF10 has an impressive acceleration time of just 2.8 seconds from 0-60 mph. After all it is 4 wheel drive.


Top Speed
Overall more than 201mph with combustion engine
Overall more than 200mph with electric motors

Acceleration
0 -100km (62mph)    less than 3 seconds
0-200kmh  (124mph) less than 8 seconds
0 – 300kmh (186mph) less than 27 seconds

Overtaking acceleration
80-120kmh (50-75mph) less than 1.8s

Acceleration in electric mode only
0 – 60kmh  (37mph)  less than 3 seconds
0 -100kmh (62mph)  less than 5 seconds

The Interior

The interior is pure lightweight carbon. The seats, the dash, the lot.

Equipment

 Electro hydraulic door opening system with soft close.

Neonode with Air Bar door gesture system. Infotainment system with Air Bar touch-less sat nav, OBD, climate control.

Source: http://arashcars.com/af10/

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