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New Porsche 911 GT3 is out. Big news: No manual gearbox. The PDK is the only option.

Here's a video with one of the engineers discussing some of the challenges with thenew GT3 and the decision to go with the PDK only.

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[Donnington93]

(03-06-2013 07:43 PM)Athlone McGinnis Wrote:  

(03-06-2013 04:06 AM)porscheguy Wrote:  

Technically this is Ferrari's first hybrid:

The fact that hybrid technology was forced onto F1 tells me all I need to know about it: it's a joke. I wonder who they're pandering to by putting it in a road car?

I meant production hybrid.

As for who they're pandering to, my answer would be the large environmentalist lobby in the EU, USA and other parts of the western world. Carmakers of all kinds are facing pressure about going green, so all of them (even the supercar makers) have something to gain by at least looking like they're trying to comply.

Athlone and Porscheguy, no offence dudes but it is ignorant to suggest that they are pandering to anybody's environmental sensitivities aside from the idiots who read "HYBRID FERRARI DEBUTS" on HuffPost, and then goes back to looking at cat pictures. Ok, maybe that's plenty of people, but as car guys, you should know better.

First of all, this is natural. Technology always flows downstream from F1 and other racing to road cars. Best example, automated manuals. Semi-automatic gearboxes from F1, dual clutches from LeMans cars etc.

Second, these "hybrids" have fuck all in common with fuel saving hybrid systems like you'd see on the Prius or Fusion. Those use regenerative braking and Atkinson cycle gasoline engines to conserve fuel and lower emissions by recapturing kinetic energy through braking and the Atkinson engine which features much more efficient combustion.

What these systems do is totally different.. The powertrains in these cars would rip ass with or without the hybrid system. The P1 uses a 700+ horsepower TT V8 and the LaFerrari also makes obscene power figures. The hybrid systems are icing on the cake. The "hybrid" is designed to give you a short burst of extra power by recapturing the kinetic energy and storing it for use on demand. There is no Atkinson engine to help increase efficiency.

Frankly, these KERS systems (as they are called in Formula 1) are fucking awesome. You know those cheesy scenes in Go In 60 Seconds where Nic Cage holds down the NOS button to get the extra nitrous boost out of the Shelby? This is the real life equivalent of that. I don't know if you guys have ever driven a electric car before, but something like the Tesla delivers absolutely ruthless acceleration instantly. Electric motors make max torque at 1 RPM in a totally linear fashion.

Now, most auto makers do have to "pander" to the US and EU regulations by building hybrids and EVs to comply with the absurd fuel economy regulations set out by the government. But guess who doesn't? Not Ferrari, or Lambo, or Porsche or McLaren. Yeah, they may get fined by the government, but it doesn't hurt them one bit. Ferrari makes $50 million off their branded merchandise alone. As if the cars weren't expensive enough, not to mention their profitable Formula 1 programs, servicing, consulting for other OEMS (oh yeah, they do that. You would be amazed). These guys are the 1 percent of the auto world. They can do whatever the fuck they want and you and I will still be put on a waiting list if they released a fucking Tata Nano with a prancing horse badge and a lawn mower engine. Furthermore, as the innovation leaders of the car world they can't afford not to experiment with this stuff at a bare minimum.

Interestingly, the P1 can run on pure electric power for a number of miles. Presumably this is for low speed city driving, but the whole point of that in a supercar is to let the Tubi's sing so everyone else feels poor.

And there's your Auto Industry lesson for the day.

TL;DR I'd way rather have an F40

[Donnington93]

(03-08-2013 02:48 AM)Athlone McGinnis Wrote:  

New Porsche 911 GT3 is out. Big news: No manual gearbox. The PDK is the only option.

Here's a video with one of the engineers discussing some of the challenges with thenew GT3 and the decision to go with the PDK only.

Don't listen to ANY of this scripted PR horseshit. There is only one reason this happened. The GT3 started out as a hardcore 911 for only the nuttiest most batshit track junkie P-Car owners.

Slowly it has evolved from that into a more volume car bought by nouveau riche as a status symbol. That means daily driving in bad traffic in congested cities both in North America, Europe and increasingly, the BRIC countries plus Japan and Thailand.

The clutch of the GT3 feels like it's attached to a leg press machine with 5 plates per side. Going with the PDK was a no-brainer to expand its appeal to the guys who want the image of being bad-ass track drivers. They may have the $2k Carbon Fiber Arai helmet and the custom made Stand21 gear but they'll be stuck in the beginner group at track days forever because they are either too pussy to go fast or their egos are too big to listen to the instructor.

Once upon a time, cars like the 996 and 997 GT3 would maime or kill these fuckers. Porsche realized that it's time to tone it down to sell more high profit 911 variants and make them sell like heroes.

[Kingsley Davis]

"Hanging the engine behind the rear axle creates the [ofter mentioned] pendulum effect but one of the major contributors to 'going around' in a 911 is that under power the 911 transfers much of its weight aft. When a 911 enters a corner fast and its driver gets into the brakes hard while trying to negotiate a corner you're going to be transferring that rear weight bias to the front of the car and onto what used to be a lightly loaded front end. The extra tire grip up front coupled with the unloading of the rear tires can quickly introduce you to the 'pendulum effect' . Welcome to the world of over steer . The 911 requires a different learning curve than its front engined competition if you want to drive it fast and master its capabilities. With practice, a 911 will corner at incredible speeds and happily exit any corner with its nose pointed in the right direction . Just make sure that you have a lot of 'error' room while learning the dynamics of these wonderful cars. Once mastered, the rewards of driving a 911 at speed are considerable - they're fantastic cars. Just remember to never forget the laws of physics when playing hard in a 911 or any spirited car for that matter. Obeying those laws will prevent your significant other from becoming the proverbial 'widow'. "


Got an erection reading this.

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(03-09-2013 08:42 PM)Donnington93 Wrote:  

Athlone and Porscheguy, no offence dudes but it is ignorant to suggest that they are pandering to anybody's environmental sensitivities aside from the idiots who read "HYBRID FERRARI DEBUTS" on HuffPost, and then goes back to looking at cat pictures. Ok, maybe that's plenty of people, but as car guys, you should know better.

You're right about everything. I simply meant to note that carmakers do gain a PR edge from the "hybrid" headline. Yes, perhaps they don't all need to solicit for it. Yes, perhaps the hybrid tech is a natural step forward. And yes, the "hybrids" they're making are not the Prius/Insight kind most immediately think of upon hearing the word. But the benefit is there,whether it comes from false perception or not. That's all I'm saying.

Anyway, since we're talking about KERS:

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[presidentcarter]

Enzo WRC:

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Jeff Gordon trolls to the max in a dealership's Camaro:

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(03-13-2013 03:18 PM)Athlone McGinnis Wrote:  

Jeff Gordon trolls to the max in a dealership's Camaro:

That was awesome!

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(03-13-2013 10:13 AM)presidentcarter Wrote:  

Enzo WRC:

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To my shock (I figured it'd be a one-off), Mercedes is actually serious about building this. Wealthy Saudis, Bahrainis, Emiratis and other oil rich Arabs rejoiced.

Quote:

There is no doubt about the target group Mercedes-Benz had in mind when developing the G 63 AMG 6x6 pre-production off-road vehicle. The pictures set in the desert and press release say it all: “The show vehicle is able to storm up the highest sand dunes with ease while sand tracks hold no fears thanks to its unshakable directional stability.”

Keeping that in mind, it is only natural that the G 63 AMG 6x6 is defined by excess. Take its footprint for instance: it is 5.87 meters (231 inches) long, 2.1 meters (82.7 inches) wide and 2.3 meters tall (90.6 inches), it weighs 3.85 tons and has a ground clearance of 460 mm (18.1 inches), more than double than the standard G 63 AMG, which sits “only” 210 mm (8.3 inches) above the ground. Needless to say, the G 63 AMG 6x6 is a machine designed to go anywhere.

Six driven wheels, an off-road low-range ratio in the transfer case, portal axles, no less than five differential locks which can be engaged on the move and a tyre-pressure control system which inflates the huge six tyres from a sand-friendly 0.5 bar to a tarmac-ready 1.8 bar in less than 20 seconds while the vehicle is running – all these features say all about the 6x6 pickup’s off-road capability.

As one would imagine, the 5.5-liter turbo V8 engine developing 544 horsepower and 760 Nm (560 lb-ft) of torque is not quite frugal, especially in this case where it has to move a 3.85-ton vehicle.

Although Mercedes-Benz didn’t reveal fuel economy and performance figures, it did say that it added a 63-liter tank to the standard 96-liter tank, for a total capacity of 159 liters. Given that, people who will buy this pickup won’t care at all about fuel economy, all they need to know is the pickup can complete a trip to the desert with their hunting falcons.

While on the outside the G 63 AMG 6x6 looks set to tackle every challenge nature could throw at it, the cabin is as luxurious as possible. It has four heated and ventilated individual seats upholstered in 'designo' leather with contrasting stitching, leather-covered dashboard and door panels and Alcantara covering on the roof liner and pillars. There also an AMG carbon fiber trim, with even the load area lined with tough bamboo.

Mercedes didn’t offer pricing details, saying it will decide to build the G 63 AMG 6x6 depending on the response to the near-series show vehicle.

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[el mechanico]

This thing looks like a blast to drive

[Fujiwara]

Cars 36 and 38 especially interest me since I've been riding around in those model cars since I was born... anyone else here that can identify them?

These people are some crazy folks- driving from China to France, on shitty roads, in vintage cars. Sounds like fun to me! linky: http://www.endurorally.com/pages/5th-pek...rally-2013

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[Don]

2014 Audi RS7

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An odd car, but it has grown on me as of late.

[DjembaDjemba]

Ever since moving to Alberta, been exposed to quite a few off roaders and trucks. Fine beasts they are especially in the industry and the areas where we travel.

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