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Motor Authority - blog Tag: Track Day

  • KTM Shuts Down X-Bow Production As Demand Stalls

    KTM Shuts Down X-Bow Production As Demand Stalls August 24th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, August 24th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 3 Comments

    KTM Shuts Down X-Bow Production As Demand Stalls

    Between the Ariel Atom, Lotus 2-Eleven, the various Caterham Lotus 7 derivatives and the KTM X-Bow, there's no shortage of excellent track-specific open-air and semi-open-wheel toys out there for those with a real need for speed. But so far, demand for the KTM X-Bow hasn't been enough to keep sales going, and KTM is shutting down production to help balance inventory.

    Perhaps it's unsurprising that a niche sports car  should find itself in financial difficulty during the worst recession in decades, but on the other hand, the car was never intended to be a high-volume seller - only 1,000 of the cars were planned, even though several special...

    Between the Ariel Atom, Lotus 2-Eleven, the various Caterham Lotus 7 derivatives and the KTM X-Bow, there's no shortage of excellent track-specific open-air and semi-open-wheel toys out there for those with a real need for speed. But so far, demand for the KTM X-Bow hasn't been enough to keep sales going, and KTM is shutting down production to help balance inventory. Perhaps it's unsurprising that a niche sports car  should find itself in financial difficulty during the worst recession in decades, but on the other hand, the car was never intended to be a high-volume seller - only 1,000 of the cars were planned, even though several special editions and a GT4-homologated race car are among the offerings. Only 420 have been sold to date, and there are close to 80 unsold X-Bows sitting in dealer and factory inventory right now, meaning the production run must be stopped at its half-way point for the time being. Those that had planned to get their track-day toy once the economy righted itself need not start cross-shopping Atoms and Caterhams, however, as KTM does plan to re-initiate productino next year, boosting output to 200 units annually to make up for the down time once people start spending again. [Le Blog Auto] Read More

  • Audi And Autobahn Country Club Team To Deliver Track Time

    Audi And Autobahn Country Club Team To Deliver Track Time August 11th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, August 11th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 0 Comments

    Audi And Autobahn Country Club Team To Deliver Track Time

    It's a match made in heaven: Audi sports cars and the Autobahn Country Club's incredibly technical, challenging road course. Located just outside Chicago in Joliet, Illinois, the track will be seeing a lot more Audi-brand vehicles now that the carmaker has partnered with the club to offer high-performance test drives.

    Dubbed 'The Autobahn Experience', the high-performance driving event will feature two Audi models: the TTS Coupe and the S5 Coupe. Intended to help new owners and existing customers sharpen their high-speed skills, the program offers track time and professional instruction in both autocross and road course settings.

    The TTS ...

    It's a match made in heaven: Audi sports cars and the Autobahn Country Club's incredibly technical, challenging road course. Located just outside Chicago in Joliet, Illinois, the track will be seeing a lot more Audi-brand vehicles now that the carmaker has partnered with the club to offer high-performance test drives. Dubbed 'The Autobahn Experience', the high-performance driving event will feature two Audi models: the TTS Coupe and the S5 Coupe. Intended to help new owners and existing customers sharpen their high-speed skills, the program offers track time and professional instruction in both autocross and road course settings. The TTS Coupes that are to be used for the course are equipped with Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system, magnetic ride control suspension, the standard 265-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, capable of hitting 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. The S5 uses its 354-horsepower V-8 engine and rear-biased quattro system to achieve the exact same 0-60 mph time. “The typical Audi customer is a perfect match for Autobahn Country Club,” said Mark Basso, President and Founder, Autobahn Country Club. So if you're an Audi owner or fan and lucky enough to be in the Chicagoland area, get yourself over to Autobahn Country Club and into some Audi track time. A range of programs beyond the Audi experience area also available, including half-day, one-day and two-day driving schools plus teen defensive driving and Kart Instruction. [Audi] Read More

  • Video: Colin Braun shows Queen Latifah the ropes in the new 2010 Mustang GT

    Video: Colin Braun shows Queen Latifah the ropes in the new 2010 Mustang GT August 6th, 2009 ByRalph Hanson Ralph Hanson, Author, August 6th, 2009 Ralph Hanson 0 Comments

    Video: Colin Braun shows Queen Latifah the ropes in the new 2010 Mustang GT It's not everyday that a hip hop artist and actress like Queen Latifah climbs into the cockpit to hit the track for some high-speed driving lessons, but with Ford's marketing department eager to boost sales of the 2010 Mustang in the face of competition from the very hot 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, the game has just stepped up a notch.

    Heavy on hype and low on content, this first episode focuses largely on Latifah's enthusiasm for the Mustang itself, though there is some on-track time with coach and young NASCAR Truck Series driver Colin Braun.

    The ostensible reason behind the video shoot was prep for Latifah's inclusion of a new Mustang in the... It's not everyday that a hip hop artist and actress like Queen Latifah climbs into the cockpit to hit the track for some high-speed driving lessons, but with Ford's marketing department eager to boost sales of the 2010 Mustang in the face of competition from the very hot 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, the game has just stepped up a notch. Heavy on hype and low on content, this first episode focuses largely on Latifah's enthusiasm for the Mustang itself, though there is some on-track time with coach and young NASCAR Truck Series driver Colin Braun. The ostensible reason behind the video shoot was prep for Latifah's inclusion of a new Mustang in the extended cut of her music video for the song 'Fast Cars'. Whatever the occasion, however, it's always fun to hear an American V8 singing like it was meant to, and despite hitting some decent slip angles, the 2010 'Stang looks pretty composed on the track. Check out the video below to see for yourself.Queen Latifah gets some Mustang lessons from Colin Braun Read More

  • Mercedes AMG Driving Academy coming to the U.S., bringing 2011 SLS AMG

    Mercedes AMG Driving Academy coming to the U.S., bringing 2011 SLS AMG June 24th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson Nelson Ireson, Author, June 24th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 0 Comments

    Mercedes AMG Driving Academy coming to the U.S., bringing 2011 SLS AMG If you're an AMG fan or just a fan of driving fast cars fast, you're probably aware of the Mercedes AMG Driving Academy. Unfortunately, those of us in the U.S. had to travel to Europe to take advantage of it - until now.

    Mercedes is bringing the AMG Driving Academy program, including Stage I, Stage I SLS,and Stage II, to Lime Rock Park, Palm Beach International Raceway and Laguna Seca Raceway. That gives the AMG school coverage of the northeast, southeast and western U.S. Some of the cars students will get to drive include the E63 AMG, SL63 AMG, C63 AMG, SLK55 AMG and the CLK63 AMG Black Series.

    Stage I schools are a one-day program... If you're an AMG fan or just a fan of driving fast cars fast, you're probably aware of the Mercedes AMG Driving Academy. Unfortunately, those of us in the U.S. had to travel to Europe to take advantage of it - until now. Mercedes is bringing the AMG Driving Academy program, including Stage I, Stage I SLS,and Stage II, to Lime Rock Park, Palm Beach International Raceway and Laguna Seca Raceway. That gives the AMG school coverage of the northeast, southeast and western U.S. Some of the cars students will get to drive include the E63 AMG, SL63 AMG, C63 AMG, SLK55 AMG and the CLK63 AMG Black Series. Stage I schools are a one-day program designed to teach the fundamentals of performance driving dynamics and car control maneuvers using customized exercises that emphasize the power and handling capabilities of AMG vehicles. Drivers get to test their skills on-track and during a performance course competition. The Stage I program fee is $1,895 per driver. The SLS version of the Stage I academy will only be offered at Laguna Seca Raceway November 17-20, and offers a chance to be among the first to drive the all-new 2011 SLS AMG. This special version of Stage I includes a night's stay at the InterContinental Hotel in Monterey, CA and is priced at $2,295. Finally, Stage II is a two-day program for drivers that have complete Stage I. It provides a deep level of technical driver training both on and off the track. The main changes to Stage I are significantly more track time and use of a computer driver training and evaluation system via on-board diagnostics and in-car cameras. The Stage II fee is $3,495 per student. If you're interested in getting behind the wheel at one of these events, you'll have several opportunities: Lime Rock Park hosts its event September 9-15, followed by Palm Beach International Raceway September 22-27, and Laguna Seca Raceway with the standard program November 7-8 and the SLS program November 17-20. Read More

  • Radical updates SR3, adds RS badge after win at Rockingham Speedway

    Radical updates SR3, adds RS badge after win at Rockingham Speedway May 1st, 2009 By Nelson Ireson Nelson Ireson, Author, May 1st, 2009 Nelson Ireson 1 Comment

    Radical updates SR3, adds RS badge after win at Rockingham Speedway Hardcore motorsport fans are no doubt familiar with Radical Sportscars, makers of the legendary Nordschleife record-holding SR8. But they also make a range of cars for the track-day enthusiast, including one of their most popular cars, the SR3. This week the SR3 gets a new name to match its new-for-2009 underpinnings: the SR3 RS, named after the location of its maiden win, the UK's Rockingham Speedway.

    The upgraded car was introduced to the public as simply the SR3 at the Autosport International show this January, despite having undergone extensive upgrades. A stiffer chassis, FIA-compliant crash structures, new aerodynamics borrowed from... Hardcore motorsport fans are no doubt familiar with Radical Sportscars, makers of the legendary Nordschleife record-holding SR8. But they also make a range of cars for the track-day enthusiast, including one of their most popular cars, the SR3. This week the SR3 gets a new name to match its new-for-2009 underpinnings: the SR3 RS, named after the location of its maiden win, the UK's Rockingham Speedway. The upgraded car was introduced to the public as simply the SR3 at the Autosport International show this January, despite having undergone extensive upgrades. A stiffer chassis, FIA-compliant crash structures, new aerodynamics borrowed from Radical's SR8LM, and major upgrades to the two available engines combine to significantly improve overall performance. “The SR3 Supersport was a hard act to follow but the RS has made significant steps forward in all areas," said Radical co-founder Phil Abbott. "You can place the car anywhere you want on the circuit in the blink of an eye and in the corners the car has unbelievable grip. On the infield we were able to catch up with the SR8’s and we won the SR3 Class with comparative ease.” The upgraded engines put down 10hp (7kW) more than their predecessors thanks to a newly designed combustion chamber, titanium valves and reworked ECU. The 2009 SR3 RS is available with a choice of either 1340cc or 1500cc Powertec Suzuki engines. The final update for the SR3 RS is a new steering wheel readout system that includes a new data display and logging system.2009 Radical SR3 RS Read More

  • First Competition Sport package Z06 to be raffled off by National Corvette Museum

    First Competition Sport package Z06 to be raffled off by National Corvette Museum April 30th, 2009 ByRalph Hanson Ralph Hanson, Author, April 30th, 2009 Ralph Hanson 1 Comment

    First Competition Sport package Z06 to be raffled off by National Corvette Museum In the performance-per-dollar race, the Chevrolet Corvette is still one of the leaders, despite encroachment by Nissan's GT-R and others. For 2009, Corvette is planning a new 'Competition Sport' package for Z51 and Z06 models that focuses on adding a bit more capability without unduly compromising daily comfort. Today the National Corvette Museum will raffle off the first example - a 'blade silver' car with black stripes like the one pictured above.

    The raffle is limited to 500 tickets, so chances of winning are very good - but it'll cost you $425 per ticket. You'll also need to be quick if you want to get in on it - the car will be given... In the performance-per-dollar race, the Chevrolet Corvette is still one of the leaders, despite encroachment by Nissan's GT-R and others. For 2009, Corvette is planning a new 'Competition Sport' package for Z51 and Z06 models that focuses on adding a bit more capability without unduly compromising daily comfort. Today the National Corvette Museum will raffle off the first example - a 'blade silver' car with black stripes like the one pictured above. The raffle is limited to 500 tickets, so chances of winning are very good - but it'll cost you $425 per ticket. You'll also need to be quick if you want to get in on it - the car will be given away at 2pm Central time today, Thursday April 30th. “We are excited to have the first produced representing this extraordinary Corvette model to use as a fundraiser,” states National Corvette Museum Executive Director, Wendell Strode. “We appreciate the allocation from our friends at GM allowing us the chance to purchase this car for use as a fundraiser, and look forward to meeting the winner when they take delivery at the Museum. We hope that by continuing to offer these raffles to benefit the Museum, we are also giving someone an opportunity to become a Corvette owner that might not have had the opportunity.” The Competition Sport upgrade package costs $3,350 on Z51 models and about $2,725 for the Z06s so equipped, according to sources at Jalopnik. Those figures bring the total price of the Competition Sport Z51 to $55,655 and the CS Z06 to $77,500. Whether that's a fair price for what primarily amounts to an appearance package will be decided by the market. Only about 600 of the cars will be built. The big 6.2L and 7.0L LS3 and LS7 engines at the heart of the eligible Corvettes already create an abundance of power, so instead of going that route, Corvette decided to further tune the suspension and stopping power of the Competition Sport cars. The 1LT Coupe does get a slight 6hp (4kW) bump in power, however, thanks to a slightly less restrictive exhaust. For the 1LT Coupes, the Z51 performance package is included, meaning bigger brakes, stiffer springs, reworked dampers, a new differential cooler for the limited-slip diff and a different axle ratio combine to improve track-day responsiveness and capability without taking the car to the extremes of the Z06 or ZR-1. The upgrade to the Z06 equipped with the Competition Sport package are purely cosmetic, however. A unique engine cover, racing pedals, a set of custom race numbers, custom wheels, ebony/titanium interior scheme and exterior graphics complete the package, promising as much race-day appearance as performance.Corvette Competition Sport package Read More

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