In motorsports, there is no way to predict what is going to happen that will ruin a race day. Let it be an unexpected mechanical failure, a poorly-made decision or collisions with the other drivers while on the circuit, these are the things that race teams will just have to live with. But Lotus would have to add another possibility into the list as their trip in Le Mans was cut short when their LMP2 cars and parts were seized by local courts.

As shocking as this may be, this is the situation that Lotus has to endure for the time being. It is reported that both their new T128 endurance racers which will be entering the LMP2 class were seized after a court decision was made in June 18. Apparently, the seizing was made because the Kodewa squad did not meet its financial commitments to an undisclosed partner, which had filed the motion.

Eyewitness also reported that they saw the German team dismantling both their race cars which includes components like the gearboxes, suspensions, steering wheels and other small bits being put onto a flatbed hauler to be transported outside the circuit. While the details of this incident are still very sketchy, an official statement is expected from the team tomorrow.

The No.31 Lotus LMP2 T128 race cars will be driven by James Rossiter, Kevin Weeda and Christophe Bouchut, while the No.32 will have Thomas Holzer, Dominik Kraihamer and Jan Charouz as the drivers.

Source 1, Source 2

Photo from James Roller’s Twitter

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Every single time when Nissan comes out with a new GT-R, we know it is going to be meaner and definitely faster. So when word comes out that a road-bound Nismo GT-R is coming out soon, it will surely be another monster on the streets; which we were right. This budget supercar-eater is now gaining attention as reports are coming in saying that Nismo engineers are aiming to make the Nismo GT-R ‘the fastest Nissan ever’.

Does this not sound terrifying? Then let us take a quick look at the GT-R specs, the 2013 model especially as that could already scare the crap out of most supercars. While still housing a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, it now has 545-horsepower in its disposal. Mated to a dual-clutch six-speed gearbox, zerotohundred is dealt in just 3-seconds flat.

And even before the birth of their new Frankenstein, Nissan has already set a targeted time for the new GT-R to go around the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes 18 seconds; 6 seconds faster than the 2011 model. This time will probably be achieved through the probability of the Nismo GT-R’s increased power to “more than 570-horsepower”.

For the time being, Nissan is trying not to release too much information on their next mega project, and only tells Top Gear that the car is currently in the development phase. But Nissan did state that the Nismo GT-R “will be of great value and offer the same concept as other Nismo products: more power, better handling and improved looks”.

With those assuring words, blitzing around the Green Hell in 7 minutes 18 seconds does not seem impossible at all, does it?

Source

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Paving the way of the future – it was a race of the racing hybrids in Sepang last Sunday. Taking home a one-two finish for the GT300 class were Honda CR-Z GT hybrids from two hot teams – AUTOBACS Racing Team Aguri & Mugen. As the flag goes off and the grid starts dispersing, the race became a fierce battle between the two CR-Zs.

Despite taking pole position during qualifying, ARTA’s CR-Z GT driven by Shinichi Takagi only managed a small lead for the first 5 laps of the race. It was absolutely tight, with its close competitor right up its tail. Only until the 7th lap – where they managed to pull a 2-second lead over Mugen’s CR-Z GT and kept the lead all the way to the finish.

It’s been a rough time for ARTA as they’ve been returning with rather disappointing results from the last 2 rounds – “so I have to admit that I felt pressure coming into this race at Sepang.” says Shinichi Takagi. The team admits that it was not easy, and that because their closest and biggest competitor, the Mugen CR-Z GT were also running the same tyres and machine made the race that much more interesting.

Position #2 went to the Mugen CR-Z GT – which too was experiencing the same situation as it’s rival. Although they are seemingly similar to each other, one small factor kicks in as the Mugen team has a weight handicap that they had to carry. Despite the minor disadvantage, they still manage to keep a close 2-second gap between the #1 car.

It was nothing short of exhilarating to watch the two hybrids chasing for the win, but another interesting battle was between the Subaru BRZ R&D Sport - GAINER Rn-SPORTS DIXCEL Mercedes SLS – and ManePa LAMBORGHINI GT3 who were fighting for position #3.

Coming from 7th on the grid, Gainer Dixcel SLS driven by Katsuyuki Hiranaka/Bjorn Wirdheim made up 3 places by the first turn and pulling team Subaru BRZ down by 1 position. At the same time, ManePa Lamborghini driven by Manabu Orido/Takayuki Aoki were also running strong and chasing down. Although they did not manage a podium finish, they certainly gave the Subaru BRZ a good fight, as they were hunted down with many close calls on turns between the two teams.

In the end though, Gainer Dixcel SLS took home the 3rd position and marking their podium finish at Super GT Round 3.

Results of Super GT Round 3 – Sepang International Circuit

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Packing 260-horsepower, it is the most powerful road-going car in Peugeot’s history. Unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the production version of the Peugeot RCZ R Concept will be making its world premiere at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, this July 12.

While there is no information on whether the car will be sporting the eye-catching matte black and copper paintwork as Peugeot is trying to keep a tight lid on the matter, they did confirm that the specifications for the RCZ R are identical as to the Paris Show study.

Housing a modified version of the PSA Peugeot-Citroen and BMW Group co-developed 1.6-liter THP turbocharged engine, the power plant squeezes out 260 horses from the inline-four unit. It also produces CO2 emissions of 155g/km, which is not bad for a car in its kind.

The RCZ R is also fitted with a new Torsen limited slip differential to keep all the horses in control at the front axle. Peugeot engineers have also fiddled with the suspension setup and fitting it with bigger wheels and wider tires to improve its handling characteristics.

Source

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Ok, so the Red Bull livery might not make the Peugeot 208 T16 as cool as it was during its matte black days. But it is still a daunting machine that does its job very well as on the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb testing, this 875-horsepower hill climber was the fastest even during its first test run.

Donning the legendary Pikes Peak-winning Peugeot 405 T16 racing colors, the new 208 T16 looks at home on the hills with nine-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb behind the wheels. And the combination truly did not disappoint as Peugeot says that the result of the team’s first weekend of practice was “particularly encouraging”, having the team taking a one-step-at-a-time approach.

The team first put the engine to the test on a test bench over at Colorado Springs to find out how the engine performed at such altitude. They then took the car to the town’s nearby “Speedway” to sign off the changes made since the car’s final test run in France. It was in this time Sebastien Loeb was able to learn the 156 turns of the course, assisted by his co-driver Daniel Elena.

The Peugeot 208 T16 went through the course for nine times so that Loeb was able to make a mental note of the whole course. “I feel very confident with the car. That’s a reassuring start, if only because of the speeds we get up here. We are already close to the limit in many places. All we need to do now is make some detail changes and we will be ready for the Big Day!” said Loeb.

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Eagle-eyed viewers would have seen the picture above – and can immediately conclude that its the new BMW 3-series coupe. But its not. Well, technically it is – however BMW has decided to rename one of their top selling models to have it’s own number. The number they’ve chosen is 4. So welcome everyone to the new BMW 4-series!

Other than its name, its all straight forward business. Just like any other ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’, the engine is shared amongst the rest. Base model begins with the 428i – powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, producing 240 horsepower and is good for a naught-to-sixty time of 5.7 seconds. The range then continues with the 435i which is powered by the 3.0-litre turbocharged straight six, which will do the same sprint in 5.3 seconds.

At the same time, BMW also released details about a new X-drive system which will be fitted alongside the engines mentioned. So as opposed to rear-wheel drive only – the new 4-series will now pack an extra option for when the going gets slippery. An 8-speed automatic will come as standard and tagged along with a 6-speed manual option. Interesting – as we have reached the age where the manual gearbox is the optional extra – and not the automatic box.

Coupe productions will begin in July, with expected delivery by the end of summer. BMW also announced that a convertible option is set to hit the showrooms too – which will begin production in November and hitting showrooms early next year. Prices for the US has been set – starting from $41,425.

With all this now announced – it seems that we’ll only be seeing a 4 door M3 and that brings us to only one question: What do you reckon of the name BMW M4? hmm…

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Super GT has always been one of the most coveted race events in Sepang – little wonder as it is the only Autobacs Super GT round that isn’t held in the land of the rising sun, Japan. We are unconditionally honoured, as a Malaysian and a fellow enthusiasts to witness one of the fastest race series in the world.

Being in its elements – the GT300 cars are more restricted, with regulations being amplified to keep the competition high. On the exterior, the GT300 cars resembles its road-going counterpart, but without a doubt that these cars mean serious business and even if they’re not as fast as the GT500 – it is just as exhilarating.

Saturday’s qualifying was breathtaking from the track-side – with the drivers all set and focused to get the best lap time possible for the day, and catching a good start on the grid.  Qualifying day certainly felt familar, as it is like our very own TIMETOATTACK. 24 teams and 48 drivers took position and attacked Sepang, with all these cars stationed and ready.

After a whole qualifying session – it brought the spectators to a surprise, as there were two little hybrids taking 2nd and pole position on the grid. Rest assured that although it looks like the 125 horsepower CR-Z that we see on the road, it’s racing brother is a serious little racer. Powered by a 2.8-litre twin-turbo engine, backed by a racing hybrid system – the CR-Z GT was electrifying on the track – literally!

Third position on the grid went to Team Subaru BRZ R&D SPORT – driven by Tetsuya Yamano & Kota Sasaki, they managed a time of 2:03.8 around Sepang.

Wrapping up the whole day – we could see the enthusiasm from the drivers and teams, fighting for a good position on grid. And even as a spectator, we could feel the raging tension in the pits. It was going to be an epic Sunday.

Here are the results of the starting grid:

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The new Nissan Almera Nismo Performance Package was given a global preview at last Sunday’s 2013 Super GT Round 3 taking place at Sepang International Circuit. Working together with Nissan Motorsports International Co. Ltd., this is a special milestone for Malaysia’s Nissan dealer Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn. Bhd.

Giving the family sedan a dash of sportiness from their own in-house motorsports tuning division, the Almera Nismo Performance Package will soon be available to car enthusiasts in Malaysia as it is scheduled to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2013. The Almera Nismo features an aerodynamic design specifically optimized for the Almera, coupled with enhanced handling characteristics and agility for a more dynamic driving experience.

The Almera Nismo also gets a couple of goodies on the outside to enhance its presence. Fitted to the car are front and rear bumper spoilers, side skirts, rear spoiler and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels. Sports suspension gives the Almera Nismo a comfortable and stable handling while a sporty sound is blessed through the Nismo Exhaust Muffler.

Under the hood, the car packs 102-horsepower and 139Nm of torque from a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. It also comes with Electric Power Steering, Anti-lock Braking System, Braking Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution. While the car is set to arrive in Malaysia soon, there is no word on the pricing for the time being.

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From pole position to the checkered flag, #12 CALSONIC IMPUL Nissan GT-R managed to secure its position in front of the GT500 crowd casing furiously to take the lead, earning them  the win at the 2013 AUTOBACS Super GT Round 3 at Sepang international Circuit.

After a quick driver change from Tsugio Matsuda to J.P. Lima De Oliveira behind the wheels of the GT500 GT-R, the 32-year-old Brazilian then continued the team’s charge to victory and finishing the 54-lap race 1’50:11.232. This is also De Oliveira’s third win in his racing career.

“It was a tough race for us as we had to keep the lead and at the same time struggle to take care of the tires. All in all, the victory came down to good teamwork. We had a really good pit-stop and that helped me to build rhythm and pace,” said De Oliveira.

Although the car was facing some oversteering problems during the early stages of the race, it is nothing that the drivers could not handle and soldiered on to the finish line.

“The team did a great job to put us on the top of the field throughout the race without any problems,” said Matsuda.

Coming in second was the #39 DENSO KOBELCO Lexus SC 430 which had started the race in fourth position on the grid, but managed to climb up the ranks to claim a spot on the podium. The #38 ZENT CERUMO Lexus SC 430 had the second position on the earlier parts of the race but due to a contact with the #1 REITO MOLA Nissan GT-R, they were forced to return to the pits due to a damaged right rear tire. The DENSO KOBELCO Lexus SC 430 with Juichi Wakisaka and Hiroaki Ishiura behind the wheels finished the race in 1’50:15.322.

Having started the race at fifth position, #100 RAYBRIG Honda HSV-010 GT stayed cleared off the crowd and took advantage of the commotion to secure third in the race. With Takuya Izawa taking the first stint followed by Takashi Kogure, their victory coincidentally completes the three machines participating in the GT500 class.

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With the weather being neither too hot nor too wet like how Sepang usually is, the GT500 race machines of the 2013 AUTOBACS Super GT blitzed across the Sepang International Circuit at tremendous speeds, all aiming to set the fastest time for the Round 3 Qualifying session. Running in a new two-session “knock-out” format for this season, seven cars were knocked out in Q1, leaving the other eight to battle it out for the pole position.

The HSV-010 was once a great weapon to attack Sepang, but the first one only appeared from the fifth position with the RAYBRIG HSV-010 piloted by Takuya Izawa and Takashi Kogure setting a time of 1:55.886 in the first qualifying session.

Although the Lexus SC 430 is the longest running model in the GT500 class among the three, it is still a potent weapon as it grabbed the second, third and fourth position on the grid. DENSO KOBELCO SC 430 qualified in fourth position with a time of 1:55.751 set on the second session of the qualifying.

Following closely at the back is KeePer TOM’s SC430 with a time of 1:55.688,…

…while ZENT CERUMO SC 430 qualified second on the grid with just a 0.1 second difference separating them.

But perfectly displaying that it is still a force to be reckoned with, the CALSONIC IMPUL’s GT-R driven by J.P. Lima De Oliveira charged forward to the pole position with a blistering time of 1:55.456. This is De Oliveira’s second time in pole position, with the last time was back in 2012’s Round 6.

Will De Oliveira be able to hold the lead and take home the win for Round 3, or will the SC 430s show that with age, comes serious speed? Stay put as we will bring you the results of the race day happening moments from now!

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