Fast Art: Jeff Koons’ BMW M3 GT2 Art Car Revealed

We’ve seen previews of BMW’s latest Art Car, but we hadn’t seen the finished product -- a M3 GT2 racer decorated by artist Jeff Koons -- until its official unveiling in Paris this morning.

With its 17th Art Car, BMW is returning to its roots, and actually racing the Koons-styled GT2 in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first Art Car -- a 1975 3.0 CSL -- was the brainchild of driver Hervè Poulain, who commissioned artist Alexander Calder to dress up the exterior. Poulain ultimately raced the car at Le Mans that year, while two other Art Cars -- a 1976 3.0 CSL decorated by Frank Stella, and a 1979 M1 Procar painted by Andy Warhol -- also competed in the endurance race.



Unlike those early Art Cars, Koons’ product isn’t actually painted. Thanks to both a tight timeframe and the weight-conscious mindset of BMW’s racing directors, Koons applied his radical pattern to the M3 GT2 with a vinyl wrap. Better yet, the vinyl wrap process allows Koons’ design to be applied to a number of spare parts -- important, should the M3 suffer a collision during the Le Mans event.

Before crafting his design, Koons was given the chance to witness the M3 GT2 in action for inspiration. According to the artist, he was reportedly inspired by the “raw, unfiltered performance” of the GT2, and decided to give the M3 a design that gives the impression of motion even when at a standstill.

“These race cars are like life; they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” Koons said. “You can participate with it, add to it, and let yourself transcend with its energy. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car -- it’s really to connect with that power.”

Koons’ M3 GT2 was unveiled earlier today at Paris’ Centre Pompidou, the same venue Roy Lichtenstein used to unveil his 320i Art Car back in 1977. The car will be on public display today, before the car heads to Circuit de la Sarthe for the 24 Hours on June 12 and 13.

Source: BMW

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Turbo Time: IndyCar Unveils 2012 Engine Regulations, Calls for Turbochargers

Looking for some technical diversity in the Izod IndyCar series? Wait until the 2012 season. Officials announced new engine rules that not only focus on improving fuel economy, but may also allow an array of manufacturers to become involved with the series.

Presently, power in each and every IndyCar racer comes courtesy of a 3.5-liter V-8 developed and manufactured by Honda. Come 2012, cars will use engines sourced from several different companies, although they must conform to some basic specifications. At this point, the preliminary spec sheet calls for an engine that is turbocharged, capable of running on ethanol, has a maximum displacement of 2.4 liters, and no more than six cylinders.



In racing, those regulations are anything but stringent. IndyCar’s idea was to inspire companies to develop various engine designs to aim for the perfect balance of fuel economy and power. Fuel economy will be a critical factory, as IndyCar plans on ultimately regulating power output. Although no firm rules have been set, it’s believed output will be restricted between 550 and 700 horsepower, depending on the track.

“We will continue to evaluate rules that will keep a level playing field across the board with the various engines that could enter our sport,” said Brian Barnhart, president of competition and racing operations for IndyCar.

“For example, we could see a V-6 competing against an inline-four at all Izod IndyCar series events in the future. We will require reference engines as a benchmark in performance while looking at sonic air restrictors, fuel flow restrictions, and more as key criteria for competition.”

Although a chassis supplier has not yet been set for the 2012 car, this instills any interested manufacturer with a greater challenge, as they will need to design and build a chassis capable of housing any number of engine configurations.

Source: IndyCar

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Rent A Racer: Audi Race Experience Program Puts You in Race-Spec R8

Forget the fantasy baseball camp -- if you've got a good chunk of change at hand, we'd recommend signing up for Audi's Race Experience program, which will ultimately put you behind the wheel of a race-prepped R8 LMS on the famed Nürburgring.

The program, crafted in partnership with Team Joest, essentially allows participants to play race car driver for a day. After a series of driving lessons (including earning a current racing license), participants will field one of two Joest-owned R8 LMS cars in a VLN race on the 'Ring. Joest and Audi Sport will provide everything else needed to go racing, including tires, fuel, a pit crew, telemetry -- and, if so desired, a professional co-driver.



"For the first time, customers have the opportunity to participate in a race with a professional Audi 'factory' team without having to enter a long-term commitment, or making a high financial investment," said Klaus Demel, head of Audi's Driving Experience programs.

Demel's last point may be true -- this will be less expensive than sponsoring and running an entire race team on your own -- but we don't expect the Race Experience program to come cheap. Audi hasn't talked pricing, but seeing as there are more costs to amortize than the company's Sportscar Experience (which runs roughly $3500 for a two-day program), we know this experience will carry a lengthy bill.

If cost is no object to you, add this to your bucket list -- and quickly. Team Joest is only running these cars in six VLN races at the Nürburgring, so despite the high prices, expect openings to disappear quickly.

Source: Audi

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Spyker Set to Sell its Cars in Select Saab Showrooms

Spyker had promised to keep its chocolate discrete from Saab's peanut butter, but it appears Saab's new corporate parent may soon sell its high-end sports cars in Saab showrooms.

"We are signing up Spyker dealerships left, right, and center," Spyker CEO Victor Muller recently told Bloomberg.




Presently, Spyker has only 35 retail outlets across the globe, but that will soon change. Spyker plans on offering its wares -- including the new C8 Aileron -- through a number of select Saab dealerships. Spyker hopes to nearly double its sales network to 60 outlets by the end of this year, and bump that total to 90 by the end of 2011. Doing so may help Spyker move more than the 36 vehicles it sold in 2009.

Adding Spyker models to Saab showrooms will be a big change for most dealers, as pricing and clientele tied to Spyker cars are quite different from that of Saab vehicles. A 2010 Spyker C8 Aileron costs $219,190, while Saab's new 9-5 Aero -- the most expensive Saab model at this time -- starts at $49,990.

Still, every extra dealer helps -- and the extra showrooms are but one of the many Saab resources Spyker hopes to utilize to its benefit. The automaker has previously mentioned using Saab's engineering staff and resources (including the company's wind tunnel laboratory in Trollhattan, Sweden) for new vehicles, and may benefit from lower prices on generic parts that can be used Spyker and Saab models. Muller hopes these moves will help Spyker turn a profit -- something it hasn't done since going public in 2004.

"Spyker will be profitable in its own right, very much helped by its sister Saab," said Muller. "It's wonderful that the company that saved Saab is also benefiting from having done that in its own business."

Source: automobi

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Ad Watch: Lexus LFA Breaks Champagne Glass Without Moving

In Lexus' latest advertisement for the already sold-out LFA, the 552-horse exotic remains stationary. It's strapped to a dyno, next to a champagne flute. As it races towards redline, the 4.8-liter V-10's exhaust note, channeled through a microphone and speaker, shatters the glass.

The ad, called "Pitch," began airing this month. In part, it aims to show the efforts taken by Lexus' to make the LFA's unmistakable exhaust note. Lexus says, in a press release, "After studying the unmistakable soundtrack generated by Formula 1 cars at maximum revs, the team created the signature LFA sound beginning by emphasizing the secondary combustion frequency of the engine and then introducing primary, secondary and tertiary firing harmonics."



Lexus claims to have used no camera tricks or computer-generated imagery in the ad. Instead, the team sourced a flute that would shatter at the frequency emitted by engine at redline. Click here to watch the ad. Click here to download audio clips of the LFA (under "Digital Premium").

Source: Lexus

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Return of tii? BMW Executive Confirms Hotter 1 Series

BMW’s high-performance 1 Series has been spied undergoing development, but no one at the company had actually confirmed the car -- until today. Dr. Kay Segler, president of BMW’s M Division, confirmed BMW’s plans for the car and that it won’t share the M1 name of BMW’s legendary supercar.

Though the M1 name won’t be coming back, we don’t yet know exactly what this car will be called. A number of different names are possible -- 135is, given BMW’s current naming scheme, the 1 Series M, as it is being developed by the Motorsport Division, or even the early return of the tii badge. We saw the 1 Series tii Concept in 2007 and reported that the vaunted tii badge would be coming back in 2011, could this car be it?



Whatever the name may be, the car will have some serious performance credentials. Segler revealed to Autocar that it will produce around 350 horsepower and in excess of 310 pound-feet of torque. Power will come from an M-tuned version of BMW’s outgoing N54 twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter I-6. Autocar reports that it is likely to use BMW’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, but we’re hoping a six-speed manual is available as well.

In order to help the more potent 1 Series put the power to the ground, BMW’s M Division is adding an electronically controlled M differential and also reworking the car’s suspension. The 1 Series’ typical suspension layout remains, MacPherson struts in front with a multi-link rear, but with stiffer springs and dampers and a different set of bushings. In addition to helping the car get better traction, the suspension changes should also improve the car’s handling.

In this time and age, even a product from BMW’s M Division couldn’t escape the political pressure to reduce consumption and emissions. BMW’s Efficient Dynamics systems are likely to appear on the car with features such as regenerative braking and possibly even a start-stop system. These features will reportedly keep the high-performance 1 Series’ fuel economy about the same as a regular 135i -- 20 mpg combined in the U.S.

BMW’s high-performance 1 Series will reportedly go on sale in Europe next year. It is likely to make its way to the States sometime next year as well. It will slot in above the 135i and below the M3 coupe with pricing likely to start somewhere in the mid- to high-$40,000 range. Stay tuned for details as the car’s launch gets closer.

Source: Autocar

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Two tuners have worked their magic to turn out their own versions of the latest BMW M3 that are, respectively, faster and more carbon-fibery Ultimate Driving Machines.

On the speed side, wheel tuner Emotion Wheels has expanded its business to include full tuning packages. In the case of the E92 M3, Emotion has eked out 707 horsepower from the V-8 that usually produces 414, claiming "significant" improvement in straight-line performance. Emotion's full upgrade also includes 19-inch black matte wheels, exterior styling enhancements, and a carbon-fiber hood.



Speaking of carbon fiber, aftermarket supplier Arkym is now offering a hood, trunk, and spoiler made from the lightweight stuff

Arkym's kit will set you back $1999 for the single-side hood (add $500 to make it a double), and $1249 for the single-side trunk (add $450 for the double). No pricing information has been released for the Emotion power and appearance package.

 source by automobi

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