vendredi 18 octobre 2013
Mazda MX-5 GT concept headed into production as an aftermarket conversion
Will produce 203 bhp (151 kW)
Mazda introduced the MX-5 GT concept at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed and now it's going into production thanks to the company's racing partner Jota.
Set to be offered as an aftermarket conversion, the MX-5 GT will feature a sport-tuned suspension and revised styling that closely matches the concept. The car's 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine will also be outfitted with an optimized ECU and a sports exhaust system. Thanks to these modifications it will produce 203 bhp (151 kW).
Auto Express says the MX-5 GT will cost less than £30,000 ($48,440 / €35,450) and come with a three-year warranty.
Source: Auto Express
British Army Triumph Scrambler from Classic Farm Motorcycles
BY
Triumph Scrambler - British Army version from Classic Farm Motorcycles
Take one current generation Triumph Scrambler and give it the full British Army treatment and you might end up with something like this, the newest offering from Classic Farm Motorcycles of Italy. It really has the look, including those headlight covers to to put you in night time stealth mode, after all, you don't want the bad guys spotting you from miles away.
Triumph Scrambler - British Army version from Classic Farm Motorcycles
It has all of the functional mods like the skid plate and desert tan paint job, knobby tires and "pedestrian slicer" number plate, it looks like it could have served in the Africa campaigns in WWII. You know, when you think of adventure bikes, why not make them look more like this? A little less civilized, a little more adventure, flat paint, the kind of thing where you roll up and ask, "Dr Livingstone, I presume?" Perfect for Indiana Jones, too.
Nice looking makeover. I think the Classic Farm/McDeeb operation needs to open up a shop in the USA. I'd like to wander in and check out their bikes.
Link: Classic Farm Motorcycles
Triumph Scrambler - British Army version from Classic Farm Motorcycles
Triumph Scrambler - British Army version from Classic Farm Motorcycles
from http://thekneeslider.com
YAMAHA XJ900 CUSTOM
Working in a small garage with a minimal collection of tools, Dimitar Kostadinov of Sofia, Bulgaria, produced this breath of fresh air. Based on a 1984 Yamaha XJ900, even Dimitar’s choice of machine defies convention.
Now 42, the builder says he’s been interested in motorcycles his whole life, but didn’t get his first bike, a Ducati S2R 800, until four years ago.
“I am in no way a professional builder, or even a mechanic,” Dimitar explains. “I’m actually a marketing consultant. But I have an electrical engineering degree and generally handle maintenance and repairs myself, so I am no stranger to having my hands in oil.”
He first noticed an XJ900 at a friend’s garage, and Dimitar instantly liked the rugged simplicity of the motorcycle. Details such as the air-cooled engine, shaft drive and no fuel pump made the Yamaha look, at least to Dimitar, like a bulletproof bike.
Dimitar found an XJ900 for sale and although the fairing and other body parts were cracked, the basic bones were in fine fettle. Exactly one year ago he tackled his winter project. “I had a few rules,” Dimitar says. “I wanted a rideable bike, not an exhibition piece. I wanted something street legal that I would be able to ride around the city. I also wanted to keep it close to the original chassis and components, as I didn’t want to invest too much in expensive aftermarket parts. Basically, a ‘budget’ DIY project.”
After the motorcycle came apart Dimitar shortened the rear subframe, fitted a homemade seat with a fibreglass pan, and produced a battery tray. The brakes, forks and wheels (with matching-size Metzeler Marathon tires) were rebuilt with new bearings and seals, and the engine was given a clean bill of health. Even the valve clearances were within spec, and the mill was simply scrubbed clean and given an oil and filter change.
Although it’s not impossible to fit pod filters to the four CV carburetors, Dimitar’s research suggested it might be difficult to get the jetting just right. So instead, he modified the stock air box with tubes connected to pods. The exhaust is stock, and he’s pleased with how the engine performs.
That interesting fuel tank was robbed from a 1970s Czechoslovakian CEZET 350. It needed significant reworking to fit the much wider frame, and Dimitar added a new petcock and external balancing line. The CZ also yielded its headlight and front fender, which was widened to become the Yamaha’s rear fender.
Instruments were extracted from the original XJ900 panel, and individual base pods produced from metal cups. The tops were turned from aluminum blocks, and various indicator lights replaced with LEDs. Original controls with new levers grace the Tomaselli handlebar.
Dimitar has enjoyed the last four months riding his café-inspired XJ900 in the city and on short day trips. He says, “I am toying with the idea of starting another build, but there’s just no space for a third bike in the garage.”
via BIKEEXIF
Auto e Moto d’Epoca 2013: Four highlights for sale at the show
From 24 to 27 October, Auto e Moto d’Epoca – now in its 30th year – will take place in Padua, Northern Italy. We asked some of our exhibiting dealers to give us a sneak preview of their displays…
What better way to see out the late Italian summer than to indulge your passion for classic cars and motorcycles – and then perhaps test out a new purchase by driving or riding it home? As you will see below, there are some tempting cars for sale at the show.
Around the world: Mercedes 300 SL
HK Engineering will bring a well-travelled 1955 Gullwing to the show. It has already completed a world tour, having been delivered new from the factory to New York, subsequently sent to a Japanese museum and, more recently, sent to France and restored in Switzerland. The 300 SL experts at HK then took it back home to Germany, and it now awaits a new owner with whom to complete another world tour.
Double trouble: Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet and Speedster
It might be the wrong end of summer, but that doesn’t mean a classic Porsche convertible is any less desirable – just that you’ll have fewer rivals to compete with. Italian Classic Driver dealer Undici HP will take two fine examples across to Padua: a black-on-black 3.2-litre G-series Cabriolet and, slightly less discreet, a bright yellow 964 Speedster with fewer than 15,000 miles on the odometer. Just be aware that Porsche described the latter’s roof as “an emergency soft top for inclement weather”.
Restoration project: Aston Martin DB2
The DB2 has long been a favourite in the Classic Driver office and, even though it’s yet to be made roadworthy, this 1952 example in its mid-restoration state (being offered by Car Collection Wittner) has us captivated. Having been laid up in America for 25 years, the elderly owner had begun a restoration before becoming too ill to continue, so it now awaits a devoted new owner to finish his work. It might not be ready for the ride home just yet but, whatever you use as alternative transport, you’ll surely be smiling all the way to your front door in anticipation of the challenge.
Photos: Classic Driver dealers / Auto e Moto d’Epoca
Further information about Auto e Moto d’Epoca can be found at autoemotodepoca.com.
Lorenzo prend l’avantage à Phillip Island
Le Champion du Monde en titre Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) aura passé une première journée idéale au Grand Prix Tissot d’Australie et a dominé les deux premières séances d’essais du week-end en profitant de bonnes conditions météo. Le Majorquin a progressé de deux dixièmes de seconde l’après-midi en FP2 pour signer le meilleur temps de la journée en 1’28.961. Sur une piste renovée l'an dernier, Lorenzo n’était qu’à trois dixièmes du record absolu de Phillip Island, réalisé par Casey Stoner en 2008.
Tombé en arrivant au sommet de Lukey Heights, Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) était le seul pilote du Top 10 à ne pas progresser lors de la seconde séance d’essais. Le leader du classement général s’est rapidement relevé d’une chute qui aurait pu lui coûter cher et demeure deuxième sur le classement de la journée, à 0.294s de Lorenzo, grâce à sa performance du matin.
Álvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) est lui aussi tombé mais s’est montré très convaincant lors de chacune des deux séances d’essais et complète le Top 3 de cette première journée, à 0.477s du temps de référence et avec 0.040s d’avance sur Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda), qui a dû s’arrêter en bord de piste en raison d’un problème technique sur son RC213V.
Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing) et Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech3) sont les deux seuls autres pilotes à moins d’une seconde de Lorenzo tandis que Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) était septième à 1.204s du leader.
Après un week-end décevant en Malaisie, Randy de Puniet (Power Electronics Aspar) semble bien parti pour se relancer ce week-end en Australie, où il court désormais à domicile, et a réalisé une excellente performance en se classant à seulement 0.050s de Smith, avec près de quatre dixièmes de seconde d’avance sur les Ducati de Nicky Hayden, Andrea Dovizioso et Andrea Iannone (Energy T.I. Pramac Racing). Son coéquipier Aleix Espargaró est treizième, derrière Colin Edwards (NGM Mobile Forward Racing.
Présent en FP1, Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda) n’a pas reçu l’autorisation de reprendre la piste suite à une seconde visite médicale, en raison de sa récente opération de la cheville droite, mais pourrait demander à être réexaminé par les médecins officiels samedi matin pour éventuellement participer à la FP3 et aux qualifications.
via MOTO GP.com
Five questions to: Hans Herrmann, Le Mans winner
Hans Herrmann, together with Richard Attwood, gave Porsche its first overall victory at Le Mans. Classic Driver's Mathias Paulokat spoke to the legendary German driver about his motorsport history and fabulous triumph in 1970.
"We all had trouble keeping a car of almost 600HP on the track"
Mr Herrmann, at 85 years old you can look back on an incredible career in motorsport. How did you start racing?
I was infected with a love of cars from childhood. At school, most boys longed to be engineers, to work with ships or planes, but all I wanted was to be a racing driver. Carracciola and Rosemeyer were my great idols; but how would I ever get there? As I was born in 1928, I initially feared that I'd be drafted into the Army but I managed to pass my driving test in 1946 and so I started my own small trucking company. My first car was a Wartburg with a 0.8-litre engine: imagine that today! But I loved driving and the small business flourished. By 1952 I was able to buy my first racing car: a Porsche 356.
So did you choose Porsche, or did Porsche choose you?
Both are true. I entered some endurance races that year with my own car, and Porsche started to notice my success. Then a factory works driver dropped out and I was hired to race at Le Mans in 1953. From today's perspective, it sounds incredible, but that's what happened: the second works Porsche at Le Mans was driven by Gloeckler / Herrmann. I was so lucky.
And Mercedes quickly recognised your talent, too – but you returned to Porsche. How was it for you at Le Mans in 1969?
It was motor racing at the limit. Not because the cars were unreliable, but because the race was so fast and the 908's aerodynamics not properly sorted. We all had trouble keeping a car of almost 600HP on the track. At the end of the race, Jacky Ickx's GT40 and I had a razor-sharp duel. For an hour and a half we passed each other, several times a lap, my front brakes suffering from the rigours of the race and no longer fully functional. That was tricky, but then I'm sure Jacky had his own problems to contend with. We both persevered and stayed on track till the end, when he won by 1.5 seconds. After 24 hours of full-on driving on the absolute limit.
And a year later, how did it feel to take the starting line in a 917?
At first, it was a wonderful feeling. The short-tail Porsche 917 was very well prepared and had previously proved reliable. However, my confidence quickly faded. Why? Well, the weather was a disaster. Constantly changing, with sudden rain and a wet track, then sun. Then two hours of rain. At least all the teams had to face the same weather. The Porsche team was constantly changing the tyres and, in the end, the conditions favoured Richard Attwood and me. We succeeded, winning the race in car number 23. My goodness, Porsche's first outright victory!
And you finished your motorsport career on this high. Looking back, Mr Herrmann, what was the best racing car you ever drove?
Yes, after almost two decades of achievements, but also some serious accidents, I didn't want to tempt fate. What could top an outright victory at Le Mans? I started at Le Mans, and here I wanted to end my career - with this victory. As for the question about the best car, I can only answer it by saying that it's really very simple: the best car is always the one that wins.
Photos: Frank Ratering, Porsche
via classicdriver
170 Hi-Res Photos of the BMW R nineT
BY JENSEN BEELER
The final realization of the BMW LoRider concept, a modular roadster design project, the BMW R nineTdebuted in Munich today as a commemoration of 90 years of BMW motorcycles.
Powered by the German company’s venerable air-cooled 1,170cc boxer twin, the nineT is likely the last motorcycle in the OEM’s range to use the motor, as BMW Motorrad shifts its attention to its new “precision-cooled” boxer. That nostalgia probably only adds to the retro roadster’s mystique though, and if our comments section is any indication, people are likely what they see here.
Built with customization in mind, BMW has gone to some length to make a chassis that builders and hobbyists can easily build-off of to suit their individual tastes — a basic tenet of the original LoRider concept.nIt doesn’t hurt of course that BMW has a litany of genuine accessories and parts to help in that endeavor as well.
Because we know you just can’t get enough of this bike (we certainly like it, though the name is a bit cumbersome), we have 170 high-resolution photos for you after the jump. Enjoy!
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