ERC : Skoda S2000 vs Fiesta R5 à Zlin

The FIA European Rally Championship resumes this weekend with the Czech Republic’s Barum Rally Zlin. The 100-plus entry includes Michelin-equipped factory Skodas for Jan Kopecky, Sepp Wiegand and Esapekka Lappi, as well as two new Ford Fiesta R5s.

Le Championnat d’Europe des Rallyes FIA reprend ce week-end en République Tchèque avec le Barum Rally Zlin. Plus de cent concurrents sont attendus, dont trois Skoda/Michelin officielles pour Jan Kopecky, Sepp Wiegand et Esapekka Lappi, et deux nouvelles Ford Fiesta R5.

For its home round of the ERC (round eight), Skoda will have a strong presence, with no fewer than nine Fabia S2000s. The big favourite is Jan Kopecky who is chasing his fifth victory of the year on this all-asphalt event which he won in 2009 and 2011. As in Ypres, Michelin runners will be able to choose from its R10 (soft compound) and R20 (medium) asphalt tyres.

Young Finn Esapekka Lappi will be making his asphalt debut with Skoda Motorsport but will have to come to terms with the Barum Rally Zlin’s fast, hilly stages which are renowned for their changing rhythm and grip. Roman Kresta, Sepp Wiegand, Jaromir Tarabus and Antonin Tlustak will also represent Skoda which faces competition for the first time in the ERC from the new Ford Fiesta R5, with two cars in the hands of Czech experts Tomas Kostka and Pavel Valousek.

The event doesn’t figure on the programmes of the Peugeot Rally Academy’s Craig Breen or Jérémie Ancian, and Bryan Bouffier and François Delecour have chosen to skip the trip to Zlin, as well. In the Production Cup battle, Renault Sport Technologies will have Michelin-equipped Méganes for Bonnefils and Consani, but the favourite is still Jaroslav Orjak (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) in the absence of the championship’s current leader Andreas Aigner.

The 43^rd edition of the event – which invariably attracts tens of thousands of spectators – kicks off with the traditional night-time super-special in the streets of Zlin on Friday evening. The next day’s programme features visits to ‘Biskupice’, ‘Trojak’, ‘Semetin’ and ‘Pindula’, while Sunday’s action is based on two loops of three stages before the mid-afternoon finish in Zlin.

A domicile, le constructeur automobile tchèque est présent en force sur cette huitième manche européenne avec pas moins de neuf Skoda Fabia S2000 engagées. Jan Kopecky est archi favori et visera un cinquième succès cette année sur une épreuve 100% asphalte qu’il a remportée en 2009 et 2011. Comme à Ypres, Michelin proposera à ses partenaires les nouveaux pneus asphalte R10 (soft) et R20 (medium).

Le jeune finlandais Esappeka Lappi effectuera ses débuts sur asphalte avec Skoda Motorsport et découvrira les spéciales du Barum Rally Zlin, rapides, vallonnées avec de nombreux changements de rythme et de grip. Roman Kresta, Sepp Wiegand, Jaromir Tarabus ou encore Antonin Tlustak représenteront aussi la firme tchèque qui sera confrontée pour la première fois en ERC aux nouvelles Ford Fiesta R5 confiées aux Tchèques Tomas Kostka et Pavel Valousek.

Les pilotes de la Peugeot Rally Academy, Craig Breen et Jérémie Ancian – ainsi que Bryan Bouffier et François Delecour font l’impasse sur cette épreuve. En catégorie Production Cup, Renault Sport Technologies sera présent avec deux Mégane/Michelin (Bonnefils et Consani). A domicile, Jaroslav Orjak est favori sur sa Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X et le leader du championnat, Andreas Aigner, est absent.

Le parcours de cette 43^e édition est assez classique avec une première Superspéciale nocturne dans les rues de Zlin vendredi soir. Le lendemain, Biskupice, Trojak, Semetin et la célèbre Pindula attendent les concurrents. Dimanche, trois spéciales à parcourir deux fois chacune sont au menu avant l’arrivée finale au City Square de Zlin en milieu d’après-midi. Traditionnellement, le Barum Rally Zlin attire des dizaines de milliers de spectateurs.

2014 Dacia Duster restyling officially revealed

In view of its official unveiling at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show (10-22 September), Daciahas released the first official images and details of the revamped Dacia Duster. The popular SUV of the Renault-owned Romenian brand has been upgraded for European left hand drive markets but retains those design features that are largely responsible for its success.

The front end has been upgraded with a redesigned grille, adorned by two chrome-plated strips and housing a reworked air intake and new double-optic headlights, with integrated DRL (daytime running lights). New roof bars with slatted supports underline the car’s SUV character, while a new set of 16-inch “Dark Metal” alloy wheels and Mud and Snow tyres revitalise its unmistakable profile.

At the rear we have new taillights that use some styling cues of the front end, most notably the use of chrome. A chrome-plated tail pipe and new badging round out the exterior styling changes of the model adding up to its own personality. Dacia didn’t reveal neither the price nor the availability of the new Duster, but we would expect it to hit the showrooms at some point next year. We will keep you posted.

via EUROCARBLOG

Armstrong-CCM 250 Speedster

You always remember your first. And this CCM Motorcycle is the first of its kind to adorn the pages of Pipeburn. CCM (Clews Competition Machines) was a British motorcycle manufacturer that was formed in 1971 from what was left of BSA's off-road competition team. They had a limited budget and bought all the left over spares from BSA to manufacturer their own motorcycles. This eventually became a successful business and were highly regarded as reliable machines. Thanks to a few merges it became Armstrong-CCM and for most of the 1980s they produced about 3,500 trails and motocross bikes. Today’s feature bike was one of those – although they probably didn’t imagine it would turn out like this.

The man behind the build is Doug Devine from Modern Metals in Louisville, KY. "As I searched for an old truck on Craigslist last May, a ‘84/85 Can-Am MX250 somehow appeared at the top of my results list" Doug says. After studying the bike for a while Doug called his friend, Andy from PVP Cycles who knows and races vintage dirt bikes."He assured me that he would buy the bike if I didn’t. So, I bought it realizing that I had found something special. The next step was figuring out a plan for the bike."

"Upon inspection of my $300 find, I knew I wasn’t going to dirt ride it because, well, I don’t dirt ride. Some interesting characteristics of this bike included a 531 Reynolds frame, magnesium forks and wheel hubs, Ankront aluminum rims and a Quad Link boxed aluminum swingarm. In stripping the frame, I realized there was neither a VIN plate nor a place for one. With even further inspection of the engine and the external mounts on the frame, I was excited to find that they were hand-braised bronze.

I made a few phone calls and realized this bike wasn’t in fact a Can-Am but an Armstrong CCM. I learned that not many of these made their way across the pond in 84’/85’. A couple of months of on and off again research revealed what I was going to do with a light weight and powerful two-stroke. Land. Speed. Race. Rest assured all you traditionalists out there—no harm or alterations were made to the structure of this bike."

Doug found a cool bubble top tank off of a Kawasaki A7 Avenger with knee pucks. "I was inspired by the rubber knee pucks and contacted my upholsterer, Ginger from NewChurchMoto in PDX, to see if she could cover them in leather and do a matching seat. While searching through a local thrift shop for an old leather jacket to cut up for my grips, I met Sue Schofield from Inherited Leather, here in Louisville, who was able to match Ginger’s leather for my grips. Credit for pin-striping and a few finishing touches to the metal work to Dave “Matchstick” Brooks of Custom Vanner Magazine."

Doug fit the tank and began making a racing seat with normal sheet metal tools, hammers and a saw. "I cut and bent the seat in a couple of days and sent the seat off as I was getting ready to finish my XT500 build (Single Naked Chick) for The One Motorcycle Show in PDX. In mid-February, when I returned home from PDX, I started back on the 250 Speedster. I decided that no rear suspension was needed because it was straight line only. I made the rigid bar and aircraft time joints and welded/fitted them to the exact length with an additional 4 inches of lowering incorporated. Then, I moved on to the front forks which are Marzocchi magnesium leg 40mm dirt bike racing forks. First off, I cut 9.5 inches off of the front springs and placed a 1.5 inch preload under the spring to make them firmer. In addition, they are air charged forks. Next, I made clip-ons for the front forks—short, simple, and thick."

Doug fabricated a small and simple cowl for the front which really served no purpose other than allowing him to be able to run in two classes. "As an added bonus, the cowl looked good too." he says. "The motor was also magnesium and had a 6-speed transmission slid into it. When I got the bike, the motor ran but burned tons of oil so I opened up the engine and replaced all the gaskets and oil seals. Finally, I put it back together and lit it up. After taking the bike on a few quick launches, I realized that I needed to have a new front and rear sprocket. I contacted Sidewinder Powersports out of St. Charles, Illinois, and he cut a 42 tooth rear – the smallest per the rear hub size – and a 17 tooth front. The 6-speed and 79’ stamped motor was another give away that this bike wasn’t a Can-Am." 

This year the bike was invited to The One Motorcycle Show where it garnered a lot of deserved attention – and it wasn't even completed. "My goal is to finish everything this winter, and find somewhere to run it. Ultimately, I’d like to take it to El Mirage and Bonneville next year. This bike is a little scary to ride seeing as it only weighs 180 pounds (82kg) and has 40 horsepower without much braking."

[Photography by Seth Schikler]

via PIPEBURN

Speeding it up with Patrick Dempsey

Hollywood star, Porsche fan, race driver: Follow Patrick Dempsey and his team partners Patrick Long and Joe Foster to idyllic France where getting ready for the legendary 24 Hours literally turns into a 24/7 job.