Press Release: 7000HP+ from the Baddest Mustangs on the Street

7000HP+ from the Baddest Mustangs on the Street with the Video to Prove It
5.0 Magazine and AmericanMuscle.com's King of the Street 2010

MALVERN, PA, FRIDAY, 10/08/2010: Every year the fastest and meanest street-able Mustangs in the country head to Bowling Green, KY for the King of the Street competition. 8-Second Mustang's and 7000 horsepower, how could we miss that? AmericanMuscle joined 5.0 Mustang editors Steve Turner, Mike Johnson, and KJ Jones to determine who really is the King of the Street. The competition consists of 6 judged categories:

* Ride & Drive
* Horsepower
* Fit & Finish
* Engineering
* Drag Race
* Popular Vote

The Dyno Competition - 10/1/2010
All 9 contestants would face-off in a dyno competition to see who has the biggest horsepower output. While this is only one category of many, the horsepower competition also serves as bragging rights for a whole year! These cars put down some serious horsepower. Results from this competition were as high as 1139 Horsepower! Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAFXrVumCkE (Dyno Competition Video)

The Rest of the Events 9/30/2010 (Track was 10/1/2010)
The judging would commence just outside Beech Bend Raceway, where Mike Johnson and Steve Turner (of 5.0 Mustangs and Super Fords) would go over each car with a fine-tooth comb. Once each car was judged and photographed, it was on to the Ride and Drive test.

Ride & Drive
Mike Johnson and the vehicles owner would take a cruise through the streets of Bowling Green, KY in the vehicle to see just how street-able each vehicle was. If your car had 1000 horsepower with air condition, power steering and smooth-shifting transmission then points were awarded.

Check out AmericanMuscle's blog for more coverage (will be published at 9am est 10/8)

Additional video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLASJO6Eqy0

267.81 mph production class record set by Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport!

You’ve got to hand it to the guys at Bugatti as they build one fast automobile. When it came out in 2004 everyone was a bit taken back by the fact that it had two major talking points. First off was the $1.2 million price tag and second was the 253.5 mph top speed. Pinned as the ultimate GT car the Bugatti Veyron in stock trim made an amazing 1,001 hp and 922 lb-ft tq. from its quad-turbocharged W16 engine and rocketed its passengers from 0-60 in 2.2 seconds. Since that time though another car, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT has eclipsed the Bugatti’s record with an amazing Guinness Book of World Records run of 256.12 mph.

Not one to be satisfied with a mere 253.5 mph and second place, Bugatti decided to go out and once again shatter the production car land speed record with a verified run of 267.81 mph. To accomplish this amazing feet power output was raised from 1,001 hp to 1,200 hp and 1,106 lb-ft tq. up from 922. A new aerodynamic kit was also added. The top speed was also “limited” to 257.9 mph to keep the tires in one piece. If you want to view this masterpiece of speed you’ll actually be able to do so, but not until the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance in August. This record does make you wonder though what the guys over at SSC Ultimate Aero TT are doing now because you know damn well they’re not going to let Bugatti keep this title for long.

Lamborghini builds 10,000th Gallardo

Italophiles, take note: Lamborghini has announced it's built the 10,000th Gallardo. Naturally, the supercar manufacturer is pleased with this performance, pointing out that the now ubiquitous Gallardo is officially the most successful model Lamborghini has ever created. Says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.:

The Lamborghini brand is extreme, uncompromising and Italian, and the Lamborghini Gallardo has played an exemplary role in defining and delivering our brand reputation into our worldwide markets. Today Lamborghini is represented in 45 countries by over 120 dealers, with the strength and presence of the Gallardo product playing a significant role in the growth and recognition of our brand.

We feel obligated to point out that such success in the marketplace is something of a double-edged sword for Lamborghini. One reason exotic machines from manufacturers like Lamborghini have been so revered in the past is due to their rarity and exclusivity. One the flip side, small-scale automakers simply cannot continue to compete on a global scale without runaway success stories like the Gallardo.

That said, feel free to click on past the break as Lamborghini recounts the history of its Gallardo and to find out where lucky number 10,000 is headed.

[Source: Lamborghini]

Stillen Nissan GT-R: 620 horsepower, 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds (w/ video)

It's been more than six months since Stillen started working on their Nissan GT-R race car and we're happy to report it's finished and already on its way to Eastern Canada where it will compete in the Targa Newfoundland in a few weeks. Before the hopped-up GT-R was loaded on the trailer, Steve Millen and his crew took the car out to the El Toro Marine base for a few shakedown runs. Road and Track tagged along to record some performance numbers that, as you might expect, are nothing short of impressive.

Thanks to a huge list of performance parts, the Stillenized GT-R produces 620 horsepower at 15psi from its dual turbochargers. Perhaps more importantly, several hundred pounds have been removed thanks to a stripped interior, lots of carbon fiber body components and lightweight racing seats. The extra power and weight savings results in a 0-60 mph time of just 2.9 seconds and a 1/4 mile pass in a mere 11.0 seconds at 127.9 mph. Lateral grip is a gut-clenching 1.1g.


[Source: Stillen]

STILLEN GT-R Targa Race Car

Performance Numbers (As Set Up For 2009 Targa Rally)

• Horsepower: ~620 @ 15psi (91 Octane Pump Gas)
• 0-60mph: 2.9 seconds **
• 1/4 Mile: 11.0 seconds at 127.9mph **
• 0-130mph: 11.4 seconds **
• Lateral Grip: 1.1G+ **

** (as tested by Road & Track)

Engine

• STILLEN Downpipes
• STILLEN Secondary Cat-Delete Y-Pipe
• STILLEN Race Exhaust w/Center Rear Exit
• STILLEN Intake System w/K&N Filters
• Turbosmart e-Boost Street 2-Stage Electronic Boost Controller
• Turbosmart Dual Port Blow Off Valves
• COBB Tuning AccessPORT
• Dodson Motorsports Transmission Cooler
• Red Line High Performance Synthetic Motor Oil – 0W40
• Red Line High Performance Synthetic Gear Oil – 75W140
• Red Line WaterWetter

Suspension

• High Performance Coil-Overs – Adjustable Bump & Rebound, Ride Height – Eibach Race Springs
• STILLEN Adjustable Sway Bars
• STILLEN Adjustable Endlinks

Brakes / Tires

• STILLEN / AP Racing Carbon Ceramic Brake Rotor Upgrade
• STILLEN / AP Racing Brake Pads
• STILLEN Brake Cooling Package
• STILLEN Stainless Steel Brake Lines
• AP Racing PRF High Performance Brake Fluid
• Bridgestone RE070R 255/40ZRF20 Front Tires
• Bridgestone RE070R 285/35ZRF20 Rear Tires

Interior

• STILLEN Designed & Built Custom Chromoly Roll Cage
• STILLEN Designed & Built Custom Seat Frames
• Status Racing Seats
• Status Racing Harnesses
• Monit Rally Computers
• ChaseCam On-Board Video Camera System
• Nordskog GPS Speedometer (KPH)

Exterior

STILLEN Urethane Front Lip Spoiler
STILLEN Urethane Side Skirts
STILLEN Urethane Front Canards
Password:JDM Dry Carbon Fiber Custom Race Hood
Password:JDM Dry Carbon Fiber Trunk Lid
Password:JDM Dry Carbon Fiber Wing
Password:JDM Dry Carbon Fiber Engine Cover
Password:JDM Dry Carbon Fiber Radiator Shroud
Password:JDM Dry Carbon Fiber NACA Ducts
Password:JDM AeroCatch Flush Mounting Plates
APR Carbon Fiber Side Mirrors
BASF Carizzma Orange Sherbet Pearl Paint

Asian chefs create unreal life-size F1 car from bread

We know what you're thinking, and we agree – if there's one thing that we just can't seem to accept in modern Formula One racing, it's the distinct lack of edible race cars. Fortunately, that minor niggle is currently being remedied by the Culinary Executive Chef from the Royal Plaza On Scotts in Singapore, who led a team of six chefs, two artists, two technicians, two culinary staff members and five young volunteers from Metta Welfare Association to create bake the machine you see in the gallery below: Asia's Largest Race Car Made From Bread. We wonder... is there some other bread-based race car vying for the world record?

According to Klik.tv, there are a thousand individual loaves and 22 different types of bread in the life-size F1 car. More numbers: it took 33 pounds of yeast, 14 liters of water, 4.4 pounds of salt and nearly three gallons of varnish to finish this delightful creation. We bet it's the best smelling race car ever.

[Source: Klik.tv]

RM Auctions sells 1952 Jaguar C-Type for record $2,530,000

After selling off the Nick Alexander Woodie collection on Thursday, RM continued with their Sports & Classics of Monterey auction this past weekend. The sale was highlighted by a 1952 Jaguar C-Type that was originally owned and raced by the late Phil Hill. The legendary driver's son, Derek Hill, drove the car up on stage where bidding immediately passed $1,000,000 on its way to a $2,530,000 final selling price.

Despite the downward trend of the collector car market, RM managed to sell 85% of the 239 cars it offered last weekend. In addition to the C-Type, several other notable cars found new homes, including a 1955 Aston Martin DB3S that sold for $1,980,000 and a Duesenberg Model SJ Disappearing Top Convertible Coupe with a final sale price of $1,430,000. Some of the no-sales included a 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 with a top bid of $900,000, a 1938 Talbot Lago T120 that went unsold at $950,000, and a 1953 Ferrari 166MM Spider Scaglietti that didn't meet its reserve despite being bid to $1,100,000.

PRESS RELEASE:

MONTEREY, California –The legendary Phil Hill's son, Derek, drove the historic 1952 Jaguar C-Type, s/n XKC-007 to an auction world record last night, selling for $2,530,000 at RM's Sports & Classics of Monterey event in California.

XKC-007 was one of the first C-Types delivered to North America. In 1952, a young Phil Hill – then just 25 – drove the car at Elkhart Lake to claim the C-Type's first North American victory, before going on to achieve further success at Torrey Pines that same year.

"With over 85% of the 239 cars sold, including the very exciting 1952 Jaguar C-Type, and a current sales total exceeding $34 million, we are pleased with the weekend's results which reflect our consistently strong sell-through performance year to date," said Ian Kelleher, President & Chief Operating Officer of RM Auctions.

"The global interest and enthusiasm in our 2009 Monterey event led to a packed sales room of active bidders each of the three evenings, and RM is confident that throughout the course of the next few days several other major transactions will take place and continue to elevate these numbers in excess of the anticipated pre-sale expectations," Kelleher added.

Additional top-sellers at RM's Sports & Classics of Monterey event included two other million-dollar cars - a race-bred 1955 Aston Martin DB3S, which brought an impressive $1,980,000, and a stunning 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Disappearing Top Convertible Coupe for $1,430,000.

A further highlight was the sale of a factory-original 2005 Ford GT super car, offered on behalf of the Ford Motor Company and selling for $181,500 with a portion of the sale proceeds benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). To coincide with the offering, Mr. Edsel B. Ford II, Board Director, Ford Motor Company and his son, Henry, joined a group of local Monterey JDRF youth ambassadors to witness its sale.

"Once again the Ford Motor Company's long-standing relationship with RM Auctions proved to be a wonderful opportunity to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation amidst a crowd that appreciates all the great things our employee driven Ford Global Walk Team does for children around the world," said Mr. Ford following the auction. "We were thrilled to work with the team at RM Auctions once again in this capacity to continue our support of JDRF and its mission to find a cure for diabetes and its complications."

A 1939 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon, the final lot of the Nick Alexander Woodie Collection reserved for Saturday night's sale, exceeded its original high estimate to bring $215,000 hammer price. This amount will be donated to the Midland School in Santa Barbara, California by Nick Alexander, in addition to the 10% buyers premium of $21,500 and other monies raised which will be donated by RM. This lot capped off the extremely successful single-owner offering of $7.3 million.

"I am thoroughly pleased with the overall sales results and consider the auction to be a true success," said Nick Alexander. "RM Auctions did an amazing job representing all 52 cars consigned from my collection and I am delighted that all are going to such great new homes," he added.

RM will return to California, September 26th for the highly anticipated Icons of Speed & Style event at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. This single-vendor collection will present an eclectic range of historic American racing cars, vintage hot rods and custom show cars, along with 'kustom kulture' memorabilia - all offered without reserve. For further information on this exciting event, please visit http://www.rmauctions.com/Default-RW.cfm?SaleCode=RW09.

Official results from this weekend's Sports & Classics of Monterey event will be posted online at www.rmauctions.com.

Fifth Gear attempts world's biggest loop-the-loop

We've heard that 'Ring times have become the de facto benchmark for performance cars of late, but this is ridiculous. Not so much a ring as a loop, stuntman Steve Truglia just attempted to drive a Toyota Aygo through a 40-foot loop for the (other) British motor show, Fifth Gear. The stunt was filmed at a Suffolk airbase, and was planned by a team that included a Cambridge physicist.

While anyone with a Hot Wheels track growing up might know that the stunt can be done, a real-world reenactment with a real car and real driver is so dangerous it is referred to as the "Death Loop" by professional stuntmen. While it might seem that a driver could merely power in at a high speed to carry enough momentum to complete the loop, the truth is that the g-forces on the driver at anything above 30 mph can be catastrophic. So stuntman Steve Truglia trained with jet pilots to learn techniques that would help him deal with the centripetal forces.

The car also had to be chopped to increase its approach and departure angles. He had to enter the loop at precisely 37 mph, then immediately slowed to 16 mph as the modified Toyota went up and over. Did he succeed? You'll have to watch the special episode this Saturday, or at least find the torrent. We don't think we're giving too much away to say that Steve plans something even bigger for his next stunt, even though it doesn't involve a car. He plans to skydive, from space.

[Source: The Daily Mail]

Ferrari 250TR sells for record breaking $12.2M at RM Auction

RM Auctions, in conjunction with Sotheby's, held their third annual Ferrari Leggende e Passione auction this past weekend. The star of the event was a 1957 250 TR chassis #0714TR, one of only 22 "pontoon-fender" Testa Rossas built, and this one was successfully campaigned by privateer owners from 1958 to 1963. It has been fully restored and features its original race black and red livery. The car was expected to break the record price for a car sold at auction, set last year by RM at the same event by a 1961 250 GT California Spyder, and it didn't disappoint. 0714TR brought a final price of €9,020,000, or about $12,169,784 at the current exchange rate.

Is this 250 TR worth the price? Think of it this way. Prominent works of art regularly sell for tens of millions of dollars and have even surpassed $100 million several times. If you consider the 250 TR a piece of artwork, with Ferrari and Scaglietti as the artists, then $12 million is a bargain. Plus, you can't rev a Picasso to 8,000 rpm or take it vintage racing.

[Source: RM Auctions]

Nissan GT-R wins 2009 One Lap of America

For the first time in the modern incarnation of One Lap of America, a Japanese car has claimed the top spot. After a grueling 3,400+ mile, nine racetrack odyssey around the United States, veteran "Lap Dog" Steve Rankins and "Lap Puppy" Will Taylor captured the overall trophy in their 2009 Nissan GT-R this weekend. The victory marks the first for a Nippon car since the event's 1986 running, when rallyist Karl Chevalier's Toyota Celica beat out fellow racer John Buffum's Audi 5000S wagon. OloA's timing and scoring procedures were markedly different at that point, however, as from 1985 to 1991, One Lap was essentially a time-speed-distance (TSD) rally.

With five-time defending champion Mark Davia and Drew Wikstrom taking the year off in their Porsche 911 Turbo, a new winner was assured, but for quite a while, it looked like another Stuttgart powerhouse would take the podium, as the 996 GT2 of Peter Lier and Ian Stewart held down the top position for much of the event. In the end, the consistency of the #3 Team Cannonball GT-R outlasted all comers – including the green #2 GT-R of Derek Whitis, Tom Long and Mark Pombo, which fell by the wayside when it was beset by gremlins (faulty boost controller pushing the ECU into limp mode, overheating, etc.). Along the way, the #3 GT-R was a consistent performer all week long, setting OloA's best-ever wet skidpad performance, a tidy 0.953g and winning events at Turfway Park, Talladega Grand Prix Raceway, Daytona International Raceway, Carolina Motorsports Park, and the BMW Performance Center. While stockpiling that many victories may make this year's race sound like a walk-off, tight competition from Lier and Stewart's 996 GT2 and the aforementioned #2 GT-R meant that the issue was in doubt almost until the very end.

[Sources: One Lap of America; Motor Trend]

The world's fastest BMW coupe? 230 mph G-Power M6 Hurricane CS

The G-Power crew is constantly striving to produce the most insane BMWs on the planet, combining forced induction with thoroughly revised suspensions and aerodynamics to attain completely unreasonable speeds. It's latest creation, the M6 Hurricane CS, takes the standard set by its M5-based Hurricane RS, and straps a duo of superchargers onto the 5.0-liter V10, boosting the coupe's output to 740 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.

Combined with a remapped ECU and a titanium exhaust, along with carbon fiber seats and a few other tweaks to reduce the curb weight by around 100 pounds, the CS can run to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, to 124 mph in 9.6 seconds, 187 in 26 seconds and on to a claimed top speed of 230 mph – making it the fastest road-going BMW coupe on Earth.

In addition to the twin superchargers and bespoke body-kit, G-Power fitted the CS with carbon ceramic brakes at all four corners, with the front discs measuring in at 380mm and clamped by six-piston calipers. A coil-over suspension with nine adjustable settings joins front and rear anti-roll bars, and for a scant 390,000 euros, it can be yours. All the details can be found in the press release below the fold.

Nissan clocks unofficial 7:26.7 'Ring time, gets dangerously close to ZR1

The Battle for top honors at the Nordschleife continues, with yet another revised 'Ring time for the Nissan GT-R. After a second day of testing, Nissan claims that the 2010 model hacked off nearly a second from its time on Wednesday, delivering an unofficial lap of 7:26.7 – a mere four-tenths of second behind the Corvette ZR1's official time and just over a second slower than the Ferrari Enzo. As always, unofficial times should be taken with the appropriate amount of NaCl, and the way things are going, we expect Porsche (or GM) to fire back, at which point Nissan may finally release the GT-R SpecV's lap time.

[Source: GTRBlog | Image: Kislik]

UK pilot breaks wind-powered car speed record

Britain's Richard Jenkins has just broken the world land speed record for a wind-powered vehicle. The high-tech contraption he used is called the Greenbird, which is the fifth wind-powered ride Jenkins has built. The resourceful Brit designed Greenbird himself over the course of a decade and built the machine almost completely from carbon fiber. Interestingly, Greenbird was sponsored by Ecotricity, the company currently working to build an electric Lotus that will be charged using wind-generated juice.

On a dry lake bed in Nevada, Jenkins managed to get Greenbird up to an amazing 126.1 miles per hour, handily breaking the old record of 116 mph, which was set in 1999 by Bob Schumacher, an American. According to Jenkins, the feat itself was rather uneventful, saying, "things couldn't have gone better."

Now that Jenkins has successfully broken the elusive record on land, he's reportedly turning his attention to the ice, where he plans to break the record for that surface using a second, different Greenbird. The ice vehicle exchanges wheels for blades and has a symmetric layout, with outriggers extending from each side of the fuselage, unlike the land car's asymmetric design, "There's still some debate as to whether traveling on ice or land will be faster," he said. Should be interesting to find out, no?

[Source: BBC]