As part of the upcoming VIP Petfoods 12 hour race, a shorter 3 hour race and a 6 hour endurance race are to be run within the 12 hour race format. Entries are now being taken for the shorter races which will be contested at Hampton Downs on the 13th of August.

These shorter endurance races will cater for competitors who feel that the full 12 hours is too long for them or their machinery. The Dynatron 3 hour and Racetech 6 hour races have a minimum of only two drivers and there will be trophies awarded for these two category winners.

Highlights of the race will be televised on TV1 as well as Sky TV in a one hour time slot.

Key competitors registered so far include Tony Quinn who will head up the Australian contingent in his Porsche 997 RSR (pictured) and is rumoured to have Craig Baird on the team. (more…)

Holden’s next-generation VF Commodore series is set for a 2014 launch and with such a long wait between model generations it’s expected to pack in some neat technology. Expect significant savings in fuel economy, improved aerodynamics, new electric power steering and it will be the first Aussie-built car to use mass produced aluminium panels in its construction. The next-gen Commodore is set to trim fat, in an attempt to remain competitive with vehicles like the locally-made Toyota Camry Hybrid.

Fuel savings will be in the region of 7% off the current figures for the VE Commodore range (pictured). This will drag the 9.1lt/100 km combined rating of the 3.0 L V6 SIDI down to a more acceptable 8.4 lt/100 km. The older 3.6 L Alloytec V6 will drop to 9.1 lt /100 km (26 mpg) down from its current 9.8 lt/100 km. The fuel saving measures are partly funded by the Australian federal government, which has used AU$39.8 million from the discontinued Green Car Innovation Fund.

The entire VF model’s development will apparently cost just AU$189 million which is a significant decrease on the rumoured one billion that was spent on the VE Commodore. (more…)

Little known German coachbuilder Endora Cars has made a big splash this week with the announcement that it will build a retro-inspired supercar called the SC-1.

With the release of rendered images it’s plain to see that the SC-1 borrows heavily from American and European sports cars of the 60′s and 70′s. It’s a mish-mash of styles and eras but the most telling design features are lifted from the Corvette like the Coke-bottle profile and distinctive rear end. That’s no surprise really, considering the SC-1 uses the Corvette as a platform.

Under the bespoke body lies the chassis and mechanical hardware of the sixth generation Corvette. Endora Cars will offer tempted buyers the choice of three configurations. A base model which comes packing GM’s 6.2-litre V8 with a 325kW output, while a second option will be a larger 7.0-liter V8 with 381kW and 636Nm of torque. The range topper will be a supercharged version of the 6.2-litre V8 engine that will put a scary 482kW and 817Nm of torque to the rear axle. (more…)

It’s all go at Taupo Motorsport Park this weekend with a motorsport event that will have variation and huge potential for spectacle.

For drifting fans the DMNZ is set to light up the track with a top 32 drift battle. There’s also a show and shine with a broad range of cars on display and a modelling comp to distract everyone from the racing. To keep the bike boys happy there will also be a super motard event.

That’s all good, but if you want the real deal you go for the big wheels and what’s topping the bill is Super Truck Racing for the first time in Taupo. The Super Truck Racing Championship is in full swing and is a spectacle not seen in the North Island for some time, so expect the big diesels to be going hard. (more…)

The latest entry in our ridiculous machines file comes from specialist Russian marque Dartz Prombron in the form of its Nagel. What the hell is that? You may well ask, it’s the world’s first fully armoured sportback vehicle made for hauling yachts.

The Nagel comes with enough armour plating to stop small armies from trying to steal your dingy and has a tow rating of up to five tonnes. While a sedan may not seem like the ideal vehicle type for towing boats the Nagel ‘apparently’ comes packing a ridiculous 1,471kW that’s 2,000 horsepower in old speak. Other outlandish claims from the Russian carmaker include pegging the Nagel top speed at 250kph but you may want to unhook your boat before giving that a go.

It all gets stranger too, it turns out the model is named after Andrey Nagel who, along with co-driver Vadim Mikhailoff, won the Monte Carlo Rally back in 1911 in a C24/55 Monaco RussoBalt. RussoBalt is the company from which Dartz Prombron’ derives from. The Nagel is being put into production next year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this victory. (more…)

The new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 has made its big debut in the States at the New York Auto Show and it arrives with the title of the ‘fastest Jeep ever built’.

How fast can a Jeep possibly be? Well it will sprint from 0-100kph in just 4.8 seconds and push on to a restricted 250kph top speed. If you want to be a quarter mile hero it will cover the distance in the mid-13-second range.

Laying at the heart of the beast is a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 pumping out 347kW of power and will apparently get 13-percent better fuel economy than the outgoing model. To achieve this feat Jeep has employed a new active exhaust system that lets the cylinder-deactivating Fuel Saver Technology operate over a wider RPM band.

According to Jeep the Grand Cherokee SRT8 can handle too, thanks in part to a new Selec-Track system with five driving modes. In it’s sportiest settings this go-hard Jeep can hold on for a .90-g skid pad performance. (more…)

The year was 1969 and it was the heyday for American muscle cars but no one predicted the impact the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was about to have. It was a hard-performing monster featuring an all-aluminum engine displacing 427 cubic inches that was originally only intended for racing purposes. Just 69 examples of the ZR1 were built and unsurprisingly, they remain much coveted by car collectors today. To relive the interest and uncompromising performance of the original ZL1 Chevrolet have resurrected the name plate for what it is calling the fastest and most technologically advanced Camaro ever built.

While specifications haven’t been finalised, Chevrolet says that the new ZL1 Camaro will come packing an LSA 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine that will pump out an estimated 550 horsepower and a massive 745 Nm of torque. The heavyweight engine will be mated to a six-speed manual transmission with a dual-disc clutch system and a short-throw shifter. GM is staying closed-lipped on performance numbers for now, but with 550-ponies packed under the bonnet, the ZL1 will move with some pace.

Away from the supercharged V8 engine and the new transmission, the ZL1 also boasts a series of chassis upgrades including a reworked suspension setting with a Magnetic Ride Control system. Putting down the anchors is a high-performance Brembo brake system with six-piston calipers up front and four at the back. A brand new electric power steering system and 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels cloaked in Goodyear Supercar F2 tyres, finish off the package.

In terms of design there is a new body kit to adorn the ZL1 and separate it from lesser siblings. The kit has a new front fascia and air intakes, there is also a new aluminum bonnet with a satin black-finish and carbon fibre insert that uses an air extractor to increase downforce. (more…)

Heads up Camaro fans, General Motors has just released details and images of the drop top version of Chevrolet’s retro-styled muscle car.

The upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show will play host to the long-awaited 2011 Camaro Convertible getting revealed for the first time  before going on sale in the States from February of 2011 with an estimated starting price $30,000 USD.

Chevrolet’s newest convertible has been in development ever since the introduction of the coupe version but was constantly delayed due to the firm’s financial troubles.

GM says that converting the coupe to drop top requiredf four strategic reinforcements to enhance the body structure including, the addition of a tower-to-tower brace under the bonnet, a transmission support reinforcement brace, underbody tunnel brace and, front and rear underbody “V” braces. The overall goal was obvious – to match the coupe as closely as possible in ride quality, handling and overall performance.

The convertible uses a folding softtop built by the same makers as the unit in the Corvette, it will likely use the same centre-handled locking mechanism. GM says that the top stows away in about 20 seconds. When up, the top uses composite knuckles instead of the traditional convertible roof ribbed look.

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