Monday, August 2, 2010
Sport Car Lotus Sport Exige GT3 Black ColorThe prototype Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race car was unveiled at the annual FIA GT Championship presentation ceremony outside the world famous Casino in Monte Carlo, Monaco 2nd December 2005th The next day (2 December 2005), the first test vehicle was held at high speed Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track in Southern France under FIA supervision, the first phase of the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 becoming eligible for FIA GT3 competition. This latest FIA series, which will begin in 2006, has been racing cars that have the same power and weight, and that has direct lineage to their road going versions.
Lotus Sport Exige GT3 participants developed the Lotus Sport, the performance arm Lotus Cars and is derived from the standard Lotus Exige coupé model. Weighing about 750 kg, it stays true to "performance through light weight" core Lotus philosophy. The car uses a race prepared 1.8 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine with a Roots-type supercharger and air-to-air intercooler that uses Lotus T4e Engine Control Unit to produce 285 hp (289 hp) at 7800 rpm. This gives an impressive power to weight ratio of 380 hp / tonne or 2.6 kg / hp.
After a brief shakedown program Lotus test track at Hethel, factory test driver Gavan Kershaw conducted a final set of chassis tires on the wet morning session at Paul Ricard official FIA test. What followed was a trip to slick tires on the track by FIA nominated test driver drying Christophe Bouchut.
Sport Car Lotus Sport Exige GT3 BackCommenting on the encouraging test, Chris Arnold, General Manager of Lotus Sport, explained: "We were delighted to attend the official FIA tests. Since the car was still on the drawing board two months ago, it's a fantastic achievement for the full build-in such a short time. We knew this test would be a first test for the car at the spot, and I am very pleased with the results. Our winter development program began testing the tunnel just before Christmas followed by further work in preparation for the next FIA test in March. "
FIA announced five races of the European Championship for the new GT3 class with rounds in the UK, Germany, Belgium, France and Italy. Various national GT Championships are also considering modifications to its regulations to include GT3 class.
Sport Car Lotus Sport Exige GT3 TuringMonday, September 7, 2009
Racing Car built out of recyclables and powered by Vegetables and Chocolate
0 comments Posted by car at 10:52 AMA racing car built from vegetables and powered by chocolate is to make its track debut next month, scientists have announced.
The £500,000 Worldfirst - described as the greenest car of its kind in the world - is expected to reach a top speed of 135mph when it hits the track at Brands Hatch.
Built from recycled cars, plastic bottles and off-cuts from aeroplanes, the Formula 3 vehicle has a steering wheel made from carrot fibre and can run on biodiesel made from waste chocolate and stale wine.
Its creators at Warwick University say their invention may be green - but can reach 60mph from a standing start in less than 2.5 seconds.
Project leader Dr Kerry Kirwan said the car was proof that 'green cars don't have to be boring'.
'We'll be disappointed if it doesn't do well,' he said. 'We believe this is the greenest car in its class. It's the first car of its kind built from waste material, recycled material and natural materials, but it has the same performance levels and looks just like a Formula 3 racing car.
'We hope to reach out to future scientists and engineers and give them something they can get excited about and relate to.'
Most of Worldfirst's carbon fibre bodywork started life as aviation industry scrap and plastic soft drink bottles, while the steering wheel was built from the waste of juiced carrots.
Microscopic fibres from the vegetable waste were mixed with a resin and moulded into a wheel
'It's come out purple, but there may have been some beetroot in there,' said Dr Kirwan, speaking at the British Festival of Science at the University of Surrey in Guildford. 'But it's a lovely shade of purple.'
The vehicle is powered by the stripped-down 230 horse power aluminium engine taken from a 2-litre BMW diesel.
It can run on 100 per cent biofuel made from fermented wine dregs and waste from chocolate factories. Chocolate waste is high in fat - and converts well into 'green fuel', Dr Kirwan said.
Although the cockpit and chassis are conventional, they were recycled from an old Formula 3 racing car. However, under the strict rules of motor racing, its tyres had to be made from conventional rubber, the creators say.
They claim that at least half the finished car is made from recycled material or plant waste. When it runs on 100 per cent biodiesel, it is 'carbon neutral' - only releasing carbon dioxide that was captured from the atmosphere in the past few years.
Despite its environmental credentials, it has already reached a top speed of around 135 mph. Its creators say it could reach 170mph. It manages around 35 miles per gallon.
The car makes its debut on October 17 at Brands Hatch, where it will be competing against around 22 other more conventional Formula 3 vehicles.
Worldfirst is an attempt to show that motor racing - a sport hated by environmentalists - can be 'sustainable', Dr Kirwan said.
'The message is that green can be fun and ,' he said. 'It's not boring.'
