Saturday, December 22, 2018

Ford Escort MK I


The Ford Escort, a small family saloon was manufactured by Ford in various models from 1968 to 2000.
The Mark I Ford Escort was introduced in the United Kingdom at the end of 1967, making its show debut at Brussels Motor Show in January 1968. It replaced the successful long running Anglia. The car was presented in continental Europe as a product of Ford’s European operation. Escort production commenced at Halewood in England during the closing months of 1967, and for left hand drive markets during September 1968 at the Ford plant in Genk.
Initially the continental Escorts differed slightly from the UK built ones under the skin. The front suspension and steering gear were differently configured and the brakes were fitted with dual hydraulic circuits. Also the wheels fitted on the Genk-built Escorts had wider rims. At the beginning of 1970, continental European production transferred to a new plant on the edge of Saarlouis, West Germany.
The Escort was a commercial success in several parts of western Europe, but nowhere more than in the UK, where the national best seller of the 1960s, BMC’s Austin/Morris 1100 was beginning to show its age while Ford’s own Cortina had grown, both in dimensions and in price, beyond the market niche at which it had originally been pitched. In June 1974, six years into the car’s UK introduction, Ford announced the completion of the two millionth Ford Escort, a milestone hitherto unmatched by any Ford model outside the USA. It was also stated that 60% of the two million Escorts had been built in Britain. In West Germany cars were built at a slower rate of around 150,000 cars per year, slumping to 78,604 in 1974 which was the last year for the Escort Mark I. Many of the German built Escorts were exported, notably to Benelux and Italy. Subsequent generations of the Escort made up some of the ground foregone by the original model, but in Europe’s largest auto-market the Escort sales volumes always came in well behind those of the General Motors Kadett and its Astra successor.
The Escort had conventional rear-wheel drive and a four-speed manual gearbox, or 3-speed automatic transmission. The suspension consisted of MacPherson strut front suspension and a simple live axle mounted on leaf springs. The Escort was the first small Ford to use rack-and-pinion steering. The Mark I featured contemporary styling cues in tune with its time: a subtle Detroit-inspired “Coke bottle” waistline and the “dogbone” shaped front grille — arguably the car’s main stylistic feature. Similar Coke bottle styling featured in the larger Cortina Mark III (also built in West Germany as the Taunus) that was launched in 1970. Less than two years after launch, Ford offered a four door version of the Escort.
Initially, the Escort was sold as a 2-door saloon (with circular front headlights and rubber flooring) on the “De Luxe” model. The “Super” model featured rectangular headlamps, carpets, a cigar lighter and a water temperature gauge. A 2 door estate was introduced at the end of March 1968 which, with the back seat folded down, provided an impressive 40% increase in maximum load space over the old Anglia 105E estate, according to the manufacturer. The estate featured the same engine options as the saloon, but it also included a larger, 71⁄2-inch-diameter (190 mm) clutch, stiffer rear springs and in most configurations slightly larger brake drums or discs than the saloon. A panel van appeared in April 1968 and the 4-door saloon (a body style the Anglia was never available in for UK market) in 1969.
Underneath the bonnet was the Kent Crossflow engine which was also used in the North American Ford Pinto. Diesel engines on small family cars were rare, and the Escort was no exception, initially featuring only petrol engines — in 1.1 L, and 1.3 L versions. A 940 cc engine was also available in some export markets, but few were ever sold.
There was a 1300GT performance version, with a tuned 1.3 L Kent (OHV) engine with a Weber carburetor and uprated suspension. This version featured additional instrumentation with a tachometer, battery charge indicator, and oil pressure gauge. The same tuned 1.3 L engine was also used in a variation sold as the Escort Sport, that used the flared front wings from the AVO range of cars, but featured trim from the more basic models. Later, an “executive” version of the Escort was produced known as the 1300E. This featured the same 13″ road wheels and flared wings of the Sport, but was trimmed in an upmarket, for that time, fashion with wood trim on the dashboard and door cappings.
A higher performance version for rallies and racing was available, the Escort Twin Cam, built for Group 2 international rallying. It had an engine with a Lotus-made eight-valve twin camshaft head fitted to the 1.5 L non-crossflow block, which had a bigger bore than usual to give a capacity of 1,558 cc. This engine had originally been developed for the Lotus Cortina. Production of the Twin Cam, which was originally produced at Halewood, was phased out as the RS1600 was developed.
The Mark I Escorts became successful as a rally car, and they eventually went on to become one of the most successful rally cars of all time. The Ford works team was practically unbeatable in the late 1960s / early 1970s, and arguably the Escort’s greatest victory was in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally being driven by Finnish legend Hannu Mikkola. This gave rise to the Escort Mexico (1.6 L “Kent”-engined) special edition road versions in honour of the rally car.
In addition to the Mexico, the RS1600 was developed which used a Kent engine block with a 16-valve Cosworth cylinder head. This engine was essentially a detuned Formula 3 engine designated BDA, for Belt Drive A Series. Both the Mexico and RS1600 were built at Ford’s Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) facility located at the Aveley Plant in South Essex. As well as higher performance engines and sports suspension, these models featured strengthened bodyshells, making them good for rallying.
Ford also produced an RS2000 model as an alternative to the somewhat temperamental RS1600, featuring a 2.0 L Pinto (OHC) engine. This also clocked up some rally and racing victories; and pre-empted the hot hatch market as a desirable but affordable performance road car. Like the Mexico and RS1600, this car was produced at the Aveley plant.
The Escort was built in Germany and Britain, as well as in Australia and New Zealand.
If you are interested in Ford Escort models, you can find out more by contacting or joining the clubs mentioned below;
Ford Owners Club
Ford Enthusiasts and Owners Club
Escort Evolution
Ford Escort MKI RS 2000 video

More images as well as other Greatest Cars here; www.in2motorsports.com





Sunday, December 16, 2018

Maserati MC12


The Maserati MC12 is produced to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT Championship. The car entered production in 2004 with 30 cars produced (five of which were not for sale). A further 25 were produced in 2005 making a total of 50 cars available for customers, each of which were pre-sold for €600,000.
Maserati designed and built the car on the chassis of the Enzo Ferrari but it is much larger with a lower drag coefficient. The MC12 is longer, wider and taller and has a sharper nose and smoother curves than the Enzo Ferrari, which has faster acceleration, better braking performance and a higher top speed. The top speed of the Maserati MC12 is 330 kilometres per hour (205 mph) whereas the top speed of the Enzo Ferrari is 350 kilometres per hour (217.5 mph).
The MC12 was developed to signal Maserati’s return to racing after 37 years. One requirement for participation in the FIA GT is the production of at least 25 road cars. Three GT1 race cars were entered into the FIA GT with great success. Maserati began racing the MC12 in the FIA GT toward the end of the 2004 season, winning the race held at the Zhuhai International Circuit. The racing MC12s were entered into the American Le Mans Series races in 2005 but exceeded the size restrictions and consequently paid weight penalties due to excess range.
Under the direction of Giorgio Ascanelli, Maserati began development of an FIA GT-eligible race car. This car, which would eventually be named the MC12, was initially called the MCC (Maserati Corse Competizione) and it was to be developed simultaneously with a road going version, the MCS (Maserati Corse Stradale). Frank Stephenson did the majority of the body styling, but the initial shape was developed during wind tunnel testing from an idea by Giorgetto Giugiaro. The MCC had a very similar body shape to the MC12 but there are several key differences, most notably the rear spoiler. Andrea Bertolini served as the chief test driver throughout development, although some testing was done by Michael Schumacher, who frequently tested the MCC at the Fiorano Circuit. During the development process, the MCC name was set aside after Maserati established the car’s official name, MC12.
The MC12 is a two-door coupe with a targa top roof, although the detached roof cannot be stored in the car. The mid-rear layout (engine between the axles but behind the cabin) keeps the centre of gravity in the middle of the car, which increases stability and improves the car’s cornering ability. The standing weight distribution is 41% front: 59% rear; at speed however, the downforce provided by the rear spoiler affects this such that at 200 kilometres per hour (125 mph), the effective weight distribution is 34% front: 66% rear.
Even though the car is designed as a homologation vehicle and is a modification of a racing car, the interior is intended to be luxurious. The interior is a mix of gel-coated carbon fibre, blue leather and silver “Brightex”: a synthetic material which was found to be “too expensive for the fashion industry.” The centre console features the characteristic Maserati oval analogue clock and a blue ignition button, but it has been criticised for lacking a radio, car stereo or a place to install an after market sound system.
The body of the car, made entirely of carbon fibre, has undergone extensive wind tunnel testing to achieve maximum downforce across all surfaces. As a result, the rear spoiler is two metres (79 in) wide but only 30 millimetres (1.2 in) thick, the underside of the car is smooth, and the rear bumper has diffusers to take advantage of ground effect. Air is sucked into the engine compartment through the air scoop; its positioning on top of the cabin makes the car taller than the Enzo. The exterior is available only in the white and blue colour scheme, a tribute to the America Camoradi racing team that drove the Maserati Tipo Birdcages in the early 1960s. The car is noted for the awkwardness that results from its size: very long and wider than a Hummer H2. This, combined with the lack of a rear window, makes parking the MC12 very difficult.
The MC12 sports a 232 kilogram (511 lb), six-litre (5,998 cc/366 cu in) Enzo Ferrari-derived V12 engine, mounted at 65°. Each cylinder has four valves, lubricated via a dry sump system, and a compression ratio of 11.2:1. These combine to provide a maximum torque of 652 newton metres (481 lbf·ft) at 5500 rpm and a maximum power of 630 PS (460 kW; 620 hp) at 7500 rpm. The redline rpm is indicated at 7500—despite being safe up to 7700—whereas the Enzo has redline at 8200 rpm.
The Maserati MC12 can accelerate from 0–100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds (though Motor Trend Magazine managed 3.7 seconds) and on to 200 kilometres per hour (125 mph) in 9.9 seconds. The maximum speed of the Maserati MC12 is 330 kilometres per hour (205 mph).
The power is fed to the wheels through a rear-mounted, six-speed semi-automatic transmission. The gearbox is the same as the Enzo’s transmission (tuned to different gear ratios) but renamed “Maserati Cambiocorsa”. It provides a shift time of just 150 milliseconds, and is mechanical with a 215 millimetre (8.5 in) twin plate dry clutch.
The car has generally received mixed reviews, with critics saying it is hard to drive, overpriced and too large. Other criticisms include the lack of a trunk, rear window, spare tire and radio, and the way the car’s engine was limited or “drugged”. Current driver for Vitaphone Racing Team Andrea Bertolini, the chief test driver throughout the development, said the car “reacts well and is very reliable in its reactions.”
Motor Trend Magazine reviewer Frank Markus had a more positive opinion. Despite initial scepticism he said, “It turns out that the Enzo makes a more comfortable and attractive road car when made over as a butch Maserati racer in street couture”. Markus complimented the stability of braking and the handling ability of the MC12, especially the drifting allowed by the traction control when cornering, commenting that “There’s none of the knife-edged limit handling we criticised in the more extreme Enzo. It’s even more forgiving at the limit than an Acura NSX.”
When Automobile Magazine tested an MC12, reviewer Preston Lerner called it “user-friendly”, praising the responsiveness and simplicity of driving. Lerner approved of Frank Stephenson’s work with the styling of both the car’s exterior and interior, calling the trim “Speed-Racer-ish” but “without looking as though it belongs in a Nitrous-ized Civic”. He also complimented the ASR’s level of intervention, commenting that it “lets the fun factor get reasonably high before kicking in”.
In 2008 Evo Magazine ran the MC12 at Nordschleife and obtained a 7:24.29 second lap time. This was also the second time an MC12 recorded a faster lap time than its Ferrari counterpart, with the Enzo lapping the track 1 second slower.
And onto racing, In 2004 Maserati completed three MC12 GT1 race cars intended for the FIA GT GT1 class. The AF Corse factory-backed squad debuted the race at Imola, yet the FIA did not allow the MC12 to score points due to its debated homologation. Even with this setback, the team managed to take second and third places. At the next round at Oschersleben, the MC12 of Andrea Bertolini and Mika Salo won for the first time. At the final round of the year at Zhuhai, the FIA finally agreed to homologate the MC12s and allow them to score points towards the championship. With this, the MC12 again took victory, allowing it to score enough points to finish 7th in the teams championship.
In 2005 Maserati won the FIA GT Manufacturers Cup with 239 points: almost double the score of next team (Ferrari with 125 points). The two teams that entered MC12s into the FIA GT, Vitaphone Racing and JMB Racing, finished first and second respectively in the Team Cup, with Vitaphone winning by a considerable margin.
In 2006 the only team representing Maserati was Vitaphone Racing. On September 30, 2006 Vitaphone secured the Teams’ Championship for the 2006 season despite their drivers placing 5th and 7th in the Budapest 500km race with weight penalties of 85 kilograms and 105 kilograms respectively. Bertolini and Bartels also shared first place in the Drivers’ Championship on 71 points but the manufacturers cup went to Aston Martin.
Vitaphone Racing again won the GT1 Teams’ Championship in the 2007 season on 115 points, followed by fellow MC12 team Scuderia Playteam Sarafree on 63 points. JMB Racing also entered two MC12s, but they were used by amateur drivers competing in the Citation Cup, which was won by JMB’s driver Ben Aucott. Maserati also won the Manufacturers’ Cup by a significant margin while Thomas Biagi won the Drivers’ Championship. Fellow Vitaphone drivers Miguel Ramos and Christian Montanari tied for sixth, while Playteam’s Andrea Bertolini and Andrea Piccini were just behind.
For 2008, Vitaphone Racing returned with a pair of MC12s for drivers Andrea Bertolini, Michael Bartels, and Miguel Ramos, as well as newcomer Alexandre Negrão. The season ended with another Teams’ Championship for Vitaphone Racing (122.5 points) and Drivers’ Championship for Bertolini and Bartels. In the ninth round, the team fielded a third car under the name of Team Vitasystem, driven by Pedro Lamy and Matteo Bobbi which scored one point. JMB Racing retained a single MC12 for 2007 Citation Cup winner Ben Aucott and drivers Peter Kutemann and Alain Ferté, competing in the first five events of the championship.
In the 2009 season the Vitaphone Racing won the fifth consecutive Team Championship, while Bertolini and Bartels gained their third Drivers’ Championship. The other two drivers were Miguel Ramos and Alex Müller, who ended in sixth position. Starting from the fourth round, the team entered a third car under the name of Vitaphone Racing Team DHL, driven by Matteo Bobbi and Alessandro Pier Guidi, achieving good results: despite being only a one-car team, with a partial season involvement, they ended the Teams’ Championship in fourth position (32 points), scoring a victory in the last round.
With the inauguration of the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010, Maserati continued their commitment to the series with two teams entering. Vitaphone Racing Team, the defending FIA GT Champions, won five races en route to the Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championships, but Maserati lost to Aston Martin in the Manufacturers’ Trophy. The second team representing Maserati was Alfrid Heger’s Triple H Team Hegersport.
MC12s have had great success racing in Italy, and have replaced the GT3 “Maserati Trofeo Light” as Maserati’s representative in the Italian GT Championship. In 2005 Maserati introduced two MC12s to the GT1 division under Scuderia Playteam and Racing Box, with the teams placing first and third overall respectively. The cars were re-entered in 2006, with Scuderia Playteam again securing overall victory and Racing Box coming second. From 2007, GT1 cars are not permitted in the championship, and Scuderia Playteam moved to the FIA GT Championship.
Racing Box also participated in the non-championship 6 Hours of Vallelunga twice, winning in 2005, then again in 2006.
In 2006, the Le Mans winning outfit Team Goh was intending to race a Maserati MC12 in the Super GT series in Japan. However, the team was forced to withdraw because of driver problems and disappointing lap times at the Suzuka Circuit during testing. While the car was faster than its Super GT rivals down the straights, it was losing more than a second per lap in the corners due to its poorer aerodynamics.
In 2004 the Maserati MC12s were unable to compete in series backed by the ACO, such as the Le Mans Endurance Series (LMES) in Europe and the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) because they exceeded both the length and width restrictions for their class. In 2005 the governing body of the ALMS, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), allowed the MC12s to compete as a guest with the agreement that they were not allowed to score championship points and were forced to run a weight penalty. Some ALMS teams initially objected to the participation of the MC12 due to the possibility that an accident could eliminate their chances at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but the MC12 was finally allowed to race. The ACO stood by their ruling on the car by forbidding it from entering other Le Mans series.
The lone MC12 would be campaigned under the Maserati Corse banner, but run by the American Risi Competizione team. The 2005 American Le Mans Series season was not as successful for the team, with the team scoring no wins. In the final race at Laguna Seca, the MC12 was clipped by a competitor, causing damage that resulted in a lengthy pit stop. After resuming the race, a loss of traction caused by cold tires made the car hit a curb, which broke the radiator and took the MC12 out of the race.
In August 2007, Fredy Lienhard and Didier Theys announced their preparation of a former FIA GT MC12 for use in the American Le Mans Series. The car made its debut at Road America, finishing 3rd in the GT1 class after qualifying competitively. The only other race entered was Round 11 at Road Atlanta for the Petit Le Mans where the team failed to finish following an accident, but were still classified second in class. Doran’s Maserati however had qualified on the class pole. IMSA also allowed Doran to score points in the American Le Mans Series championships.
The Corsa is a variant of the MC12 intended for racetrack use. In contrast to the race version of the MC12, of which street-legal versions were produced for homologation purposes, the MC12 Corsa is intended for private use, albeit restricted to the track, as the Corsa’s modifications make it illegal to drive on the road.
The Corsa was developed directly from the MC12 GT1, which won the 2005 FIA GT Manufacturers Cup. The car was released in mid-2006, “in response to the customer demand to own the MC12 racing car and fuelled by the growth in track days, where owners can drive their cars at high speeds in the safety of a race track”, as stated by Edward Butler, General Manager for Maserati in Australia and New Zealand. In similar fashion to the Ferrari FXX, although the owners are private individuals, Maserati is responsible for the storage, upkeep, and maintenance of the cars, and they are only driven on specially organized track days. Unlike the FXX, Corsas are not used for research and development, and are used only for entertainment. A single MC12 Corsa has been modified by its owner to make it street-legal.
Only twelve MC12 Corsas were sold to selected customers, each of whom paid €1 million (US$1.47 million) for the privilege. Another three vehicles were produced for testing and publicity purposes. The Corsa shares its engine with the MC12 GT1; the powerplant produces 755 PS (555 kW; 745 hp) at 8000 rpm, 122 PS (90 kW; 120 hp) more than the original MC12. The MC12 Corsa shares the GT1′s shortened nose, which was a requirement for entry into the American Le Mans Series. The car was available in a single standard color, named “Blue Victory”, though the car’s paint could be customized upon request.
Well, lots of information on this car, but if you need more or you wish to join the Maserati clubs here they are;

Maserati Owners Club
Sports Maserati

More images and Greatest Cars here; www.in2motorsports.com





Sunday, December 09, 2018

Renault Alpine



Jean Rédélé (1922 – 2007), founded Alpine, a French manufacturer of racing and sports cars that used rear-mounted Renault engines. He was originally a Dieppe garage proprietor, who began to achieve considerable competition success in one of the few French cars produced just after World War 2. The company was bought in 1978 by Renault.
In 1955, he worked with the Chappe brothers to be amongst the pioneers of auto glass fibre construction and produced a small coupe, based on 4CV mechanicals and called the Alpine A106. It used the platform chassis of the original Renault 4CV. The A106 achieved a number of successes through the 1950s and was joined by a low and stylish cabriolet. Styling for this car was contracted to the Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. Under the glass fibre body was a very stiff chassis based on a central tubular backbone which was to be the hallmark of all Alpines built.
Alpine then took the Michelotti cabriolet design and developed a 2+2 closed coupe (or ‘berlinette’) body for it: this became the Alpine A108, now featuring the Dauphine Gordini 845 cc engine, which on later models was bored out to give a capacity of 904 cc or (subsequently) 998 cc. The A108 was built between 1958 and 1963.
In 1962, the A108 begun to be produced also in Brazil, by Willys-Overland. It was the Willys Interlagos (berlineta, coupé and convertible).
By now the car’s mechanicals were beginning to show their age in Europe. Alpine were already working closely with Renault and when the Renault R8 saloon was introduced in 1962. Alpine redeveloped their chassis and made a number of minor body changes to allow the use of R8 mechanicals.
This new car was the A110 Berlinette Tour de France, named after a successful run with the Alpine A108 in the 1962 event. Starting with a 956 cc engine of 51 bhp (38 kW), the same chassis and body developed with relatively minor changes over the years to the stage where, by 1974, the little car was handling 1800 cc engines developing 180 bhp (134 kW)+. With a competition weight for the car of around 620 kg (1,367 lb), the performance was excellent.
Alpine achieved increasing success in rallying, and by 1968 had been allocated the whole Renault competition budget. The close collaboration allowed Alpines to be sold and maintained in France by normal Renault dealerships. Real top level success started in 1968 with outright wins in the Coupe des Alpes and other international events. By this time the competition cars were fitted with 1440 cc engines derived from the Renault R8 Gordini. Competition successes became numerous, helped since Alpine were the first company fully to exploit the competition parts homologation rules.
In 1971, Alpine achieved a 1-2-3 finish in the Monte Carlo rally, using cars with engines derived from the Renault 16. In 1973, they repeated the 1-2-3 Monte Carlo result and went on to win the World Rally Championship outright, beating Porsche, Lancia and Ford. During all of this time, production of the Alpine A110 increased and manufacturing deals were struck for A110s and A108s with factories in a number of other countries including Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Bulgaria.
1973 brought the international petrol crisis, which had profound effects on many specialist car manufacturers worldwide. From a total Alpine production of 1421 in 1972, the numbers of cars sold dropped to 957 in 1974 and the company was bailed out via a takeover by Renault. Alpine’s problems had been compounded by the need for them to develop a replacement for the A110 and launch the car just when European petrol prices leapt through the roof.
Through the 1970s, Alpine continued to campaign the A110, and later the Alpine A310 replacement car. However, to compete with Alpine’s success, other manufacturers developed increasingly special cars, notably the Lancia Stratos which was based closely on the A110′s size and rear-engined concept, though incorporating a Ferrari engine. Alpine’s own cars, still based on the 1962 design and using a surprising number of production parts, became increasingly uncompetitive. In 1974 Alpine built a series of factory racing Renault 17 Gordinis (one driven by Jean-Luc Thérier) that won the Press on Regardless World Rally Championship round in Michigan, USA.
In fact, having achieved the rally championship, and with Renault money now fully behind them, Alpine had set their sights on a new target. The next aim was to win at Le Mans. Renault had also taken over the Gordini tuning firm and merged the two to form Renault Sport. A number of increasingly successful sports racing cars appeared, culminating in the 1978 Le Mans win with the Renault Alpine A442B. This was fitted with a turbo-charged engine; Alpine had been the first company to run in and win an international rally with a turbo car as far back as 1972 when Jean-Luc Thérier took a specially modified A110 to victory on the Critérium des Cévennes.
1971 also saw Alpine begin construction of open wheel racing cars. Initially in Formula Three within a year they were building Formula Two cars as well. Unfortunately without a competitive Renault Formula Two engine available the F2 cars could neither be known as Renaults or Alpines while powered by Ford-Cosworth and BMW engines and were labelled Elf 2 and later Elf 2J. A Renault 2.0 litre engine arrived in time for Jean-Pierre Jabouille to win the European Formula 2 Championship in 1976. By this time Alpine with Jabouille driving had built a Formula One car as a testing mule which lead directly to their entry into the Formula One world championship in 1977. A second European Formula 2 championship followed with René Arnoux in 1977 with the customer Martini team, before Alpine sold the F2 operation to Willi Kauhsen to concentrate on the Le Mans and Formula One programs.
Alpine Renault continued to develop their range of models all through the 1980s. The A310 was the next modern interpretation of the A110. The Alpine A310 was a sports car with a rear-mounted engine and was initially powered by a four-cylinder 1.6 L sourced Renault 17 TS/Gordini engine. In 1976 the A310 was restyled by Robert Opron and fitted with the more powerful and newly developed V6 PRV engine. The 2.6 L motor was modified by Alpine with a four-speed manual gearbox. Later they would use a Five-speed manual gearbox and with the group 4 model get a higher tune with more cubic capacity and 3 twin barrel Weber carburetors.
After the A310 Alpine transformed into the new Alpine GTA range produced from plastic and polyester components, commencing with normally aspirated PRV V6 engines. In 1985 the V6 Turbo was introduced to complete the range. This car was faster and more powerful than the normally aspirated version. In 1986 polyester parts were cut for the first time by robot using a high pressure (3500 bar) water jet, 0.15 mm (0.01 in) in diameter at three times the speed of sound. In the same year the American specification V6 Turbo was developed.
In 1987 fitment of anti-pollution systems allowed the V6 Turbo to be distributed to Switzerland, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. 1989 saw the launch of the limited edition GTA Mille Miles to celebrate Alpine’s 35th anniversary. Production was limited to 100 cars, all fitted with ABS braking, polished wheels, special leather interior and paintwork. This version was not available in RHD.
1990 saw the launch of the special edition wide bodied GTA Le Mans. The car wore polyester wheel arch extensions with a one piece front. Wheels were 3 piece BBS style produced by ACT, 8×16″ front & 10×17″ rear. Otherwise identical mechanically to the V6 Turbo, the engine was fitted with a catalytic converter and power was reduced to 185 bhp (138 kW). This model was available in the UK and RHD versions carried a numbered plaque on the dashboard. The Le Mans is the most collectable and valuable GTA derivative, since only 325 were made (299 LHD and 26 RHD). These were available from Renault dealers in the UK and the country’s motoring press are belatedly recognising the GTA series as the ‘great unsung supercar of the 1980s’
The Alpine A610 was launched in 1991. It was re-styled inside and out but was still recognisable as a GTA derivative. The chassis structure was extensively reworked but the central box principal remained the same. The front was completely re-designed the interior was also greatly improved. Air-conditioning and power steering were fitted as standard. The total production run for A610s derivatives was 818 vehicles 67 RHD and 751 LHD. After production of the A610 ended, the Alpine factory in Dieppe produced the Renault Sport Spider and a new era was to begin.
The last Alpine, an A610, rolled off the Dieppe line at 7. April 1995, Renault abandoning the Alpine name. This was always a problem in the UK market. Alpines could not be sold in the UK under their own name because Sunbeam owned the trade mark (because of the mid-50s Sunbeam Alpine Mk I). In the 1970s, for example Dieppe were building modified Renault R5s for the world wide market. The rest of the world knew them as R5 Alpines but in the UK they had to be renamed to R5 Gordini. Strangely enough with the numerous company takeovers that have occurred, it is another French company, PSA (Peugot/Talbot/Citroën) who now own the British Alpine trademark.
The Alpine factory in Dieppe continues to expand; in the 1980s they built the special R5 Turbo cars, following the rear engined formula they have always used. They built all Clio Williams and RenaultSport Spiders. The factory proudly put its Alpine badges on the built early batches of the mid engined Clio series one Clio V6. The Clio Series 2 was also assembled there with more recent RenaultSport Clio 172 and RenaultSport Clio 182s.
Between 1989 and 1995, a new Alpine named the A710 “Berlinette 2″, was designed and 2 prototypes were built. Due to the cost of the project (600 millions Francs), and as adding modern equipment and interior would compromise the price and performances, the project was cancelled.
The Dieppe factory is known as the producer of Renault Sport models that are sold worldwide. This was originally the “Alpine” factory that Renault gained when they acquired the brand in 1973. Some of the Renault Sport models produced in Dieppe are currently the Mégane Renault Sport, Clio Renault Sport and the new Mégane Renault Sport dCi is to be built on Renault’s Dieppe assembly line. All the Renault Sport track-, tarmac- and gravel-racing Meganes and Clios are also made in the Dieppe factory.
In October 2007, it has been reported that Renault’s marketing boss Patrick Blain has revealed that there are plans for several sports cars in Renault’s future lineup, but stressed that the first model won’t arrive until after 2010. Blain confirmed that Renault is unlikely to pick a new name for its future sports car and will probably go with Alpine to brand it. Blain described it as being a “radical sports car” and not just a sports version of a regular model.
The new Alpine sports car will likely have a version of the Nissan GT-R’s Premium Midship platform.
The presence of sportier models in the Renault line-up would give the French automaker a better opportunity to capitalize on its Formula One prowess, having won two back-to-back world championships with Fernando Alonso, translating these efforts to its production cars is a moot point because Renault’s lineup is lacking in the sports car department. Management is hoping to change all that and is keen to start building sports cars again, as it has in the past, with the revival of the legendary Alpine label.
In France there is a large network of Alpine enthusiasts clubs. Clubs exist in many countries including the UK, USA, Australia, Japan.
In February 2009, Renault confirmed that plans to revive the Alpine brand have been frozen as a direct result of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis and recession.
In May 2012, images of a new Renault Alpine concept titled as Renault Alpine A110-50 were leaked prior to its debut in Monaco.
According to a Spanish car magazine it is said that the road version will be released in 2013.
In November 2012, Renault and Caterham announced plans to develop affordable race cars under the Alpine brand which are to be available in 2016. In this partnership, Caterham will acquire 50% ownership of Alpine while the new cars will be produced at Renault’s Dieppe, France assembly plant.
Well, it looks like exciting times ahead for the old Alpine name after all these years. We look forward to seeing the new Alpine as well as the race cars that would be developed with Caterham. A short promotional video on the new car can be viewed here.

More information;

Renault Alpine Owners Club UK
Club Alpine Renault
Renault Classic Club Site

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Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Mini


The MINI is one of those special cars that gets to define the vehicle class it belongs to. What makes it even more individual is that it got to be awarded the “European Car of the Century” award. Let’s have a closer look on how this car got to be what we know it is today.
The Mini is the small car icon of the 1960s. It was produced by BMC (British Motor Corporation) starting with 1959 and was the first car to get the front-wheel-drive. This space saving solution influenced all the manufacturers, as nowadays FWD is the most popular drive-train layout. The new MINI was launched in 2001 and got to replace the legend with updates for the 21st Century.
The revolutionary design of the Mini was created by Sir Alec Issigonis (1906–1988), considered a visionary in industrial transportation. It was intended as an affordable vehicle in response to the oil crisis. Along its production period it was built at the Cowley plants in the United Kingdom, and afterwards in Australia, Belgium, Chile, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The first Mini, called the Mk I had three important updates: The Mk II, the Clubman, and the Mk III. Sportier versions were the Mini Cooper and the Cooper”S”, that got to successful as rally cars. They even get to win the Monte Carlo Rally three times.
The Mini was designed as a result of the 1956 Suez Crisis, which reduced oil supplies, and forced the UK government saw to introduce petrol rationing. Obviously, the sales of large cars, with high fuel consumption dropped and the market for so called “bubble cars” boomed. BMC realized that they had to produce a small vehicle fast.
Issigonis, that was reputed as being very skilled in designing small vehicles was assigned to this task. Together with a small team of designers Issigonis got to produce the original prototype by October 1957. The new vehicle was using a conventional BMC four-cylinder water-cooled engine, but had the innovation of mounting it transversely with the the engine oil lubricated, four-speed transmission placed in the sump, and with FWD.
All of the small FWD cars developed since the 70s have used a similar configuration. Another innovation was the placement of the radiator at the left side of the car so that the engine-mounted fan could be retained, but with reversed pitch so it blew air into the natural low pressure area under the front wing. This saved a lot of vehicle length, but had the short coming of feeding the radiator with air that had been heated by passing over the engine.
Also the slinding windows in the doors allowed for storage pockets to be fitted in the space where a winding window mechanism would have been. A gossip says that Issigonis sized the resulting storage pocket to fit a bottle of his favorite gin. Another smart feature was the boot lid that had the hinges at the bottom, so that the car could be driven with it open to increase luggage space. The MK I models had a hinged number plate that dropped down to remain visible when the boot lid was open.
Another goal of the designers of that of keeping the manual labour costs as low as possible. The simple construction of the car included quirky welded seams that were visible on the outside of the car and also external door and boot hinges.
All of these smart technical novelties produced a car with minimum overall dimensions and maximized space for passengers and luggage.
Other enhancements included the mounting of the carburetor at the back of the engine. This allowed for an extra reduction gear to be mounted between the engine and the transmission to reduce loads on the gearbox and prevent rapid wear. The engine had 51.7 cui and offered an excellent a top speed for this type of a car of 72 mph.
Although the Mini’s design had utilitarian origins the shape of the classic model had become so iconic that by the Rover Group, the heirs to BMC, have registered it as a trademark in the early 90s.
You can find out more by contacting or joining one of the following clubs;

British Mini Club
Mini Owners Club UK
Mini World

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Thursday, November 22, 2018

Dodge Viper



  In the dark days of K cars and minivans at Chrysler, the Viper was a dream car from former United States Marine fighter pilot Captain Robert Lutz. Lutz “transferred” from Ford to Chrysler in 1986, yet still drove his 1985 Mk IV Autocraft Cobra to work at Chrysler. Lutz, well-known car guy extraordinaire and longtime friend to SCM, was no doubt irritated that Chrysler had nothing even remotely as exciting as his Cobra.
As a friend of Carroll Shelby’s, Lutz wanted to build a modern Cobra—two seats, big engine, rear-wheel drive, no cupholders, no a/c, no cruise control, and no Corinthian leather.
Lutz also enlisted his co-workers at Chrysler—design head Tom Gale and chief engineer Francois Castaing. Consummate car guys themselves, Gale and Castaing had already been working on a two-seat roadster concept called “Big Shot.” The decision was made to introduce a concept car at the 1989 Detroit Auto Show to see if anyone would actually buy a modern-day Cobra from Dodge. Lutz wanted to retain some
“snake heritage” while naming the new car but rejected Python and Sidewinder to settle on Viper. The overwhelming response from the Detroit show proved him correct
The problem was how to sell a car with an estimated build cost of $70 million to the brass at Chrysler, including Chairman Lee Iacocca. Remember, this was in the post-bankruptcy days, when Chrysler’s finances were still partly controlled by bankers. Who better to sell a modern day Cobra to Lee Iacocca than Carroll Shelby? Shelby was brought into the project by Lutz, and Iacocca trusted Shelby.
The Shelby influence is very much evident on the Viper, and he is considered one of the so-called Viper “four fathers,” along with Roy H. Sjoberg, Gale, and Lutz. Lutz was adamant the Viper’s powerplant had to be bigger than anything else on the market. Dodge had a new cast-iron 488-ci V10 for its pickups, and they used it on the second prototype Viper with a 6-speed transmission.
Lamborghini owned by Chrysler at the time, was enlisted to develop an aluminum version of this V10 for the production Viper. Thinking outside the box to get the car built, “Team Viper” was born—a team made up of car guys and racers who were able to bring the first production Viper to market in about 30 months. Led by chief engineer Roy Sjoberg, Team Viper was the beginning of the platform concept that Chrysler still uses
successfully to this day.
The Viper came to market in 1992 for $52,000, with 400 hp from the 488-ci V10. Two hundred were sold in North America, plus another 85 export cars. They were a huge success, even with rampant dealer mark ups. In 1993, 1,043 were built, followed by 3,083 in 1994—the year air conditioning becoming available. For 1995, 1,577 were built and a factory hard top was marketed. This was the Viper’s first generation, known as the RT/10.
In 1996, Dodge unveiled the Viper GTS, a coupe with styling loosely based on the Shelby Cobra Daytona coupe. The RT/10 roadster was still available and 721 were built, now with 415 hp. The coupe boasted 450 hp and had rear-exiting exhaust rather than sidepipes. For 1996, Vipers added outside door handles and NACAducts on the hood for the coupes; ABS came along in 2001. The cars from 1996 to 2002 are considered second-generation Vipers.
The Viper was given a complete redesign in 2003 to begin its third generation. Renamed the Viper SRT-10, with 505 hp and a/c but still devoid of other creature comforts, it was now a true convertible, with no coupes built. In 2006, the Viper coupe returned for one model year before the Viper went on hiatus in 2007.
For 2008, the fourth-gen Viper, available in both coupe and convertible form, boasted an 8.4-liter V10 with 600 horsepower. When automotive writers at a press day commented on the dangerous nature of a 600-hp car with no electronic driver aids, original Team Viper engineer Herb Helbig responded scornfully, “Your driver’s aids are attached to your ankles.” Like significantly more expensive exotics, the Viper’s low build volume has caused six of the 16 model years to appreciate already, though few have come to auction.
Low-mile “in the wrapper” 1992s can bring $80,000 or more. First-year GTS coupes with low miles can fetch $65,000. Blue and white RT/10s from ’97 bring over their original MSRP, and the 100 GT2s of 1998, with an original MSRP of $85,000, bring from $100,000 to $150,000, depending on mileage. Low-mileage 1999–2002 American Club Racer editions are good for more than MSRP, with the Holy Grail being the 2002 “Final Edition” ACR.
For the time being, you can walk into a Dodge dealer and order a new 600-hp Viper the way you want it. Just remember, no cupholders and no electronic driver aids—a modern-day Cobra true to the original plan. Lutz, now with GM, just brought to market a new Corvette with 638 hp, spurring his old buddies at Dodge to develop a new ACR that is reportedly significantly faster than a stock 2008 Viper. The horsepower wars
rage on, bean counters be damned. Popular “halo” car 16 years later
So is the Viper a success? From a marketing perspective, ask any of the 25,000 Viper owners if they had ever walked into a Dodge dealership before 1992. Or ask them how many other Dodge products are sitting in their garages because of the Viper. Ask Chrysler how many times it won Le Mans or an FIA Championship before the Viper came along.
From an enthusiast perspective, how many cars in the early 1990s excited us like the Viper? Factory and club support? The Viper Club of America is one of the nation’s largest and most successful car clubs, enthusiastically supported and funded by Dodge. I’d say having a “halo” car that is as popular today as it was 16 years ago is successful.
The Return of the Viper in 2012 meant a complete redesign with an all  aluminium 8.4-liter V-10 and power increase to 640 horsepower. Also followed was the GTS-R for 2013 which is a race car designed for the GT class of the American Le Mans Series, designed and built by SRT Motorsports and Riley Technologies. It includes Michelin GT tires. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2012 New York Auto Show.
The SRT Viper Racing team entering 2012 ALMS included Dominik Farnbacher, Marc Goossens, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tommy Kendall, Jonathan Bomarito, and Kuno Wittmer.
The Viper may be perhaps the most misunderstood modern supercar. It is a car built exclusively for people who appreciate affordable, raw American horsepower packaged with a lack of refinement. Lutz has often been quoted as saying about the Viper that Dodge “needed a car that one out of three people hated, one out of three didn’t know what it was, and one out of three people absolutely had to buy it. If we can get 1/3 of the market of people who absolutely have to buy our cars, we hit a home run.If people say it’s a nice car, we haven’t got a chance.” Makes sense to me.

Viper Owners Club
Dodge Viper Club

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Tuesday, November 06, 2018

Daimler SP250 Dart




The Daimler SP250 was built by Daimler in Coventry from 1959 to 1964.The SP250 was originally known as the Daimler Dart, however Daimler were soon forced to drop the Dart name when threatened with legal action by Chrysler’s Dodge division, and the car was then renamed the Daimler SP250.
It was launched at the 1959 New York Motor Show, and its greatest success was in the North American market. It had a fibreglass body, four-wheel Girling disc brakes, and a 2.5-litre Hemi-head V8 engine designed by Edward Turner. The car was described as a 2+2, but the bench-like rear seat offered very limited leg room unless the front seats were pushed fully forward. Thirty black Daimler Darts with the Borg-Warner Model 8 3-speed automatic were used by the British Metropolitan Police.
The original version (A Spec) could do 120 mph (193 km/h), but the chassis, a “14-gauge ladder frame with cruciform bracing” based on the Triumph TR3, flexed so much that doors came open, marring its reputation. Bumpers were originally an optional extra.
With the B Spec, Jaguar had bought Daimler in 1960, and were immediately concerned about the chassis flex. They brought out the B-spec version with extra outriggers on the chassis and a strengthening hoop between the A posts. There were also other detail improvements, including an adjustable steering column.
The C-spec version, introduced in 1963, had some additional luxuries as standard equipment.
Jaguar built a prototype replacement (known as the SP252) with a neater body style but decided not to proceed with production.
Ogle Design produced a coupé version called the SX250, but this was not taken up by Daimler and the body design was later used for the Reliant Scimitar.
The specification of the SP 250 was a V8 iron block OHV engine which was water cooled with a capacity of 2547 cc. Single central camshaft and aluminium hemispherical cylinder heads and Twin SU carburettors gave a 140 bhp @5800 rpm with a maximum torque of 155ib.ft (210 N·m) at 3600 rpm. It also benefited from a SU electric fuel pump.
Transmission was a 4 speeds with synchromesh on top three ratios with provision for overdrive and automatic optional.
It also benefited from Girling Discs on all four wheels which was advanced for the year.
Motor magazine tested a hardtop version of the car in 1960 and recorded a top speed of 123.7 mph (199.1 km/h) and accelerated from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 8.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 25 miles per imperial gallon (11 L/100 km; 21 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £1,489 including taxes.
In total 2645 units of this revolutionary sports cars were produced in 5 years, mainly for the US market. They have a keen following all over the world and have appeared in various TV programs. Number of the SP250s were raced in various classes mainly in North America.
You can find out more by getting in touch with;

Daimler SP250 Owners Club
Daimler and Lanchester Owners Club

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www.in2motorsports.com








Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Bugatti Veyron


 
The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engined grand touring car, designed and developed by the Volkswagen Group and manufactured in Molsheim, France by Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
The Super Sport version of the Veyron is the fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of 431.072 km/h (267.856 mph). The original version has a top speed of 408.47 km/h (253.81 mph). It was named Car of the Decade (2000–2009) by the BBC television programme Top Gear. The standard Veyron won Top Gear’s Best Car Driven All Year award in 2005.
The Veyron’s chief designer was Hartmut Warkuss, and the exterior was designed by Jozef Kabaň of Volkswagen, with much of the engineering work being conducted under the guidance of engineering chief Wolfgang Schreiber.
A number of special variants have been produced. In December 2010, Bugatti began offering prospective buyers the ability to customize exterior and interiors colours by using the Veyron 16.4 Configurator application on the marque’s official website.
In 1998, the Volkswagen Group purchased the trademark rights on the former car manufacturer Bugatti in order to revive the brand. Starting with the Bugatti EB118, they presented at various international auto shows a total of four 18-cylinder concept cars. At the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show, the first study of the Veyron was presented. At the time the name of the concept car was “Bugatti Veyron EB 18.4″ and it was equipped with a 3-bank W 18-cylinder engine instead of the 2-bank W 16-cylinder engine of the production version. While the three previous prototypes had been styled by Giugiaro, the Veyron was designed by the Volkswagen stylists.
The decision to start production of the car was taken by the Volkswagen Group in 2001. The first roadworthy prototype was completed in August 2003. It is identical except for a few details to the later series variant. In the development to series production, however, considerable technical problems had to be addressed, so that the start of production was delayed repeatedly, until September 2005.
The Veyron EB 16.4 is named in honour of Pierre Veyron, a Bugatti development engineer, test driver and company race driver who, with co-driver Jean-Pierre Wimille, won the 1939 24 hours of Le Mans while driving a Bugatti. The “EB” refers to Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti and the “16.4″ refers to the engine’s 16 cylinders and four turbochargers.
The Veyron features an 8.0-litre, quad-turbocharged, W16 cylinder engine, equivalent to two narrow-angle V8 engines. Each cylinder has four valves for a total of 64, but the narrow staggered V8 configuration allows two overhead camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only four camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers and displaces 7,993 cubic centimetres (487.8 cu in)
The transmission is a dual-clutch direct-shift gearbox computer-controlled automatic with seven gear ratios, with magnesium paddles behind the steering wheel and a shift time of less than 150 milliseconds, built by Ricardo of England rather than Borg-Warner, who designed the six speed DSG used in the mainstream Volkswagen Group marques. The Veyron can be driven in either semi-automatic or fully automatic mode. A replacement transmission for the Veyron costs just over US$120,000. It also has permanent all-wheel drive using the Haldex Traction system. It uses special Michelin PAX run-flat tyres, designed specifically to accommodate the Veyron’s top speed, and cost US$25,000 per set. The tyres can be mounted on the rims only in France, a service which costs US$70,000. Kerb weight is 1,888 kilograms (4,162 lb). This gives the car a power-to-weight ratio, according to Volkswagen Group’s figures, of 446.3 metric horsepower (328 kW; 440 bhp) per ton.
The car’s wheelbase is 2,710 mm (106.7 in). Overall length is 4,462 mm (175.7 in) which gives 1,752.6 mm (69.0 in) of overhang. The width is 1,998 mm (78.7 in) and height 1,204 mm (47.4 in). The Bugatti Veyron has a total of ten radiators.
According to Volkswagen Group and certified by TÜV Süddeutschland, the final production Veyron engine produces 1,001 metric horsepower (736 kW; 987 bhp) of motive power, and generates 1,250 newton metres (922 lbf·ft) of torque. The nominal figure has been stated by Bugatti officials to be conservative, with the real total being 1,020 metric horsepower (750 kW; 1,006 bhp) or more.
German inspection officials recorded an average top speed of the original version of 408.47 km/h (253.81 mph)[5] during test sessions on the Ehra-Lessien test track on 19 April 2005.
This top speed was verified by James May on Top Gear in November 2006, again at Volkswagen Group’s private Ehra-Lessien test track. May noted that at top speed the engine consumes 45,000 litres (9,900 imp gal) of air per minute (as much as a human breathes in four days). The Veyron at the time had the highest top speed of any street legal production car. Back in the Top Gear studio, co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson commented that most supercars felt like they were shaking apart at their top speed, and asked May if that was the case with the Veyron at 407 km/h (253 mph). May responded that no, the Veyron was very controlled, and only wobbled a tiny bit when the air brake deployed. May further commented, “Absolutely yeah, it’s totally undramatic. But I would give you a bit of a warning: It’s a bit disorientating doing that sort of speed, because after I came off the banking, I was slowing down to stop, and you know how you get a bit impatient and think ‘I’ll just open the door’; fortunately I looked back at the speedo, and I was still doing seventy.”
The car’s everyday top speed is listed at 350 km/h (220 mph). When the car reaches 220 km/h (140 mph), hydraulics lower the car until it has a ground clearance of about 9 cm (3.5 in). At the same time, the wing and spoiler deploy. In this handling mode the wing provides 3,425 newtons (770 lbf) of downforce, holding the car to the road.
For top speed mode the driver must, while stationary, toggle a special top speed key to the left of the driver’s seat. A check list then establishes whether the car and its driver are ready to attempt to reach 407 km/h (253 mph). If so, the rear spoiler retracts, the front air diffusers shut, and normal 12.5 cm (4.9 in) ground clearance drops to 6.5 cm (2.6 in).

Bugatti Owners Club

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Thursday, October 18, 2018

Porsche 356

Porsche 356


The Porsche 356 was the company’s first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble-handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2-door sports car available in hardtop coupe and open configurations. Design innovations continued during the years of manufacture, contributing to its motorsports success and popularity. Production started in 1948 at Gmünd, Austria, where approximately 50 cars were built. In 1950 the factory relocated to Zuffenhausen, Germany, and general production of the 356 continued until April 1965, well after the replacement model 911 made its autumn 1963 debut. Of the 76,000 originally produced, it is estimated that approximately half have survived.
Prior to World War II Porsche designed and built three Type 64 cars for a 1939 Berlin to Rome race that was cancelled. In 1948 the mid-engine, tubular chassis 356 prototype called “No. 1″ was completed. This led to some debate as to the “first” Porsche automobile, but the 356 is considered by Porsche to be its first production model.
The 356 was created by Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche (son of Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the company). Like its cousin, the Volkswagen Beetle (which Ferdinand Porsche Senior had designed), the 356 was a four-cylinder, air-cooled, rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive car utilizing unitized pan and body construction. While the 356′s body was an original design by Porsche employee Erwin Komenda, its mechanicals (including engine, suspension and chassis) were derived from the Volkswagen. The first 356 was road certified in Austria on June 8, 1948, and used many Volkswagen parts for manufacturing economy. Quickly though, Porsche re-engineered and refined the car with a focus on performance. By the late ’50s many fewer parts were shared between Volkswagen and Porsche. The early 356 automobile bodies produced at Gmünd were handcrafted in aluminum, but when production moved to Zuffenhausen, Germany in 1950, models produced there were steel-bodied.
Little noticed at its inception, the first 356s sold primarily in Austria and Germany. It took Porsche two years, starting with the first prototype in 1948, to manufacture the first 50 automobiles. By the early 1950s the 356 had gained some renown among enthusiasts on both sides of the Atlantic for its aerodynamics, handling, and excellent build quality. It was common for owners to race the car as well as drive it on the street. Increasing success with its racing and road cars brought Porsche orders for over 10,000 units in 1964, and by the time 356 production ended in 1965 approximately 76,000 had been produced.
The Porsche 356, close to stock or highly modified, has enjoyed much success in rallying, the 24 hours of Le Mans, the 1000 km Buenos Aires, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Carrera Panamericana, as well as many other important car racing events.
Several Porsche 356s were stripped down in weight, and were modified in order to have better performance and handling for these races. A few notable examples include the Porsche 356 SL, and the Porsche 356A Carrera GT.
In the early 1960s Porsche collaborated with Abarth and built the Porsche 356B Carrera GTL Abarth coupé, which enjoyed some success in motor sports.
The basic design of the 356 remained the same throughout its lifespan, with evolutionary, functional improvements rather than annual superficial styling changes. Nevertheless a variety of models in both coupe and convertible forms were produced from 1948 through 1965.
Cabriolet models (convertibles) were offered from the start, and in the early 1950s sometimes comprised over 50% of total production. One of the most desirable collector models is the 356 “Speedster”, introduced in late 1954 after Max Hoffman, the sole US importer of Porsches, advised the company that a lower-cost, somewhat spartan open-top version could sell well in the American market. With its low, raked windscreen (which could be removed for weekend racing), bucket seats and minimal folding top, the Speedster was an instant hit, especially in Southern California. Production of the Speedster peaked at 1,171 cars in 1957 and then started to decline. It was replaced in late 1958 by the “Convertible D” model. It featured a taller, more practical windshield, [allowing improved headroom with the top erected], roll-up glass side-windows and more comfortable seats. The following year the 356B “Roadster” convertible replaced the D model but the sports car market’s love affair with top-down motoring was fading; soft-top 356 model sales declined significantly in the early 1960s. Today these early four-cylinder models are highly coveted by collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.
To distinguish among the major revisions of the model, 356′s are generally classified into a few major groups. 356 coupes and “cabriolets” (soft-top) built through 1954 are readily identifiable by their split (1948 to 1952) or bent (centre-creased, 1953 to 1954) windscreens. In 1955, with numerous small but significant changes, the 356A was introduced. Its internal factory designation, “Type 1,” gave rise to its nickname “T1″ among enthusiasts. In early 1957 a second revision of the 356A was produced, known as Type 2 (or T2). In late 1959 more significant styling and technical refinements gave rise to the 356B (a T5 body type)
Porsche 356 1600 Super coupe
The mid 1962 356B model was changed to the T6 body type (twin engine lid grilles, an external fuel filler in the right front wing/fender and larger windows). A unique “Karmann Hardtop” or “Notchback” 356B model was produced in 1961 and 1962. The 1961 production run was essentially a cabriolet body with the optional steel cabriolet hardtop welded in place. The 1962 line (T6 production) was a very different design in that the new T6 notchback coupe body did not start life as a cabriolet, but with its own production design—In essence, part cabriolet rear end design, part T6 coupe windshield frame, unique hard top. Both years of these unique cars have taken the name “Karmann Notchback”.[4]
The last revision of the 356 was the 356C introduced for the 1964 model year. It featured disc brakes all round, as well as an option for the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche had ever produced, the 95 hp (71 kW) “SC.” 356 production peaked at 14,151 cars in 1964, the year that its successor, the new 911, was introduced to the US market (it was introduced slightly earlier in Europe). The company continued to sell the 356C in North America through 1965 as demand for the model remained quite strong in the early days of the heavier and more ‘civilized’ 911. The last ten 356′s (cabriolets) were assembled for the Dutch police force in March 1966 as 1965 models.[5]
The 356′s four-cylinder pushrod engine was later re-introduced in Porsche’s “entry-level” 912 model, offered between 1965 and 1969 as response to customer complaints that the new 911 (at nearly twice the price of the 356) was too expensive. Although in some ways the 912 did reprise the 356′s specifications, it would not be accurate to say the 912 was successor to the 356; when the decision was made to replace the 356, the 911 was the only car intended to carry the Porsche name forward. Rather the 912 was an afterthought intended to supply the lower-priced end of the market, which the expensive, complex but faster and heavier 911 could not do.
The 356 has always been popular with the motor press. In 2004, Sports Car International ranked the 356C tenth on their list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s. Today, the Porsche 356 is a highly regarded collector car. The Porsche 356 Carrera (with its special DOHC racing engine), SC, Super 90 and Speedster models are today among the most desirable 356 models. Few 356 Carreras were produced and these often bring well over $250,000 at auction. A fully restored 356 Carrera Speedster (of which only about 140 were made) will sell for around $300,000 at auction.
The original selling price of a late 1950s Porsche was around US$4,000, which was also the price of a new Cadillac; today they regularly bring between US$20,000 and well over US$100,000 at auction.
Thousands of owners worldwide maintain the 356 tradition, preserving their cars and driving them regularly. The US-based 356 Registry is the largest American club.
More information can found at;
The Porsche 356 register
Porsche 356 register US
Speedsters and Spyders
Porsche Club GB
Speedsters.com

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Tuesday, October 09, 2018

Alfa Romeo Montreal

Alfa Romeo Montreal


The Alfa Romeo Montreal was introduced as a concept car in 1967 at Expo 67, held in Montreal, Canada. Originally, the concept cars were displayed without any model name, but the public took to calling it The Montreal. It was a 2+2 coupe using the 1600 cc engine of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti and the chassis of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT, with a body designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone. One of the two concept cars built for Expo 67 is displayed in the Alfa Romeo Historical Museum in Arese, Italy, while the other is in museum storage.
The first production car, Tipo 10564, was shown at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show and was quite different from the original, using a 2593 cc 90° dry-sump lubricated V8 engine with SPICA (Società Pompe Iniezione Cassani & Affini) fuel injection that produced around 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp), coupled to a five-speed ZF manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential. This engine was derived from the 2-litre V8 used in the 33 Stradale and in the Tipo 33 sports prototype racer; its redline was set at 7000 rpm, unheard of for a V8 at that time. The chassis and running gear of the production Montreal were taken from the Giulia GTV coupé and comprised double wishbone suspension with coil springs and dampers at the front and a live axle with limited slip differential at the rear.
Since the concept car was already unofficially known as The Montreal, Alfa Romeo kept the model name in production.
Stylistically, the most eye catching feature is the car’s front end with four headlamps partly covered by unusual “grilles”, that retract when the lights are switched on. Another stylistic element is the NACA duct on the bonnet. The duct is actually blocked off since its purpose is not to draw air into the engine, but to optically hide the power bulge. The slats behind the doors contain the cabin vents, but apart from that only serve cosmetic purposes.
The Montreal was more expensive to buy than the Jaguar E-Type or the Porsche 911. When launched in the UK it was priced at GB£5,077, rising to GB£5,549 in August 1972 and to GB£6,999 by mid-1976.
Production was split between the Alfa Romeo plant in Arese and Carrozzeria Bertone’s plants in Caselle and Grugliasco outside Turin. Alfa Romeo produced the chassis and engine and mechanicals and sent the chassis to Caselle where Bertone fitted the body. After body fitment, the car was sent to Grugliasco to be degreased, partly zinc coated, manually spray painted and have the interior fitted. Finally, the car was returned to Arese to have the engine and mechanicals installed. It is worth noting that because of this production method, there is not necessarily any correspondence between chassis number, engine number and production date.
The Montreal remained generally unchanged until it was discontinued in 1977. By then, production had long ceased already as Alfa were struggling to sell their remaining stock. Total number built was 3917; none of them were sold in Montreal, Quebec since Alfa did not develop a North American version to meet the emission control requirements in the United States & Canada[citation needed]. A Montreal can be seen in the 1974 movie The Marseille Contract where Michael Caine drives a metallic dark brown example.

Alfa Romeo Owners Club
Alfa Romeo Montreal 

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