Cadillac released its third teaser video for the 2013 ATS, their compact sport coupe. In the video, Cadillac engineers explain why they have focused their efforts so closely on gathering data at the Nurburing track, saying they can gather more data in one lap at “The Ring” than in twelve at any U.S. track.

Dave Mikels, energy and powertrain integration engineer, tells us that the car will experience full compression loading and being airborne during a lap. What that really speaks to is the company’s dedication to the ATS and making it a true performance machine.

With the Detroit Auto Show coming up next month, expect more details on the ATS very soon.

You can watch the video below

Ford is thinking about adding a mid-range track car to their Boss 302S and 302R lineup. They quietly debuted a concept called the 302SX at the recent Performance Racing Industry trade show in Orlando, FL.

Don’t let their modest unveiling fool you, this car is something to talk about. It borrows aspects of the new Cobra Jet drag car and the Boss 302R race car. With that step comes a jump from the standard 444 horsepower to more than 500 out of a built 5.0-liter V8.

It also means a slew of improved parts like the six-speed transmission out of the 302R.  Upgraded exhaust,oil and fuel systems offer the engine help while a fully adjustable coilover suspension, adjustable front and rear sway bars, camber/caster plates, Brembo brakes and racing slicks deliver track-gripping performance.

The interior is also trimmed back including lightweight seats, and a quick release steering wheel. Proving that this is a serious track machine, as if that isn’t enough, Ford is also tossing in a system to record lap times.

The 302SX is a concept for the time being but Ford says it’s testing the market to see if releasing this latest iteration is worth their while.

It was back in 1967 when the AMG badge first appeared on a Mercedes-Benz product, and in 2012 it will first appear on a Formula 1 car.

In order to promote its performance division, Mercedes-Benz has decided to change the name of its F1 team for the 2012 season, and it will now be called “Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team.”

On this occasion, the director of motorsport at Mercedes, Norbert Haug said: “Our new team name fuses the proud traditions of AMG and the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows at the pinnacle of motorsport. These three letters (AMG) are synonymous with high technology, sporting performance and excitement and this step is a further strong sign of the strategic commitment Mercedes-Benz has made to Formula 1.”

So if you are a fan of the Aufrecht Melcher Grobaspach (AMG) racing cars, wait until March 18, for the first Formula 1 race of 2012, which will be held in Melbourne, Australia, to see your favorite racing cars in action.

[Source: Autocar]

Legendary racing outfit Newman/Haas is closing its doors after nearly 30 years in business, after the team failed to find sponsorship for the coming season.

Founded by Carl Haas and actor Paul Newman, the team had a solid record throughout its life – with 107 wins and 8 championships – but never managed to win an Indy 500 victory. Drivers like Nigel Mansell, Sebastian Bourdais, Mario Andretti and Paul Tracy were some of the top-name talent that drove for the team during its heyday.

With Newman’s death in 2008 and Haas reportedly ailing, the team’s closure seems inevitable, but does not bode well for the Indy Car series.

Robert Kubica, one of Formula One’s most promising young drivers, will sit out the start of the 2012 F1 season as he continues to recover from a crash that partially severed his arm.

While Kubica is making a recovery, the pace is not as rapid as some had hoped for. Kubica can move his arm, but it remains unknown whether he is physically fit enough to drive a Formula One car at this time.

Kubica was driving a Skoda rally car in an Italian race when he crashed into a barrier that penetrated his car and nearly sliced off his arm. Kubica was replaced before the start of the 2011 season by Nick Heidfeld and Bruno Senna. Renault will have to look for a replacement for 2012, but says that Kubica has a test car and a crew of mechanics at his disposal when he is ready to return.

Hit the jump to see the official press release

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MINI has announced that they will be entering the B-Spec racing class in 2012, with MINI of Charleston, a franchise owned by Hendrick Automotive Group.

The B-Spec car will be a base Mini Cooper Hardtop with a 1.6L 121-horsepower engine. The car will weigh 2,535 lbs and KW Variant 1 coilovers, upgraded brake pads and lines and a full roll cage system. The MINI will go up against the Honda Fit, Mazda2, Fiat 500 and other subcompact cars when racing begins next year.

[Source: Jalopnik]

The IZOD IndyCar Series will be brought to China for the first time in a race scheduled on August 19, 2012.

Held in Qingdao, China, located between Beijing and Shanghai, this coastal city has previously hosted the 2008 Summer Olympic sailing competitions. Until finances can provide for a proper racing circuit to be constructed, a 6.2 kilometer street course will designed for the event for the time being. Unfortunately, the addition to the IZOD IndyCar racing schedule will knock Japan’s Motegi circuit, previously the only race in Asia to hold a major American open-wheel series, off the list.

Motivation for IndyCar’s new schedule for next season has a lot to do with up-and-coming talent, Ho-Pin Tung, the first Chinese racing driver to participate in American open-wheel racing.

[Source: Autoblog]

In the world of motorsports, it’s nearly impossible for a new team to come out of the box and be competitive. So what is a novice group that is looking for success to do? Simple, partner with one of the most successful teams in the sport.

That is exactly what Toyota is doing by partnering up with ORECA Racing Group to take victory at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Toyota has attempted a win at Le Mans before, but that very expensive effort bared no fruit. Having learned that they need help, the Japanese automaker has gone on to recruit the French team ORECA Racing, which has been competing at Le Mans for the past 35-years and have achieved the top podium step in each form of racing it has ever competed in.

At the announcement of this partnership, ORECA Racing’s President Hugues de Chaunac said; “It’s a very big day for ORECA. To be chosen by Toyota Motorsport GmbH is a huge reward for the work we’ve done in recent years. ORECA has proven its worth at the highest level of endurance racing, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2011 and finishing three straight times in the top 5 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Thanks to its know-how, ORECA now has the opportunity to work with the biggest automobile manufacturer, and on a project that’s particularly interesting. We are proud to support Toyota Motorsport GmbH in this challenge and we’re looking forward to an exciting future.”

Toyota will provide the new hybrid-racing powertrain, while ORECA develops a new chassis to compete in the LMP1 class. Next year’s Le Mans will be the 80th installment of this race and will be held on June 16-17.

The Sports Car Club of America’s B-Spec class is meant to give automakers and racers alike a relatively affordable platform to go racing with machines similar to those available from the factory. While safety and chassis modifications are allowed, engine power is restricted to keep the playing field even.

Honda and Mazda were among the earlier adopters, fielding Fit and Mazda2 B-Spec prototypes respectively. Now, Fiat and Ford are looking into the series, and the automakers tested Fiat 500 and Fiesta B-Spec cars at Michigan’s Grattan Raceway last week. Kuno Wittmer and Andy Vrenko piloted the 500 and Fiesta, while Peter Cunningham and Charles Espenlaub represented Honda and Mazda. All cars were equipped with engine restrictors and 100 pounds of ballast, while engineers were on hand to compare lap times between the four cars.

If the formula gains traction among racers, 2012 could be a banner year for American sports car racing, as an entry-level series has long been needed to reinvigorate interest among potential participants.

Dan Wheldon was one of the driving forces behind the new-for-2012 Indy Car chassis, completing countless laps in pre-season testing.

But with Wheldon’s tragic death at the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16th looming over the series, chassis maker Dallara has decided to honor Wheldon by naming the 2012 chassis after him.

“Dan lives in the memory of everybody at Dallara. He has been a true champion; not only because of his many victories, but and above everything else, because he has been a true and warm man to all the people he encountered,” said company boss Gianpaolo Dallara.

Wheldon achieved all 16 of his victories with a Dallara chassis. The official name of the car has yet to be announced.

[Source: Autosport]

Barber Motorsports Park’s Leeds, Alabama test track (about 2 hours from Atlanta, Georgia) has now become certified as an approved site for Formula 1 teams to test their cars, but it’s unlikely that Barber will host an F1 race any time soon.

New tracks are required to post a fee of between $25 and $30 million to get the proper certification needed to host a proper Formula 1 race, and neither Barber’s owners nor the state government are willing to fork over the cash (as Texas did to bring the Grand Prix to Austin).

On the other hand, Barber could charge a track rental fee to any team that wanted to test, and with buzz building for the Austin race, having teams test in North America could become a possibility.

[Source: AL.com]

Anyone who has spent time looking for fake watches, knockoff handbags or other wonderful Asian products has likely come across the site Alibaba.com

Today’s find on the slightly notorious site is a lot of 150 right-hand drive Dodge Neons in Singapore. The vehicles are advertised as brand new and look like they have about 14 years worth of dust on them. For only $1,350 a piece, you can have your very own brand new car from 14 years ago – but whether it runs is another matter.

Alternately, The Truth About Cars has suggested a different use for the Neons – a spec racing series. There’s an idea we can get behind.

[Source: MotorAuthority]

The viral success of Ken Block’s Gymkhana videos gave rise to the Gymkhana GRID competition, which is basically a bunch of fancy driving stunts masquerading was a real motorsport. The first one achieved commercial success, and a second event was planned for the end of October in Hollywood, Ca. Now, the event has been cancelled due to a pending legal dispute.

Gymkhana GRID’s founder Chris Willard had originally approached Ken Block and DC to collaborate on the events, and Block gave Willard his blessing to run the events. Somewhere along the line, things changed and DC Shoes attempted to trademark the name, while simultaneously issuing a cease-and-desist order to Willard to prevent him from using the name for his events.

While Willard seems unsure of why DC decided to pursue this course of action, a legal representative for Block told Autoblog that his client wanted to make sure that Gymkhana GRID was at a “… level where it’s supposed to be, and that it’s ran right and ethically.”

Without wading into murky legal territory, it’s safe to assume that there’s a serious case of not seeing eye-to-eye here and with a dearth of facts, it’s prudent to avoid making any judgement calls this early in the game.

[Source: Autoblog]

Porsche and racing go hand in hand, however, the German sports car maker continues to shy away from the likes of Formula 1 and the DTM series.

Now there is news that Porsche will compete in a new class of motorsport in 2014. So far the details for this new series are very scarce. All we know is that it is sanctioned by the FIA, the governing body that overlooks Formula 1 and other top-tier motorsports around the world.

Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller said “FIA is working on a concept. Other brands have already shown interest.”

It is believed that Audi, Peugeot and Toyota are also interested in this new series. No word as to what the cars will look like and what sort of engines they’ll be using.

2014 will also mark the return of Porsche to the Le Mans series of endurance racing, where it is believed the German automaker will compete using a hybrid.

[Source: Automotive News]

Can a Volvo transport truck beat a Ferrari in a drag race? Not unbelievable enough for you? Then let’s make the Volvo a hybrid too.

OK, so this Volvo isn’t exactly capable of hauling any loads down the Motorväg, but it still makes for an exciting comparo… or at least it did until we found out the Ferrari was “just” a 360. (Yea, we’re snobs).

Either way, Swedish racing legend Boije Ovebrink felt up to the challenge, lining up his hybrid Volvo truck, named ‘Mean Green’ against a Ferrari at the annual Trucking Festival in Mantorp, Sweden. Who won? Was it even close?

GALLERY: Mean Green Drag Races a Ferrari

Watch the video after the jump:

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NASCAR is off to college. No, they won’t be enrolling in any classes – the racing circuit is on campus in hopes of recruiting a new generation of upmarket fans.

If you’re off to school next week, be on the lookout for the NASCAR U CREW. These “brand ambassadors” will be visiting 12 college campuses to host events and garner interest for local racing tracks. A joint effort with University Directories On Campus, NASCAR is targeting 12 schools that are located close to a Sprint Cup race being held this fall. A few colleges and the corresponding races include the University of New Hampshire and the Loudon race on September 25; University of Delaware and Dover on October 2; and University of Miami and Florida International and Homestead on November 20.

According to NASCAR CMO Steve Phelps, he believes that the “U CREW” will give “our current fans the avenue to express their passion and our future fans the vehicle to experience the sport.”

The NASACAR U CREW ambassadors will be holding 10 events on campus, as well as participating in other promotional activities. They will be offering special ticket packages, hospitality and tailgating events on race days.

NASCAR will have its work cut out – many colleges tend to have a focus on football and related events. Do you think that NASCAR’s promotion will attract new fans? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: Media Post]

Anyone who built model cars as a kid would appreciate should pay attention to an upcoming auction featuring an installation by artist Jay Burridge. Burridge has created a life-size “Airfix kit” out of a McLaren MP4/6, one of the greatest Formula 1 racing cars of its era.

The sculpture has some serious provenance behind it, as the MP4/6 was formerly raced by Formula 1 great Ayrton Senna.

Now this very piece can be yours if you have the highest bid at the COYS auction at the Nurburgring on August 13th. This sculpture was recently unveiled at Blenheim Palace in Oxforshire, England. Dennis Rushen, who was Senna’s manager was on hand to admire the sculpture.

“I was really impressed with the Senna sculpture. Such a clever idea and it really stands out as something really different. He was really into models and he would have appreciated the concept,” Rushen said.

COYS believes the sculpture will fetch over $50,000.

[Source: Road and Track]

BMW has unveiled the M3 DTM, a high performance race car that will compete in the 2012 DTM (German Touring Car) series. The M3 debuted at BMW Welt in Munich, and is a very exciting event after a two decade absence of BMW at DTM. Between 1987 and 1992, the M3 won 40 race and had over 150 podium finishes in Germany’s premier tin-top series.

This race car features a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic monocoque (CFRP) with a steel roll cage, a six-speed sequential gearbox, and a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8. The M3 produces 480-hp and is capable of achieving a 0-62 mph time in three seconds with a top speed of 186 mph.

Three teams will race M3s in next year’s DTM series including BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW Team RBM and BMW Team RMG. “It is good to see how our DTM project is picking up speed,” explained BMW’s director of development Dr Klaus Draeger. “Next yea, BMW returns to the DTM after two decades. We will be facing our main competitors in the premium sector – and are already looking forward to this challenge.”

Check out the videos after the jump!

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In this latest episode of Corvette Racing’s Track to Street, the spotlight is shone on the mechanics who are all too often forgotten about on race day. The car and drivers receive all the glory but its the team of mechanics and engineers that perfect the ins and outs, so that the car and driver are a well oiled machine.

In this 3 minute video, the mechanics share their insight and experiences on racing, with the crew chiefs stressing the importance of organization. The crew chief also explains how crucial communication is, so that every member of the racing team is aware of their duty on race day. It is easy to forget that the team has jobs to do before, during, and after the race.

Check out the video after the jump!

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With their team of star drivers behind them, Ford is launching the Octane Academy that will bring their ultimate fans face to face with their favorite action sports driver. The all-star cast of Ken Block, Tanner Foust, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Brian Deegan will be hosting four different camps throughout the year, one by each driver. At each camp, contestants that are selected through video submissions will get to go head-to-head in testing their driving skills.

Each driver will design their own playground, allowing participants to experience out-of-this-world driving lessons while being recorded for the Octane Academy series. And participants that compete to the level that each driver is satisfied with, will win prizes including an overall grand prize of a one-off vehicle created by each of the drivers.

Those interested in entering to possibly become a participant will need to do a video submission telling their story of why they think they have what it takes to survive in the crazy world of Ford’s top tier drivers. The first camp will be hosted by Deegan in November and will feature the theme of Ford RallyCross and Off-Road truck racing. Drivers will get to participate in a Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Those wanting to meet up with Block, will get to get behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta in probably a Gymkhana-themed academy. No doubt Gittin Jr. will get his participants amped up and behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang looking to go sideways. Lastly, Foust will be able to train his drivers in a Ford Focus with an X-Games inspired theme.

Check out a video announcing the Ford Octane Academy after the break.

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The McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will make its first official public appearance at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking place from June 30th to July 3rd.

The GT3 will differ from the MP4-12C through aerodynamic performance upgrades including a front radiator, which increases the maximum ambient temperature at which the car can run. Other upgrades include a new gearbox cooler mounted on the rear aerodeck. A new front splitter will also be fitted to the GT3 along with a door blade, rear wing, diffuser and louvres in the front fenders. These components will be produced entirely from carbon fibre by McLaren Racing.

Only 20 of these cars will be delivered to private GT3 racing teams in Europe for 2012. The GT3 will also feature Formula 1 derived technologies including the same steering wheel design used by Lewis Hamilton in his MP4-24 Formula 1 car. Respected Formula 1 suppliers such as Akebono, Mobil 1, McLaren Electronic Systems, Ricardo and Michelin are working to create race car specification technology superior to the GT3 competition in 2012.

Andrew Kirkaldy from McLaren GT explained that: “The reaction to the 12C GT3 at the circuits we have visited has been phenomenal. I can’t wait to see how it goes down at Goodwood this weekend.”

“CRS Racing was clearly excited to be confirmed as partner in this project as we were only too aware of McLaren’s short, but unbelievable GT history with the F1. But the anticipation amongst circuit owners and race teams to McLaren’s return to GT racing has still surprised us.  I’m delighted that we have the opportunity to drive the 12C GT3 up the hill at Goodwood and raise the interest even further” said Andrew Kirkaldy.

Drivers accompanying the GT3 at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed include Andrew Kirkaldy, 2010 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver Oliver Turvey, and McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin.

Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C GT3

Don Swanson’s racing school is up for grabs on eBay Motors, complete with a full semi, four EJ Honda Civic race cars and a Dodge Grand Caravan.

All four of the EJ Civics are DX models with five-speed manual transmissions and non-VTEC D15 single-overhead cam engines. Each of the race cars come equipped with ample safety equipment, several performance bolt on mods and a tach the size of a school clock. The auction includes all the suits, helmets and gloves and the buy it now price is set at a very reasonable $79,000 or best offer.

Interested? Buy it now or put in a bid here.

GALLERY: Don Swanson Race School

While Nobuhiro Tajima’s record-breaking run at Pikes Peak has been capturing all the attention after finally breaking the sub-1o minute mark for the first time ever, but another record was set at the famed Colorado mountain this weekend in something much more accessible to mere mortals.

Legendary Porsche shoe Jeff Zwart took a 911 GT2 RS up the mountain in 11:07.869, setting a new record for street legal cars. Zwart’s time was 6 seconds behind Rod Millen’s Hyundai Genesis Coupe race car, which took the overall win in 2WD Time Attack. Zwart noted that “we fell three seconds short of beating an all-out race car that is hundreds of pounds lighter with no street safety or emission equipment,” and felt confident that the record would stand for years to come.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Oliver Gavin, British racing driver of the No.74 Corvette C6.R, and four time winner of 24 Hours of Le Mans takes us on a lap around the infamous track in his race car. This well done video allows the viewer to experience the track as Gavin explains the technique and driving style required to execute a lap on this 8.3-mile complicated track. The viewer observes from the driver seat and street level along with Gavin’s narration.

Check out the pro-drivers lap after the jump!

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