2012 Hulme F1 Will Eat Up Your Cash Like It Does The Road

Tony Borroz — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:55:38 +0000

This one has been cooking down under for a while here, but it looks like the crazed Kiwis behind the Hulme F1 sportscar are finally ready to hit the ignition switch, and actually start selling these things to anyone with large amounts of cash and equally large amounts of glands.

The Hulme F1 is, in a lot of ways, very much like the Caparo T1; it’s sort of an F1 car for the street with quasi-open wheels and lots of flashy styling. Not that the cars namesake was any stranger to F1, but he was, for better or worse, known for his sportscar racing. Specifically, Danny Hulme (for those of you that don’t know) really tore up the CanAm circuits back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Him and company founder, chief designer, test driver, racer and all around great guy, Bruce McLaren had the North American racing series so much in their pocket, people openly referred to it as “The Bruce & Denny Show” for what seemed like forever (until Mark Donohue and Roger Penske really put their minds to it).

Years later, and that racing success is but a memory, and both Bruce and Denny are no longer with us (McLaren was killed in a testing accident in the 70s, and Hulme died of a heart attack while competing in a vintage race), but, this whole go fast, kick ass, sell some cool cars gene seems to run fairly deep on the far side of the world. Ergo, the Hulme F1 is slated for a 2012 delivery.

What does one get, should one choose the Hulme F1 over, say a Caparo or a Ferrari or a customized steam train? You get a 700-horsepower, Chevrolet-derived V8, which certainly fits, since the boys used to run Chevys exclusively in their CanAm cars. Said plant is wadded into the center of a carbon fiber and kevlar shell, natch, since that’s where engines should go. Weight is a staggeringly low 2,300 pounds (or just a little bit over it), which is about what a new Miata (right, MX-5) tips the scales at. The boys behind the Hulme F1 hope this will translate into a 0-60 sprint of under 3.5 seconds. Which, if memory serves, what about what their big-block CanAm cars could do (right, the tires back then were junk in comparison to what we can get today, I know).

So, they are taking orders right at this very moment, even though deliveries probably won’t start until the second half of next year. Price? Y’know, funny thing about that, they don’t seem to mention price anywhere … but if can afford to choose between this and any number of the other exotics out there, you’re not really going to worry about a thing like the price, now are you?

Source: Autoblog

Automoblog.net - A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

Top 10 Supercars of 2006

Chris Burdick — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 20:21:53 +0000

Supercars.net just released their 3rd annual “Top 10 Supercars” list for 2006. First place is a no-brainer, but there are a couple of surprises. Keep reading for the list:

Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

The car has been designed, engineered and built entirely by Pininfarina, bringing to life something that, just a few months earlier, was just a dream and creating a sort of symbiosis between the customer and Pininfarina along the path leading to definition of this astonishing model. Starting from a Ferrari Enzo, the aim was to produce a sole vehicle inspired by sport racing cars with extreme vocations: not just a show-car but a vehicle to be enjoyed on the road.

After freezing styling with various touch-ups to the initial sketches, the surfaces were defined using CAS modeling, then moving on to actual construction and assembly. More than 200 components were specifically developed through constant interaction between styling and design: from the biÂ¬xenon lighting clusters specifically designed with an innovative system of yellow and white leds to the alloy wheels â€“ 20-inch aluminum â€“ milled from the block up to and including the aluminum and special steel in-sight hinges.

Caparo T1

As the world’s first road car to exceed 1 000bhp per tonne, the Caparo T1 will surely grab attention. Currently being developed by engineers that helped deliver the iconic McLaren F1, the T1 concept is a road going, two seat sports car using formula racing technologies whilst delivering safety and accident protection.

”To demonstrate our understanding of these fundamental vehicle engineering issues we set out to design an optimum package for delivering 1,000bhp-per-tonne,” says Caparo co-founder Ben Scott-Geddes. ”Interestingly, the sweet spot on the curve that satisfies many of these issues is 500 horsepower in a vehicle with a mass of 500kg.”

Gemballa Mirage Evolution

Gemballa USA is seriously representing that they are going to modify a Carrera GT in much the same way they push out the current 911 to make over 750 bhp. That is, attach twin turbochargers and make a 1000 bhp monster.

However, Gemballa’s ambitions don’t end there. This hypothetical makeover also includes a gullwing doors and a new carbon fiber roof, tested in the wind tunnel for 250 mph crusing.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Underneath its purposeful skin, the 599 retains the same front engine V12 layout which the 550/575 Maranello line successfully reintroduced, and to make up for its longer chassis, the 599 uses a 6.0-liter engine engineered from the same one found in the Enzo supercar that can reach 612 bhp and 8400 rpm! With it, the 599 is the most powerful front engine Ferrari!

Attached to this engine and sitting in the rear, is a considerably upgraded flappy paddle transmission called the ‘F1-Superfast’ that changes gears in just 100ms. This is a huge improvement compared to 250 ms in the older roadcar systems, but lags behind the 80ms FXX and 30ms Formula One unit it’s named after.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

Designers and engineers have not only focused on reworking the engine, suspension, gearbox, exhaust system, brakes and electronics, but also the interior and exterior design. In their reinterpretation of the Murcielago, the designers at the Lamborghini Style Centre have made the LP640 even more aggressive.

The new car features a ton of new bits which include front and rear bumpers, a single exhaust tip incorporated in the rear diffuser, new rear lights, improved mirrors, improved windscreen wipers, revamped instrument panel lights and aerodynamically defined front and rear wings. For those wishing to flaunt the heart of their Murcielago LP640, on request an engine hood made of transparent glass can be supplied.

The engine of the new Murcielago LP640 has undergone radical modification. The increased bore and stroke have boosted the displacement of the classic 60Â° V12 from 6.2 litres to 6.5 litres (6496 cc). Thus, the already extraordinary 580 hp has now been elevated to an impressive peak of 640 hp (471 kW) at 8,000 rpm. This means the LP640 can now accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 3.4 seconds (0.4 seconds faster than the previous model), with a top speed of over 200mph.

GM EcoJet

-Looks a lot like a Cadillac Cien to me, doesn’t it?

The 650-horsepower (400 lb.-ft. of torque) Leno original is powered by a Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine that runs on bio-diesel fuel. The engine sits in a modified Corvette Z06 hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components. The vehicle’s shell is an advanced construction of carbon fiber over Kevlar.

Mosler MT900 GTR

The GTR takes all the design hallmarks of the original MT900 concept and pushes them to the limit. Specifically, the reliable seven liter engine from the latest generation Corvette Z06 is included as well as all the racing components that help the track version endure at the top level of motor sports. This is probably why Mosler of Germany (also a huge TVR outfit) calls their GTR the ”fastest production car for the track.”

While the exterior mimics the racing MT900s, including their huge carbon fibre wings, front splitters and rear diffusers, the GTR is much more civil inside. Here we have electric windows, remote locking, air-con, Recaro seats and a specially fitted Alpine stereo with carbon fibre speakers. Additionally, Mosler UK crafted up a new dashboard, instruments, carbon-fibre bits a new steering wheel with the script ‘MT900′ across the top.

Since the MT900 GTR borrows heavily from the Z06 it qualifies for the strict emissions regulations in the USA, but probably only in a normal state of tune. While the only one GTR is being flaunted in Germany, it is only a matter of time before the other headquarters in England and Florida begin to follow suit and include the Corvette LS7 engine in their lineup.

Koenigsegg CCX

The Koenigsegg CCX is the latest supercar from Koenigsegg. CCX is an abbreviation for Competition Coupe X. The X commemorates the 10th anniversary of the completion and test drive of the first CC vehicle in 1996. The CCX is intended to be more suitable for the U.S. market and thus engineered to comply with US regulations.

The CCX is powered by a Koenigsegg designed and assembled, all aluminium, 4700 cmÂ³ DOHC 32-valve V8 engine based on the Ford Modular architecture enhanced with twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers with response system, 1.2 bar boost pressure and an 8.2:1 compression ratio. The engine produces 806 hp (601 kW) and 678 lbf.ft (920 Nm) on 91 octane (U.S. rating) gasoline, 825 hp (634 kW) on 110 octane (Euro rating, 95 octane US rating) gasoline and 900 hp (671 kW) on biofuel, this making it a unique flexible-fuel engine in the sense that it actually produces more power while running on biofuels.

SSC Ultimate Aero TT

Using SCC’s proprietary twin-turbo design, the Ultimate Aero TT’s power plant has surpassed its original design specifications in all areas, producing a nasty 1180 bhp at 6750 rpm and 961 ft lbs of tarmac tearing torque while maintaining a paltry 2750 lbs of curb weight. The meticulously manufactured carbon fibre composite body harnesses a motor that has a wonderful idle, incredible daily drivability characteristics, runs on 91 octane pump fuel, easily handles the rigors of long term redline usage while delivering and incredible 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

Further establishing its place among the supercars, the Ultimate Aero TT produces more emissions legal horsepower than any other production automobile in the world, thanks in the large part to the tireless efforts of the design team.

Noble M15

With a 455bhp version of the tried and trusted three-litre twin turbo engine Noble has come to rely on, this is also the quickest car ever to emerge from Barwell, Leicestershire. With the complementary figure of 455lb/ft of torque, all In a car that weighs slightly more than 1200kg, the M15 is devastatingly fast.

The M1S accelerates from 0-60rnph in less than 3.5 seconds and 10 l00 mph in less than 8s. It keeps going all the way to 185mph, too, and has been tuned for rapid acceleration throughout the range rather than an easily achievable 200mph top end speed.

Supreme cornering skills and a confidence-inspiring chassis are part the DNA and, in this respect, the M15 promises to be the best yet. The spaceframe chassis with integral rollcage is 57 per cent stiffer than the M12 that has won plaudits throughout the world and intensive development has ensured that the fabled Noble handling on the limit is even better than before.