Other Professional Racing.. Formula 1, Sprint, Rally & Off Road, SCCA Auto X, Le Mans, Pro Stock, Cart, Drag, IROC, etc.

= = Introducing our new test track: the Motown Mile + More Auto Tests = =

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 09-27-2013, 04:13 AM
Space's Avatar
5 Year Member3 Year Member1 Year Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Beach`in Florida
Posts: 33,585
Cool = = Introducing our new test track: the Motown Mile + More Auto Tests = =

<header id="pageHead" style="font: 16px/24px DiamantiCondEF-Light; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><hgroup style="border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0.75em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.87em; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; border-left-color: rgb(237, 28, 36); border-left-style: solid; display: block; background-color: transparent;">Introducing our new Road & Track test track: the Motown Mil
Our new home to test the best and the rest.



</hgroup>By Larry Webster September 25, 2013 / Photos by Marc Urbano


</header><figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 632.26px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent; -webkit-margin-start: 0px;"></figure>

At some point, no matter how pretty a car is or how rich its leather smells, we all want to know what it'll do. So we perform a handful of well-known exercises—quarter-mile, braking, skidpad, and so on.
Now it's time for a new test.
A road-course lap time is an obvious addition, which is why we frequently run cars on circuits around the country and always will. But tracks are too sanitary for the whole story. We want to know how a car works in the real world, on broken, imperfect roads. And we want to find out in a safe, controlled environment.
For that we went to Detroit, where we found the city's sleepy Coleman A. Young airport. On a battered runway that's deactivated as needed, we laid down a track we're calling the Motown Mile. It's our version of England's Hethel, the gnarly, ex-RAF airfield that Lotus uses to torture its cars into genius.
And what a test this is. The Mile's nine corners include a flat-out, 120-mph kink and a decreasing-radius nail-biter. Hundreds of bumps keep a car from settling down. The track is short on purpose; any competent driver should have no problem going around quickly, but speed here requires more than just power or light weight. You need a chassis that lets the driver use everything—a rare commodity.
We'll visit the Mile each month, building a living database of new information. Narrated videos and a lap-time leaderboard will live on roadandtrack.com, and the knowledge we gain will help us paint you a better picture of the modern fast car. We hope you'll enjoy scrutinizing the results as much as we love obtaining them.
MOTOWN MILE






<figure class="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 632.26px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent; -webkit-margin-start: 0px;"></figure>






<hr><figure class="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 632.26px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent; -webkit-margin-start: 0px;"><figcaption style="padding: 5px 0px 20px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); text-transform: capitalize; line-height: 1.7rem; font-family: DiamantiCondEF-Book; font-size: 0.81em;">Marc Urbano</figcaption></figure>1. SRT VIPER
  • LAP TIME: 54:55 seconds
  • TOP SPEED: 138.94 mph
  • MAXIMUM LATERAL ACCELERATION: 1.132 gSUMMARY: Bronco Billy. Bucked like mad. Saved by raw power.







<hr><figure class="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 632.26px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent; -webkit-margin-start: 0px;"><figcaption style="padding: 5px 0px 20px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); text-transform: capitalize; line-height: 1.7rem; font-family: DiamantiCondEF-Book; font-size: 0.81em;">Marc Urbano</figcaption></figure>2. PORSCHE 911S
  • LAP TIME: 55:03 seconds
  • TOP SPEED: 133.46 mph
  • MAXIMUM LATERAL ACCELERATION: 1.088 gSUMMARY: The Natural. Never put a wheel wrong. Incredible.






<hr><figure class="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 632.26px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent; -webkit-margin-start: 0px;"><figcaption style="padding: 5px 0px 20px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); text-transform: capitalize; line-height: 1.7rem; font-family: DiamantiCondEF-Book; font-size: 0.81em;">Marc Urbano</figcaption></figure>3. LEXUS LFA
  • LAP TIME: 55:48 seconds
  • TOP SPEED: 130.61 mph
  • MAXIMUM LATERAL ACCELERATION: 0.969 gSUMMARY: Brilliant V10 howl, but has to be wound out to move.







<hr><figure class="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 632.26px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent; -webkit-margin-start: 0px;"><figcaption style="padding: 5px 0px 20px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); text-transform: capitalize; line-height: 1.7rem; font-family: DiamantiCondEF-Book; font-size: 0.81em;">Marc Urbano</figcaption></figure>4. AUDI RS5
  • LAP TIME: 56:83 seconds
  • TOP SPEED: 125.95 mph
  • MAXIMUM LATERAL ACCELERATION: 1.058 gSUMMARY: A bit stiff in the knees, but otherwise effortless.
<hr>NEXT MONTH

HEAD-TO-HEAD: FORD SHELBY GT500 vs. CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1!
 

Last edited by Space; 09-27-2013 at 09:33 AM.
  #2  
Old 09-27-2013, 04:35 AM
Space's Avatar
5 Year Member3 Year Member1 Year Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Beach`in Florida
Posts: 33,585
Smile Bonus just 4 U 2 Dream `bout > LOL 4-Sure

<header id="pageHead" style="font: 16px/24px DiamantiCondEF-Light; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><hgroup style="border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0.75em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.87em; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; border-left-color: rgb(237, 28, 36); border-left-style: solid; display: block; background-color: transparent;">2013 Lamborghini Aventador Roadster

Lambo’s ultimate drop-top will be unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show.

</hgroup>By Nick Kurczewski January 12, 2012 / Photos by Theophilus Chin/Chris Doane Automotive

</header><figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 632.26px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent; -webkit-margin-start: 0px;"></figure>

The 2012 Geneva Auto Show looks set to host the unveiling of a new roadster version of the Lamborghini Aventador, the V-12-powered supercar that sits atop the company's potent lineup. During our test drive of the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, we called the car "downright devilish in performance," but with the refined driving manners of an Audi sedan.

<figure class="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 632.26px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent; -webkit-margin-start: 0px;"><figcaption style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); text-transform: capitalize; line-height: 1.7rem; font-family: DiamantiCondEF-Book; font-size: 0.81em;">Theophilus Chin/Chris Doane Automotive</figcaption></figure>

2013 Lamborghini Aventador Roadster




Sunshine, 691 Horsepower
Lamborghini hasn't released any official photos of the 2013 Aventador Roadster, and we don't want to wait until the Geneva show in March to see the car. Thus, we offer these computer-generated images, which give us a very close approximation to how the car will look on the stand in Switzerland. With the exception of the detachable roof, most everything should carry over from the hardtop. That means you'll get the same ferocious 691-bhp 6.5-liter V-12 engine, coupled to a 7-speed single-clutch ISR gearbox and all-wheel drive.
In the standard LP700-4, this powertrain propels the mid-engine Aventador 2-seater to 60 mph in less than 3.0 seconds. The factory claimed top speed is 217 mph. The Roadster should be able to match these prodigious performance figures, given the care and attention Lamborghini will undoubtedly pay to keeping weight low. The car's carbon-fiber tub weighs in at only 325 lb. Look for the Roadster to use lightweight materials in both its roof and any additional body reinforcements that might be needed.
The price, like those performance stats, is going to reside in the stratosphere. With the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 coupe starting at $387,000, it's likely the new Roadster will hit $400,000.
 
  #3  
Old 09-27-2013, 06:45 AM
Space's Avatar
5 Year Member3 Year Member1 Year Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Beach`in Florida
Posts: 33,585
Default

<header style="font: 11px/13px Georgia, serif; width: auto; text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; display: inline; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">FEATURE <hgroup style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent;">America's Best Road Courses

An insider's guide to our favorite racing circuits.

</hgroup></header><hgroup style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: transparent;"></hgroup>



<table width="263" class="default" style="font: 13px/20px Georgia; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: auto; text-align: left; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: transparent; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><td valign="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; vertical-align: top; background-color: transparent;"></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="265" class="default" style="font: 13px/20px Georgia; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: auto; text-align: left; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: transparent; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><td valign="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; vertical-align: top; background-color: transparent;">Our country is known for its oval tracks, but the less obvious truth is that the U.S. is also home to some of the finest road-racing courses in the world. The great circuits featured here generally date back to a time when racetracks were supposed to have elevation changes, blind corners, and distinct personalities. Most of the ones built in the past two decades are relatively similar to each other and essentially drama-free, designed to be safe rather than challenging. In the good old days, danger was an accepted part of the deal, and we think a scintilla of fear makes for a more challenging competition venue. Of course, we aren’t featuring all of them—some stellar circuits, such as Mid-Ohio, didn’t make the ultimate cut, and this will certainly inspire heated arguments. But, hey, isn’t that what the internet is for?
And definitely take time to watch the hugely informative videos embedded on the following pages. Created by our friends at iRacing.comcompletely within their proprietary simulator software—it powers a highly accurate online racing experience, one used as a training tool by professional drivers like Alex Gurney, Justin Wilson, and Dale, Jr.—the clips feature an in-depth walkthrough of a lap at each of these historic road courses.
We've embedded the video of Laguna Seca below, too, if you can't wait to get a taste. Continued...




</td></tr></tbody></table><nav class="mod" style="font: 11px/13px Georgia, serif; text-align: left; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 10px; word-spacing: 0px; display: block; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">PHOTOS (47)</nav>Page Player
 

Last edited by Space; 09-27-2013 at 06:52 AM.
  #4  
Old 09-27-2013, 09:29 AM
Space's Avatar
5 Year Member3 Year Member1 Year Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Beach`in Florida
Posts: 33,585
Default Bonus Links just 4 U > EnJoy

RECENT CAR REVIEWS

2014 Aston Martin Rapide S review notes
9/27/2013
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: The door openings are small, I can't see out the back, and the. . .



2014 Porsche Cayman review notes
9/26/2013
SENIOR MOTORSPORTS EDITOR MAC MORRISON: As the owner of a 2006 Cayman S, it's almost too. . .



2014 Alfa Romeo 4C drive review
9/25/2013
What is it?First shown in concept form at the 2011 Geneva motor show, the 2014 Alfa Romeo . . .



2013 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo Convertible review notes
9/25/2013
ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: I don't like Volkswagen Beetles, but this Turbo, and the. . .



2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland review notes
9/24/2013
ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: With the exception of a sprint in a Grand Cherokee SRT8,. .





Read more: Car Reviews - New Auto Reviews - Autoweek
Follow us: @AutoweekUSA on Twitter | AutoweekUSA on Facebook
 
  #5  
Old 09-27-2013, 10:22 AM
Taz's Avatar
Taz
Taz is offline

Monte Of The Month -- March 2014
15 Year Member
10 Year Member5 Year Member3 Year Member1 Year Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Windsor
Posts: 18,646
Default

Aw man! And here I thought we got a new test track behind the MCF offices.
 
  #6  
Old 09-28-2013, 09:18 AM
Space's Avatar
5 Year Member3 Year Member1 Year Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Beach`in Florida
Posts: 33,585
Lightbulb " Nothing ventured, nothing gained " ?

Originally Posted by Taz
Aw man! And here I thought we got a new test track behind the MCF offices.

Hello `Lou,
Sorry, it's not behind the MCF offices, but it is close to you
Just go down there & let them know who you are or that you known `Space , & they should permit you to drive this new Track...

Please record your test run & post > Thank You
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Space
Off Topic
15
11-14-2012 07:31 AM
Space
Off Topic
4
09-11-2011 10:02 AM
Budsjlm
MCF Website Problems & Issues
16
01-20-2011 07:07 PM
Taz
Off Topic
22
03-22-2010 08:59 AM
Space
Off Topic
13
11-04-2008 05:46 AM



Quick Reply: = = Introducing our new test track: the Motown Mile + More Auto Tests = =



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:47 PM.