Video: 2012 Camaro ZL1 Lapping the Nürburgring in 7:41.27"

We only just learned about the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1's Nürburgring lap time on Wednesday through a tweet from a GM spokesperson, yet the Detroit automaker has already released video footage from its run of the Nordschleife.

Officially, the new 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1 won't go on sale before the end of the first quarter in 2012, but GM said it used a "production-intent model, with no performance modifications", driven by Camaro Performance Engineer Aaron Link to record a lap time of 7:41.27.

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Posted on 13.05 / 0 comments / Read More

Nürburgring Sports Car Pileup: In-Board Camera Captures the Second Crash on Film

It was only a matter of time before the first video concerning last weekend's much talked about Nürburgring crash popped-up on the internet.

The 15-minute long clip comes from an in-board camera mounted to look out the rear window. The driver of the car passed through the construction section moments after the first crash happened, but just before the BMW M3 Sedan 'Ring Taxi came smashing into the cars in front of it.

You'll have to speed up the video to around 9:50 to see the damaged cars and wait until about the clock shows 10:20ish to watch the BMW 'Ring Taxi collide in your upper right-hand corner.

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Posted on 12.03 / 0 comments / Read More

GM PR Tweets that the 2012 Camaro ZL1 Laps the Nürburgring in 7:41.27

We're still a few months ahead of the market launch of the new 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, but General Motors has already began leaking information about the muscle car's appearance on the famed Nürburgring racetrack.

Today, GM spokesperson Jason Laird posted a tweet saying, "Mark Reuss just confirmed ZL1 Camaro lapped Nurburgring in 7.41.27". We wouldn't be surprised if GM announces a better time down the line, but as is, the ZL1 is in the same league as the now obsolete Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 and the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

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Posted on 11.29 / 0 comments / Read More

Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edition with 205HP Hits UK Shores

The first examples of the Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edition have landed in Vauxhall showrooms in Britain. The 205HP hot hatch is priced at £22,295 or close to £3,400 more than the standard 192HP VXR that starts at £18,900.

The faster and more-focused version of the Corsa VXR is powered by a re-worked version of the regular model's 1.6-litre turbocharged engine which now produces 205-horses at 5,750rpm and 250-280Nm (184-207 lb-ft) of torque, up from 192HP and 230-266Nm (170-196 lb-ft).

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Posted on 06.44 / 0 comments / Read More

Massive Sports Car Crash on the Nordschleife, BMW's M3 'Ring Taxi Involved

A fun track day at the notorious Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit turned into a nightmare for eight drivers this past Sunday.

The vehicles involved in the crash included a BMW E30 3-Series, a BMW E36 3-Series, a BMW E92 M3, a Chevrolet Corvette Z06, a pair of Vauxhall VX220 / Opel Speedster roadsters, a Porsche 911 (964 series) and the official BMW M3 'Ring Taxi.

According to a police report, the drivers came from several European countries, while the accident apparently took place in two phases.

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Posted on 14.13 / 0 comments / Read More

SPY SHOTS: New BMW ActiveHybrid 3 Based on the F30 3-Series

We've brought you plenty of news on BMW's upcoming iteration of its bread-and-butter 3-Series, but our spies have just snagged what they believe to be an early prototype of the hybrid version that will join the recently announced ActiveHybrid 5 and the already available ActiveHybrid X6 and 7.

While the prototype model captured on the 'Ring looks pretty much stock, our man with the long lens tells us that it features the mandatory hybrid stickers to warn emergency crews about the car's electric operating system in the event of an accident.

The Bavarian automaker confirmed the availability of "hybrid versions of the next 3-Series" sedan codenamed F30 during a press conference in late 2010.

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Posted on 13.30 / 0 comments / Read More

Dodge Unleashes Video of Viper SRT10 ACR Reclaiming Position from Lexus LFA at the 'Ring with 7:12.13

A couple of weeks ago, Dodge brought its street-legal, but now discontinued, 2010 Viper SRT10 ACR to the Nürburgring racetrack to set the record straight – literally.

In 2008, while the sports car was still in production, the Viper SRT10 ACR turned the 'Ring in 7:22.10, which at the time made it the fifth fastest production car in the world, according to the figures listed on Wikipedia.

Since then, however, many production vehicles posted better times including the Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition with 7:14.64 on August 31, 2011, which placed it in fourth position behind the Radical SR8 LM (6:48), Radical SR8 (6:55) and the Gumpert Apollo Sport (7:11.57).

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Posted on 18.05 / 0 comments / Read More

Lexus LS TMG Edition 650HP Spied on Video: Are Those the Sounds of a V8 or a V10?

Our trusty spies have scored another touchdown with the high-performance, wide-body Lexus LS saloon that has piqued our interest over the past few days.

We already know it is called the Lexus LS TMG Edition and that it is being developed by the Japanese group's Toyota Motorsports GmbH division, formerly known as Toyota Team Europe, based in Cologne, Germany.

Toyota's subsidiary was responsible for firm's World Rally Championship cars starting from the 1970s right up to the 1990s, but now works on various special projects.

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Posted on 09.31 / 0 comments / Read More

Video: New Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Thrashed Around the Nürburgring

The horsepower monster that is the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has been filmed lapping the infamous Nordschleife circuit in Germany.

Apparently, General Motors continues to fine-tune the flagship version of its new Camaro series that was first revealed to the public at this year's Chicago Auto Show in February, but won't arrive in dealerships before early next year.

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Posted on 07.58 / 0 comments / Read More

Fresh Spy Shots of Lexus LS TMG Edition and New Spec Sheet that Says it gets 650-Horses

The veil of secrecy surrounding the super Lexus LS that we captured testing on the Nürburgring racetrack last week has started to fall apart.

Today, along with a fresh batch of scoop pictures of the hotted up LS, our spy photographers also sent us a shot of a spec sheet that's been circulating on the internet and which we were also informed about from the guys over at the Clublexus fan site.

Here's what Mike from ClubLexus told autoscardesign:

"We had an insider at the old F1 Toyota facility snap photos of this LS and what looked like a modified LFA GT2 with BBS wheels, widened fenders....they snapped photos of the specs for the LS...it stated 650hp at 9,000 RPM with 20" wheels. Within hours of the pics posted, we got a message from Toyota to take the pics down, which we did."

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Posted on 08.47 / 0 comments / Read More

SPY SHOTS: Hotted Up Audi Q3 S/RS with 2.5-liter Turbo Takes to the 'Ring

A new flagship version of the Audi Q3 series is starting to take shape as the German company has begun testing prototype models of what may end up carrying the 'S', 'RS' or even perhaps a different moniker altogether on the famous Nürburgring racetrack.

We first received concrete proof that Audi is contemplating the development of a high-performance version of its Q3 compact crossover during a press event in Switzerland when the Ingolstadt-based automaker gave journalists the opportunity to drive a test model equipped with the force-fed five-pot found in the TT RS and RS3 models.

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Posted on 13.10 / 0 comments / Read More

SCOOP: Mystery Sport Lexus LS Caught Testing on the 'Ring, Could it be the LS-F?

Lexus may not be fully embroiled in the sports car segment as the only true performance models in its range are the IS-F and the limited run LFA special, but something tells us that the Japanese firm is not yet ready to throw the towel in and let its rivals take the win.

And this, despite the fact that over the years, we have heard many rumors about the possibility of Lexus expanding its range of high-performance F-badged lineup to include the GS and the LS models, and which never came into fruition.

This brings us to our mystery Lexus LS prototype that was snagged doing the rounds on the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. Our scoop photographers tell us that the car featured the usual testing equipment seen on other prototypes on the 'Ring.

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Posted on 21.05 / 0 comments / Read More

SCOOP: New Audi RS4 Avant Flexes its Muscles on the Nürburgring

While Audi's executive officers were showcasing the Ingolstadt-based firm's latest conceptual and production models such as the S6, S7, S8 and the Urban studies, the company's engineers were hard at work trying out a prototype of the upcoming RS4 series in Avant form.

The wider front and rear tracks hiding under blistered wheel arches along with the massive brakes, large alloy wheels and the typical RS-style twin oval tail pipes leave no doubt that this is the upcoming RS4 Avant model.

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Posted on 09.49 / 0 comments / Read More

SCOOP: 2013 Cadillac ATS Hits the Road for Testing

Here's another chance to take a look at the upcoming 2013 Cadillac ATS, GM's answer to the executive compact sedan segment dominated by the likes of BMW's 3-Series, the Audi A4 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

And just in case you're wondering, the introduction of the ATS will lead to a larger next-generation CTS to better compete against cars like the BMW 5-Series and the latest Lexus GS.

Our scoop photographers captured the 2013 Cadillac ATS while testing in Europe. Even though the prototype is clothed in camouflage, we manage to get a taste of the car's size as well as Cadillac's edgy design language with prominent creases running along sides and the front and rear ends of the ATS.

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Posted on 09.58 / 0 comments / Read More

Video: Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition Laps the 'Ring in 7:14.64" Making it the 4th Fastest Production Car

After the news about the LFA Nürburgring Edition's lap time of 7:14.64 at Nordschleife racetrack started circulating around the web, Lexus decided today to confirm the feat with an official statement, and more importantly, in-car video footage.

The LFA Nürburgring Edition package is available only on 50 of the 500 LFA cars that are planned to be built.

Changes over the standard model include a more powerful 4.8-liter V10 with 571PS (+11ps), a faster 6-speed sequential transmission, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic front apron and rear wing, a lower and more aggressively tuned suspension plus mesh-type alloys fitted with higher-grip tires.

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Posted on 06.32 / 0 comments / Read More

Infiniti Pits Vettel in M35h Hybrid Against Webber in M37 at the 'Ring

Infiniti is stepping up the ante in its collaboration with the Red Bull Racing team by pitting the reigning Formula One World Champion, Sebastian Vettel, against his team-mate, Mark Webber, in a race with the firm's M37 and M35h saloons at the Nürburgring Nordschleife to mark the start of European sales of the hybrid model. Read more »

Posted on 13.05 / 0 comments / Read More

Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition Posts a 7:14" Lap Time Around the 'Ring

It takes a lot of confidence to name a special edition of your car after the most demanding and famous circuit in the world. Even if said car is not some run-of-mill model, but a limited edition supercar. Enter the world of the LFA Nürburgring Edition, a track-oriented, hardcore version of the already awesome V10-powered Lexus supercar.

According to Tweets from Lexus Europe, the LFA lapped the Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 14 seconds making it the fourth fastest production car on the 'Ring (according to Wikipedia's record book).

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Posted on 04.55 / 0 comments / Read More

Toyota Shatters Peugeot's Nürburgring Lap Time Record for EVs [Video]

When the Nürburgring track came into life, it was considered as one of the most dangerous tracks in the world –so much that it was even banned from the Formula 1 calendar. Then it became a demanding course for privateers to drive their cars and bikes, and for carmakers to test their new cars driving dynamics.

But in the past few years, the Nordschleife, as it's also named, has been transformed into a badge of honor and a true measurement of a car's abilities, with automakers announcing the best lap times achieved at the ‘Ring in a one-upmanship contest. Something, which was inevitably bound to cause disputes as with the Nissan's GT-R lap time.

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Posted on 13.17 / 0 comments / Read More

SPIED: New Diesel-Powered BMW X6 M Spotted on the 'Ring?

There has been a lot of talk lately about BMW's plans to introduce its first-ever diesel-powered 'M' model. Just last week, the Detroit-Bureau spoke to BMW M Manager Brian Watts who confirmed the German company's interest in an M-badged diesel model.

The news site also cited inside sources to say that the plans calls for the development of a highly modified version of BMW's 3.0-liter straight-six oil-burner fitted with three-turbochargers developing around 500-horsepower and well over 600 lb-ft of peak torque. This engine would be fitted on M-badged versions of the 5-Series and the X6 crossover.

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Posted on 08.29 / 0 comments / Read More

SPIED: New, Evoque-Inspired 2013 Range Rover Hits the 'Ring

Only last week, we brought you spy pictures of the all-new 2012 Range Rover, but our man with the long lens has once again managed to capture the luxury 4x4, this time, in and out of the Nordschleife.

The company’s test drivers put the zebra-dressed Range Rover prototype through its paces to check out different suspension settings and evaluate its on-road high-speed behavior and agility.

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Posted on 12.48 / 0 comments / Read More