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Green Hell is a loving nickname given to a race circuit wherein many race car drivers have spun their wheels and left those behind them eating dust. If you are a race car and racing fanatic, then you would know the real name of Green Hell. Yes, it is the ever famous Nurburgring Nordschleife race circuit.

So what is up with Green Hell? Well, let us just say that BMW has already found a place here. It took the auto manufacturer three years of renovating the mentioned place and expanding it up. The company has done such so as to actually use the mentioned area as its testing center and development area. You see, BMW has already been using the Nurburgring Nordschleife race circuit for around forty years already for such a purpose.

The expanded and renovated Green Hell race circuit now measures some 12,440 square feet and also has BMW’s high tech workshop facility. It has also been configured and changed so as to be able to take in any types of testing that BMW could want with their vehicles. Sure, every product in the auto market goes through testing so as to make sure that the customers would be able to purchase and own quality automotive products. In fact, even the simplest Chevy truck parts do undergo such processes for quality and performance testing. This goes true for vehicles.

To those who have yet no background on the Nurburgring Nordschleife race circuit, this is actually considered to be a legend. In fact, it was used as a Formula One race circuit and it was built from 1925 up until 1927. It has got seventy three corners and 300 meters of elevation. And because of such, the Green Hell has been very much considered to be a very challenging, even the most challenging, race circuit that was created.

In this sense, Green Hell would be the best type of tool and area that would be used for testing BMW vehicles. Although in previous years, BMW has been using the race circuit for the BMW Motorsport Team when they need to be in tiptop shape for the German Touring Car Championship and the like.

Stacey Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/now-presenting-bmws-green-hell-73164.html

Porsche AG has released the rally racing version of its popular Cayenne mid size luxury SUV. Named as the Cayenne S Transsyberia, the German automaker said the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia “is a car tailored specifically to the requirements of long distance rally racing” and “has been modified on a number of points enhancing both safety and the car’s racing performance.”

Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia retains the bold, aggressive, and rugged body styling of the Porsche Cayenne S base model, with new features that adapts into the world of rally racing. Two exterior color options are available: Basalt Black Metallic and Chrystal Silver Metallic. The overall body appearance is highlighted by the vehicle’s aerodynamic parts and other exterior auto parts including extra large air intake scoops, roof spoiler with a double-wing profile mounted on the tail gate, stainless steel front air dams, stainless steel rear air dams, and 18inch “Cayenne S II” light-alloy wheels and the rim hubs are finished in orange color.

In addition, the exterior side view mirrors, the rear wing, wheel rims, left and right air intake, and the additional headlights for the Cayenne S Transsyberia are also finished in orange color. Moreover, the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia also comes with extra four headlights mounted on the roof to provide additional lighting when taking on different terrains. The orange colored stripes on the side with the name “Cayenne S Transsyberia 2007″ complete the vehicle’s exclusivity.

Moving inside, the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia comes with a standard navigation system. This special Cayenne S model retains some of its interior features, but the glove compartment has been replaced with a Tripmaster computer. The typical foot operated brake on the Cayenne S is also replaced with a hand brake. The rally team aboard this special edition model can use the 20 liter luggage space and two transport boxes for their tools. The Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia also comes with safety features to give both the driver and passenger an effective protection against injuries. The Cayenne S Transsyberia comes with air bag system and a safety cage that complies with the standards of the FIA Motorsport Authority. In addition, Porsche AG said: “To set off the extra weight of the safety cage and rally equipment, and to further lower the vehicle’s centre of gravity, the rear seat bench, interior body panels and cound proofing material have all been removed from the car.”

The and suspension system on the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia has been modified to cope up with the most extreme terrains like rough and rocky surfaces as well as muddy tracks. The German automaker also installed their patented Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). These two systems works in conjunction with the air suspension to provide vehicle dynamics and further enhance the vehicle’s traction. Moreover, PDCC features a Special Offroad Mode that gives the Cayenne S Transsyberia 75 cm of maximum depth when crossing rivers or streams.

Powering the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia is a 4.8-liter V8 engine capable of delivering 385 bhp (283kW) at 6200 rpm. The engine comes with a direct gasoline injection system, and can be able to run on 25 percent ethanol fuel mixed with gasoline. This feature gives the Cayenne S Transsyberia lower fuel consumption by about 15 percent compared to the base Cayenne S model. A six-speed automatic transmission powering the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) permanent all wheel drive system completes the vehicle’s powertrain package. The vehicle also comes with quality cooling system, which also features water pump like the Jeep Wrangler off-road model with quality Jeep water pump.

Lisa Ziegler
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/porsche-cayenne-s-transsyberia-in-detail-132642.html

Brembo brings diversity in National Association for Stock Car auto racing (NASCAR) by delivering a cutting-edge pedal box. The latter is a lightweight, high-stiffness top mounting pedal box which is designed to be interchangeable with most common versions of NASCAR’s.

Brembo, was established in 1961 in Bergamo, Italy, has historically established its strong presence in racing way back in 1975 when Ferrari chooses the expertise of the company for its Formula 1 cars. After Ferrari, some of the big names in the racing industry like Aston Martin, Porsche, Corvette, Maserati made Brembo brake rotors part of their winning formula. These renowned racing names contributed significantly in making Brembo a reliable brand when it comes to race- and championship-winning race cars.

Today, a significant number of open-wheel and stock car racing teams choose Brembo slotted rotors. In fact, numerous Champ Car and IRL cars are using Brembo rotors. Also, the NASCAR Nextel Cup- and Busch Series-winning Chevrolets of Jimmy Johnson and Kevin Harvick; and Frank Kimmel’s ARCA RE/MAX Series-winning Ford feature Brembo.

The braking systems of the world’s leader in braking parts went out of the box. It does not merely concentrate on rotors, calipers and pads. The racing season next year will be highlighted by the introduction of the mentioned Brembo pedal box. The package includes brake and clutch pedals. It will also be featuring Finite Element Method (FEM) analyzed aluminium alloy modular frames from billet. The aluminium throttle pedal comes with adjustable return hook. Also, the end stop is available separately. Brembo accepts a full range of master cylinder diameters up to 1 inch. It also offers a balance bar with a “click” step remote adjuster with a range of plus/minus 10 percent.

The geometry used in Brembo pedal box assures no wasted pedal motion. Additionally, it can be adjusted to 3 fixed positions: 4.3:1, 5.1:1 and 6.0:1. It is also designed to blend with car’s ergonomic design. Brembo panel box ensures its pivots for the clutch and the balance bar. The brake pedals also use straight roller bearings to lessen free play and friction. Aside from that, the firewall sealing uses visa fireproof rubber boots on all cylinders.

Terry Brown
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/brembos-out-of-the-box-diversity-in-nascar-83026.html

Ever since the first automobiles took to the road at the beginning of the last century, drivers around the world have been enthralled by these wonderful pieces of technology. Knowing that you are in control of something so powerful yet so fun is a feeling hard to beat. Part and parcel of that feeling is the adrenalin rush you get at high speed and auto racing, and this is none more apparent than in the legendary Cannonball Run.

Originally stemming from the nickname given to one of the greatest adventurers of all time, Erwin G. Baker, the Cannonball Run is a cross-country road race over several thousand miles that involves all manners of both semi-professional and amateur racers. There have been many different versions throughout the world over the years, the most famous probably being the one immortalized in the Burt Reynolds movie of the same name. Now the Cannonball Run can also be found in Europe.

Now in its sixth year, Cannonball Run Europe 2007 takes its inspiration from its American ancestor and introduces it to a whole new audience. Taking place between July 1st – 7th, for the relatively small fee of 4500 British pounds, drivers can experience the sheer unbridled sense of adventure this special race offers. Taking in six countries across Europe, including the UK, France and Italy, this year’s race competitors will find themselves having to travel over 3000 miles of various roads and surfaces to be crowned the champion. This is one of the things that make this race so endearing among its fans it truly is a test of man and machine.

Although not cheap, there are a lot of features included in the price of the race entry fee. All ferry crossings from the UK are included, as is your accommodation in each country. Food and drink is also part of the price, with a welcoming arrival drink at each hotel you stay in. Throw in a track day where you can tear around a dedicated racing track, and the cost of participation suddenly seems less inhibitive. The only omissions from the price is your petrol and other personal expenses, such as tolls and any traffic fines you may pick up along the way.

The true appreciation of the race comes in the cars themselves. Since this is still an amateur race, the cars taking part are your everyday vehicles, as opposed to professional race teams. That’s not to say that the Cannonball Run doesn’t have glamour, though. You’ll still find impressive racing machines from the likes of Subaru, Porsche, Ferrari and BMW, as well as your normal day-to-day cars. You’ll even find a Skoda competing, something that would be extremely unlikely in other auto racing fields!

With stunning countryside, friendly car-loving enthusiasts and a genuine sense of camaraderie, expectations are high for this year’s event to be even better than previous years, and continue to build upon the legend that is becoming the Cannonball Run Europe.

Derek Both
http://www.articlesbase.com/basketball-articles/the-cannonball-run-europe-2007-118873.html

Ford aficionados and race fans can now scream their lungs out. This is because Ford Mustang is now made more rugged and powerful to conquer race tracks. Recently, Ford Motor Company in cooperation with Miller Motorsports Park (MMP), has equipped a fleet of Mustangs with high-performance race parts.

Ford Mustang auto parts are given a crucial boost via add-ons. These add-ons convert the American muscle cars into race-prepped thoroughbreds. Said racing and parts are available to any Mustang owner from the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog at any Ford dealership.

Mustang is an American car that is based on Falcon compact. Its first production was a white convertible with red interior. The aftermath of said production was introduced at the New York World’s Fair on April 17, 1964. Two days after, it was launched via all American television networks. That that, said launch was considered the most successful in the industry. After quite a few redesigns and modifications, Mustang is still doing great in the automotive market. After 43 years of existence, Mustang is brought to a new level. This time it is designed to handle the complex and nerve-racking world of racing.

Jaime Allison, manager of Ford Racing Performance Group said, “We’re thrilled to again have a relationship with a driving school program. Ford Racing has become a Charter Member of the new, state-of-the-art Miller Motorsports Park. Our relationship is more than just a sponsorship; it is rooted in a technical development program that began before the facility was even complete. We’ve been working with the team at MMP for over a year now developing, testing and proving-out the 20 Mustangs and I’m proud to say, they’re ready to go.”

The Drag Pack offered by the company provides extra boost to Ford Mustang engine parts. In fact, with it the driver can imagine to shave a half-second off quarter mile estimated times. The car can generate 35 more horsepower than Mustang GT. The Handling Pack, which includes tuned dampers, springs, sway bars and strut tower brace, is suited to any 2005-07 Mustang GT Coupe.

Aside from the 2 packs, the car is also equipped with 18-inch Ford Mustang wheels, racing mufflers, performance radiator, racing stripe kit, brakes, safety harness, and more.

“This relationship to outfit Miller Motorsports Park’s fleet of Mustangs with high-performance parts is the culmination of all our Ford Racing Performance Packs on Mustang from the FR1, FR2, FR3 and on,” said Allison. “Everyone in our office has been involved in this program.”

Chuck Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/mustang-muscle-car-ready-to-race-67531.html

In celebration of the Corvette’s success in sports car racing – particularly in Le Mans 24-Hour event, General Motors will launch a limited series of just 250 “Victory Edition” Corvette Coupes. It should be noted that it was in the year 1999 when Corvette Racing made its debut and since then the team has won more than 50 races including the 24 Hours of Le Mans held between 2001 and 2006 in which the team take home five class wins.

The Victory Edition Corvette is going to be based on the Corvette C6 Coupe which shares strong bonds with both the Corvette C6 R race car as well as the high performance Corvette Z06. The Victory Edition Corvette is equipped with an LS2 6.0 L V8 engines that revs up 297kW or 404 hp and 546 Nm of torque mated to a rear-mounted transaxle that improve the weight distribution of the vehicle. The Victory Edition will also be equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard feature while an electronically six-speed paddle shift transmission with automatic modes is offered as optional feature.

The Victory Edition Corvette is offered in two colors which reflect the Corvette racing heritage—the Black or Velocity Yellow Tintcoat, accentuated by Competition Grey aluminum wheels, 18 inch front and 19 inch rear. Its body-color wide rear spoiler is also one of its prominent features.

The two-tone leather seats with Corvette flag emblems and contrasting stitching highlights the interior features of the Victory Edition. The Corvette with black interior features an ebony and red theme while the Velocity Yellow Corvette is given an ebony and titanium grey interior mix. And to further enhance the aesthetic appeal of the interiors a specially designed GM floor mats, Competition Grey door sill plates, a carbon –look interior trim package and a one-of-kind, numbered Victory Edition badge was added.

The Victory Edition Corvette is also loaded with features like a DVD Navigation System with touch screen and voice guidance, heated seats, a memory package with presets for two drivers for the 6-way power driver’s seat, exterior mirrors and powered telescopic steering wheel, a head-up display with G-force meter, auto trimming inside rear view mirror and a premium Bose® 7-speaker sound system.

The limited Corvette Victory Edition will be given a numbered car identification interior badge and that’s not all would-be owners of the Victory Edition Corvette will be given a one day free Corvette Drivers Training which is going to be handles by professional instructors at specially selected race tracks across Europe. The Victory Edition Corvette is scheduled to hit dealerships in Europe early of March 2007.

Noah Scott
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/limited-victory-edition-corvette-to-be-offered-in-europe-105769.html

Some find her pretty. Some find her to be very talented. Some find her brave. And the rest of the motoring just simply find her amazing.

Who is Danica Patrick, you may ask now. Well, let us simply say that she is a twenty four year old girl who is one of the few female auto race drivers in the United States. During the 2005 Indy Racing League (IRL) Championships, she was a favorite and she was given the title Rookie of the Year.

Now you can have the chance to actually meet her and get driving lessons from her. This would be through a national consumer sweepstakes which Peak Antifreeze auto products are sponsoring. This was what the announcement from the company said just yesterday. The whole sweepstakes deal would be made for this last quarter of the year.

If you join and are lucky enough to be picked, then you along with fourteen other lucky winners would be able to be part of the Skip Barber Racing School. This is where you would be able to get to know more about racing and all the tips and tricks of the racing car trade. Sure, this contest would not only be very interesting for the guys out there. In fact, I do believe that many ladies would also be joining for most people certainly do look up to a young, pretty, and very respected race car driver.

So what would the winners be learning at the Skip Barber Racing School? Well, tons of things really. And you would also be able to meet and learn more about racing from expert Danica Patrick. Not only is she the 2005 IRL Championship Rookie of the Year but she is also currently serving as the Peak spokesperson. Patrick would be there to teach the winners lessons in driving along with other instructors at the mentioned school. There would also be practical lessons made right on professional tracks.

Winners would also be able to get to use a Formula racecar which has been said to speed to up to 130 miles per hour top.

You could also personally ask Danica Patrick about your vehicle if you choose to. Maybe you are confused as per what kind of Mercedes Benz performance parts are you going to add to your vehicle. Maybe Danica would know and give you sound advice on that.

Sarah Mcbride
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/lessons-with-danica-patrick-75640.html

The Ford Motor Co. earlier sold the Aston Martin, its British luxury sports car unit, to a group of private investors. Sources familiar to the deal said the consideration is about $925 million.

People familiar to the deal said the purchaser is led by David Richards, an auto racing entrepreneur and also the founder of Prodrive Ltd. The latter also runs the Aston Martin racing program. The sources added that Richards will be supported by Kuwait’s Investment Dar Co.

Ford sold the Aston Martin brand to raise money to defray restructuring expenses. But it will retain a small stake in the brand. When asked about the sale, a Ford spokesman declined to comment last Sunday.

The automaker bought the majority stake in Aston Martin in 1987. The rest of the stake is purchased in 1994. Last year, Ford posted the biggest annual loss in its 103-year history amounting to $12.7 billion. In view thereof, the automaker closed factories and slashed tens of thousands of jobs as part of the restructure plan.

But the strategies are deemed wanting hence the automaker considered other options available and one of it is selling the Aston Martin brand. “It will give them some more needed capital to fund their restructuring,” auto analyst Brad Rubin of BNP Paribas said last Sunday of the Aston Martin sale, “but it really isn’t that much money.”

The Aston Martin is made equally-famous as agent 007, a.k.a. James Bond, has featured and used the brand’s vehicles in some of his movies. The brand is part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group which also covers Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo Cars. These brands are famous for the luxury, performance and safety. Jaguar, to boost its design philosophy introduced new lineup to wipe away the boxy image of the automaker. Land Rover, on the other hand, is enhancing its off-road performance. Volvo has achieved an ideal standard in auto safety. Even a simple auto part like the Volvo distributor cap is designed with topmost safety offering in mind.

Among the Premier Automotive Group units, the greatest contributor of losses is Jaguar with $327 million recorded sales decline in 2006. The automaker does not usually divulge any financial information regarding the individual units of the Premier Automotive Group nonetheless the company said Aston Martin is quite profitable.

Aston Martin, headquartered in Gaydon, England, produces about 5,000 cars annually. Each car costs more than $100,000. Considering the standards set by Ford, Aston Martin is not sharing its engineering and auto parts with the rest of Ford brands. Even when the automaker endeavors to make its operations global, the company is preserving the philosophy and standards of Aston Martin.

According to an executive presentation, analysts in the industry said they would prefer that Ford sell the Jaguar brand, which lost more than $700 million last year. The report also predicted that the brand would lose $550 million this year and $300 million in 2008.

Glady Reign
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/ford-sells-aston-martin-116390.html

NASCAR history started with the stock car racing gaining popularity as early as 1936, with the first unofficial & informal race held in 1938. This was then promoted by Bill France Sr. after being asked to do so by the car racers who usually hang out on his service station.

France together with other big names in stock car racing at that time then held a meeting at Streamline Hotel where they contributed ideas on their plans for NASCAR. They were then able to come up with guidelines, which include the schedule of the race, the rules that govern the race, and the prize money involved. A board of governors was formed with Bill France Sr. as the President. A fellow named Red Boyt was the man who coined the name NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car auto racing) a critical point in NASCAR history.

The very first official NASCAR race was held on February 15, 1948 at Daytona Beach. Red Byron was declared winner of that race. One week later after the event, NASCAR was then incorporated making this major milestone in NASCAR history.

The main thrust then of NASCAR was that it should appeal to the average person, and thus the racers made use of only stock equipment, or cars which were not modified in any way.

The first purely stock event was held in June 1949 in Charlotte, N.C. The rules then required that the racecars should all be American made, and if ever modifications were to be done on the racecars, it was only the metal plate that protected the right front tire that was allowed. There were 33 drivers competing with almost every type of American made car represented in that race.

For this event, over 13,000 people came and watched the race. Their target to make it appealing to the average person succeeded. Glen Dunaway walked out a winner of that race, not until it was found out that a modification was made on his racecars rear springs. He was disqualified and Jims Roper was declared the true winner.

The race then evolved to what was then called the Grand National Division, or what is known now as the Winston Cup. On this first year, Red Byron was the overall champion with 9 more races held that year. On the second year, a total of 21 races were scheduled.

NASCAR history had many other milestones along the way. And this we owe mainly to Mr. Bill France Sr. NASCAR racing would not been possible without his guidance and efforts. NASCAR history is indeed very colorful, and a brighter future continues to lie ahead.

T J Madigan
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/a-brief-history-of-nascar-114138.html

Cars do not work too well without quality wheels. Wheels secure the performance of the car and the safety of the occupants. This is the reason why a car purchaser should know the elements that make wheels outstanding.

Wheels come in a wide-variety of choices. Magnesium alloy, chrome, steel, and aluminum are some of the choices. Nonetheless, the most famous among them is Magnesium alloy wheels or “mag wheels.” These wheels are commonly used on racing cars for better performance. This is because magnesium alloy wheels are lighter than steel or aluminum wheels.

Magnesium alloy wheels are produced by hot forging from magnesium alloys ZK60 and MA-14. The typical weight of a magnesium alloy wheel is approximately 8 to 12 kilograms, depending on the car model. Drawbacks of this type of wheel include the high price and the difficulty of recycling. Hence, it is not practical most street cars.

Steel wheels, on the other hand, are the most convenient tire package especially during winter. They are usually available in black and silver finish. Styling is made easier by using updated wheel covers. Compared to other alloys, steel wheels are more affordable. Steel is preferred by automakers because it is easy to manufacture and it reduces material costs.

Wheels also vary in size. People who are serious about their cars are aware that the size of the wheel is crucial to the performance of the vehicle. The primary effect of altering the wheel diameter is the need to change the gears to adjust the ratio of engine speed to wheel rotation speed. This is because the bigger the wheels are, the slower the car become. Nonetheless, the acceleration and top speed of a car do not solely depend on the wheel diameter if the gear ratio is optimized for that particular diameter. Larger wheels will not be affected by small road bumps.

Nowadays, the offer of a 26 inch wheel and tyre package is no longer amazing. These wheels can be used by Cadillac Escallade, Lincoln Navigator and Hummer. They can also serve as custom Ford truck wheels for F150 and other large American trucks.

When it comes to quality, durability and design, auto aficionados prefer Ford truck wheels, GMC truck wheels, and Toyota wheels. These wheels are especially manufactured to match their makes and models.

Furthermore, quality wheels must have routine maintenance to keep them in perfect working condition. In addition, maintenance give auto wheels longer wear. Owners can also opt for customization to personalize the car.

Sarah Mcbride
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/wheel-power-gets-better-75288.html