Audi S4 quattro a tough act to follow in PE‏, South Africa

Press Release from Audi South Africa

THREE races meant three chances to earn points at round three of the national WesBank Super Series round for the 2012 season. For three of the Audi S4 quattro competitors this event took place at their home circuit – or at least the home circuit for their car.

Defending champion Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme / Tsogo Sun) looked to be in dominant form, making the very best of his home track advantage. Stephen charged into the lead, posting the fastest qualifying time and claiming pole for the first race by 0.3 of a second over his nearest rival, Johan Fourie (A9 – EPS / IndyOil) and his Audi S4 quattro which is garaged and prepared in Port Elizabeth.

“It was a good day at the track,” says Stephen. “The Audi S4 quattro was strong and everything was working well from Friday already. This weekend was a great result.

“The last few race meetings at Zwartkops we have been on the pace – or been the pace – for the series, and we race there next. The previous outing there I had an issue in race three that ended what could have been a weekend just like the one we just had, but I'm confident things will play into our hands again.”

Fourth fastest in qualifying was another Audi S4 quattro, this time that of another Port Elizabeth racer, Tschops Sipuka (A2 – Engen Xtreme / Tsogo Sun). Three places behind Sipuka was the Audi S4 quattro of Melvill Priest (A7 – Mueller Sport Medicine).

“We haven't done enough practise, we spent the time between CT and PE fixing the car so we didn't go in expecting too much since we haven't tested. There has been little time because we just got the car back together again but we've already got a test booked for this week. We're looking forward to Zwartkops and I'm good at the track.

“There's a lot to take into account, both from a driver and engineering perspective, and that's what we're working on now, that's our biggest task.”

PE is the first time we've had a chance to get some proper testing time this year and we've made good use of that, things should go much better from this point.”

Technical infringements in terms of how much turbocharger/supercharger boost is allowed in the series saw three of the Audi S4 quattro competitors sent to the back of the starting grid for the first race – leaving only Stephen to retain his qualifying position.

In the first race Stephen made great use of the power of his Audi S4 quattro to keep his pole position advantage and claim victory. It was his teammate, Tschops Sipuka, however that posted the fastest laptime as he concentrated on working his way through the field. Sipuka finished in seventh, just behind the Audi S4 quattro of Fourie.

For Priest the first race saw him cross the line in ninth place – a result he wasn't prepared to repeat with two more races on the day. Priest proved exactly that, posting a sixth place finish in the second race and claiming fifth in the last race of the day.

Fourie's fortunes also improved with two fourth place finishes to off-set his sixth place in race one.

“I wish we could have swopped Friday and Saturday this weekend,” says Fourie. “We were battling with a small splutter in qualifying and that penalty made the first two races very difficult. The handling also wasn't great on the day so there's lots of work to do for the next round.”

The biggest winner on the day was the defending champion, Stephen. Fastest in qualifying, a race victory in the first and third race and a second place in race two, he is now just a single point behind the current leader, the Subaru of Hennie Groenewald.

This means Stephen is the leading Audi S4 quattro racer and he will enter the Zwartkops round with a good chance of claiming the lead at that event. Priest, Fourie and Sipuka currently hold fifth, sixth and seventh in the series, with the Zwartkops event likely to favour their quattro systems and giving them the opportunity of closing the gap to the leaders.

Audi South Africa

Photos hosted at www.motorpics.co.za

More information:

Audi South Africa

Audi Motorsport in South Africa FB page

Unofficial Audi Sport FB page

Bridgestone Production Cars Website

Bridgestone Production Cars FB page

Ford Ecosport News

Smaller version of the Kuga is designed primarily to emerging merchants.

It's a global car, the new Ford EcoSport, ie designed for different markets, especially those listed as emerging.

The EcoSport unveiled at the Beijing setting, even stylistic, a compact SUV, and is considered a smaller version of the Kuga, and at the same time a glimpse of a certain inspiration "off-road", as seen, for example , from the spare wheel again to the tailgate.

The EcoSport will be built in China, Thailand, India and even Brazil.

Audi LMP1 cars technical and cutaway drawings by PAN_NULLO

By Johan Laubscher

There are many technical based websites focusing on sports car racing. One such website is Antonio Pannullo’s blog, also known as PAN_NULLO. 

 PAN_NULLO Le Mans Prototypes Blog link

He is an extremely talented individual who produces these drawings and also has a great technical understanding for these types of race cars. His blog is filled with updated articles showing all the latest news in sports car racing regarding the cars. He makes brilliant side by side drawings of the different versions of the cars as they are developed, showing all the small detail changes during their development. He documents the evolution of LMP car designs. 

These cutaway drawings are just a small taste of what his blog has in store:

Audi R10 TDI cutaway drawing

Audi R15 TDI plus cutaway drawing

Audi R18 TDI cutaway drawing

Here are a few links to Audi related articles on his blog:

Link: Audi R18 e-tron quattro vs Audi R18 ultra

Link: 2012 Sebring Hybrid Testing

Link: Audi R10 TDI

Link: Audi R15 TDI

Link: Audi R15 TDI plus 

If you scroll through his blog you will find much more fascinating and detailed Audi content along with equally brilliant content and information about the other LMP cars and manufacturers. Antonio Pannullo’s blog really does make for a great read. 

"Mesin USU" USU College of Engineering Work Follow the Race "Shell Eco Marathon" (SEM)

University of North Sumatra Car Developing Energy Efficient and Environmentally Friendly, Energy Efficient Car Tehnology and this Green Student Work Faculty of Engineering, and gave the name of this work "USU Machine".
On Monday, April 30, 2012 USU Rector Prof. Syahril Pasaribu Reveal "USU Machine" These will be followed in the Shell Eco Marathon race (SEM) in July 2012 Upcoming Asia at the Sepang Circuit Malaysia, followed by 14 of the 17 State Team.

Such in the race, Indonesia addition USU will also be represented by a team of 17 other universities, namely, four teams from the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), three of the Surabaya Institute of Technology (ITS) and Two Team of the University of Education Indonesia (UPI). Later Three Team of the University of Indonesia (UI), One Team from Jakarta State Polytechnic, Two Team of Pontianak State Polytechnic (Polnep), One Team of the University of Gajah Mada (UGM), and One Team of the Polytechnic State Manufakture (Polman) Bandung.

Namely for the Team of Medan North Sumatra University (USU) in this competition is only one Team Sending a Team Named "HORAS" by the number of 14 students and is expected to be Team To Bring the spirit as representatives of the city of Medan (North Sumatra).

Proof to the spirit of the USU Student Playing the Future of Energy issues a challenge which is not inferior to other universities in Indonesia Nor Asia, USU is very proud of the competence and hard work of the Faculty of Engineering Students of this. Team Manager Horas Munawir R Siregar mangatakan Still another time a few months to analyze the existing deficiencies in the vehicle is being developed primarily in terms of reducing the weight of the car. To that he said he expects the support of various parties so that these shortcomings can be minimized especially those targeting the fuel for car engines 200km/liter to USU that they created it.

"There are still some constraints and limitations, but with the support of many parties are optimistic we can achieve the targets we have set it," he said.
Shell Eco-Marathon is an ongoing educational project that challenges student teams to design and build the most efficient vehicle to compete with other teams vehicles. The winner is the vehicle that can move the farthest distance using the fuel or energy at least.

The team will compete in two main categories based on the categories of car design that Prototype for futuristk shaped vehicle that aims to maximize fuel efficiency through innovative design elements.
Then the category of 'urban concept' that is to design a conventional four-wheeled vehicles are fuel efficient, according to the needs of today's drivers.

Teams of students can choose one of the permitted fuel that Shell Unleaded 95 (EU) / Shell plus 89 (U.S.) Petrol / Gasoline, Diesel Shell, Pertroleum Liquefied Gas (LPG), Shell Gas to liquids (GTL 100 percent) , Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (100 percent of Fame), ethanol E100 (100 percent Erhanol), Hydrogen, Solar and Plug-In Electricity (Li-On). Source

Tough weekend for Fourie in PE (Audi S4)

Johan Fourie Racing Press Release  

TOUGH WEEKEND FOR FOURIE IN PE

After taking home two Bridgestone Production Car wins in Cape Town, Johan Fourie was looking forward to much of the same at the second round of the WesBank Super Series held at Aldo Scribante this past weekend. Unfortunately, this was not meant to be.

Friday's practice sessions looked promising and Johan managed to set a great time in qualifying. A time that would have put him on the front row of the grid. The team were however confronted with a huge problem that put the boost pressure of their Audi S4 above the allowed limit. A problem that did not present itself on Friday. Johan, together with two other competitors were moved to the back of the grid for this technical infringement.

After making some mapping changes, the team were ready for the first race, albeit concerned about their pace and the reason for the sudden boost anomaly. The rolling start did not give Johan any advantage over the rear wheel drive BMWs, but he managed to move into seventh place by the end of the first lap. Two laps later, he was into sixth. He drove hard to keep up with the BMWs, but was unable to improve his position.

Johan did not benefit from a reversed grid after only the top four finishers were inverted for the race two rolling start. He had a good start and was up to fifth place by the end of the first lap. The racing was close and three laps from the end, Johan saw an opportunity to pass Anthony Taylor, he executed the move and made it stick taking the flag fourth.

The final race grid was determined by the fastest race two lap times. This put Johan fourth on the grid for the standing start. The Audi got off the line well and Johan moved up to third. Going into turn one however, he found himself being squeezed by Etienne van der Linde (BMW). The two touched and van der Linde spun in front of Johan. This allowed stablemate Tschops Sipuka to get through and into third. Johan held onto fourth place for the remaining 14 laps.

"It was a difficult weekend filled with unexpected problems which we will need to rectify before the next race. The boost will be lower at altitude, but we are very concerned that we may have a problem with our ECU. I was going for the race win, but at the end of the day, we still took some points home and got to race. It could have been worse," commented Johan.


"Once again, the support from our fans has been amazing. Thank you for your support," he concluded.


The team will be back in action at Zwartkops on 26 May. 


More Information:
Johan Fourie Racing website
Johan Fourie Racing FB page
MotorPics


Photos hosted at Motorpics

Bridgestone Production Cars tame Aldo Scribante

Bridgestone Production Cars Press Release

BRIDGESTONE PRODUCTION CARS TAME ALDO SCRIBANTE

The Bridgestone Production Car Championship put up some close racing as part of the third round of the WesBank Super Series held at Aldo Scribante this past weekend.

QUALIFYING:

The weather played along nicely and it was good to see race fans parked around the circuit, despite it being a long weekend. Friday's practice sessions were exceptionally close, but Michael Stephen (Engen Xtreme / Tsogo Sun Audi S4), Johan Fourie (JFR Audi S4) and Hennie Groenewald (Sasol Subaru WRX STI) all featured very strongly at the top of the charts. This trend continued into Saturday's qualifying session with Stephen taking pole from Fourie and Groenewald. Tschops Sipuka (Engen Xtreme / Tsogo Sun Audi S4) claimed fourth place, whilst Lee Thompson (Pirtek BMW 335i) was the fastest rear wheel drive competitor in fifth. He was followed on the time sheet by Anthony Taylor (Afrox BMW 335i) and Melvill Priest (Meuller Sports Medicine Audi S4). Although Etienne van der Linde only qualified eighth, he was just a second off the pole position time. Richard Pinard (Sasol Subaru WRX STI) and Nieyaaz Modack (Audi A4) claimed the fifth row of the grid, with BMW 335i drivers, John Mayer (Tricor Signs) and Kishoor Pitamber (Pirtek) a row further back.

Fourie, Priest and Sipuka were later moved to the back of the grid after data showed that their Audis were boosting too high. Whilst the reason for this was likely caused by the coastal altitude and cooler weather, the rules had to be enforced.

Graeme Nathan (IndyOil VW GTI) blitzed the Class T competition, qualifying a full second ahead of the rest of the class. Michael van Rooyen (Williams Hunt Opel Astra OPC) was the best of the rest, qualifying marginally ahead of Jacques Joubert (IndyOil VW GTI). Up next, was Gennaro Bonafede (Ferodo VW GTI) ahead of Castrol Ford Focus ST teammates, Gary Formato and Shaun Duminy. Only seven tenth of a second separated second to sixth. Ebrahim Levy (Jive VW GTI) was the final qualifier. He and his team arrived at the track in the early hours of Saturday morning after their tow vehicle broke down. Levy went straight into qualifying without the benefit of a practice session.

RACE 1:

Race one got under way from a rolling start. Although Stephen had a good start, he couldn't pull away from Groenewald and the two had a race long fight for the lead. Taylor, van der Linde and Thompson were in a tussle of their own, the teammates jostling for third place. In the end, Stephen took the win from Groenewald, Taylor, van der Linde and Thompson. Fourie had worked his way up to sixth, but was never really able to challenge the BMW trio ahead of him. Sipuka finished ahead of Pinard, with Priest struggling down in ninth. Modack had a great race in his older spec A4, taking the flag in front of Pitamber and Mayer.

Graeme Nathan left nothing to chance, taking an unchallenged Class T victory. Behind him, things weren't quite as simple. Joubert managed to get ahead of van Rooyen on the first lap and spent the next seven laps defending the position. The youngster withstood the pressure claiming his third second place finish of the season. Van Rooyen has happy to take the final podium spot ahead of Bonafede, Duminy and Formato. Formato was up to fourth place, before his alternator stopped working, he limped home a lap behind. Levy retired at the end of the first lap.

RACE 2:

The top four finishers in each class we inverted for the start of the second race.

As the pole sitter, Etienne van der Linde had an easy decision and chose to have a rolling start. The field got away cleanly and van der Linde kept his lead from Taylor and Groenewald. Stephen was caught in a five way tussle for fourth but managed to keep Thompson, Sipuka, Fourie and Priest at bay. A lap later, Stephen successfully challenged  Groenewald to take third. Not happy to settle for this position, he closed down Taylor, lining the BMW driver up. He passed Taylor on lap four and chased hard to catch van der Linde. Further back, Taylor was losing ground and slipped down to fifth place, behind Groenewald and Fourie. The chequered flag came out and Stephen made one last ditch effort to pass van der Linde. The BMW driver was wise to Stephen's sprint for the line and held his position, taking the win by one tenth of a second. Groenewald took third with Fourie working his way into fourth. Taylor crossed the line ahead of Priest, Sipuka, Thompson, Pinard and Mayer. Modack was the final runner after Pitamber retired on lap two.

There was some start line confusion in Class T and although Bonafede was meant to take up pole position, van Rooyen crossed the line first. By the end of the first lap, van Rooyen led Bonafede and Nathan. Nathan wasted no time, moving his way into the race lead by the third lap. He went on to take his second unchallenged victory of the day. The positions remained fairly static after that, with van Rooyen crossing the line ahead of Bonafede and Duminy. Van Rooyen was later moved behind Bonafede as a result of the start line confusion. Joubert finished a lap down after a boost pipe came off his GTI. Levy finished sixth, whilst  Formato did not start the race.

RACE 3:

Based on the fastest race two lap times, Stephen took up pole position and opted for a standing start. There was a lot of action on the start line. The lights went out and the four wheel drive cars launched off the line, with the exception of Priest who had inadvertently left his Audi in reverse after lining up in his grid box. As he dropped the clutch, he went flying into Thompson who in turn drove straight into the back of the Audi. Fortunately, Priest's reaction time was exceptional and he quickly snapped to first gear and no major damage was caused. Going into turn one, Fourie and van der Linde were side by side. Fourie was running out of track and the two cars touched. Van der Linde spun in front of Fourie and Sipuka used the opportunity to catapult himself into third. By the end of the race, Stephen lead from Groenewald, Sipuka, Fourie and Priest. Taylor was sixth, ahead of van der Linde, Thompson, Pinard, Modack, Pitamber and Mayer.

Nathan was the Class T pole sitter and took an early lead from van Rooyen, Duminy, Bonafede, Formato and Joubert. On lap four, the mid field was turned upside down. Formato passed Duminy for third, taking Bonafede with him. Duminy and Joubert had a huge tussle, while the status quo up front was also under threat. Van Rooyen took the race lead on lap five and was delighted to take his first win of the season. Nathan took second, with Bonafede passing Formato for third. Duminy ended fifth, with Joubert sixth.

The next round of the championship will take place at Zwartkops on 26 May.

More information:

Bridgestone Production Cars Website

Bridgestone Production Cars FB page
MotorPics

Photos hosted at Motorpics

Opel Ampera "Car of The Year 2012"

He has clearly prevailed on Volkswagen up! and Ford Focus.

It is the Opel Ampera, the winner of "Car of the Year 2012", the most important and prestigious international recognition accorded to production cars. The car with so-called extended-range electric power of Opel - has already received more than 7 thousand orders in Europe - has prevailed with an advantage over Volkswagen up! and Ford Focus.

The seven finalists were Edition 2012 Volkswagen up!, Toyota Yaris, the Citroen DS5, the Ford Focus, the Range Rover Evoque, Fiat Panda and Opel Ampera / Chevy Volt. 59 judges participated in the vote, that international journalists specialized in the automotive world, coming from 23 European countries.

The verdict of the jury of international journalists have thus chosen as early as last year, an ecological model that is powered by electricity. To win the title of "Car of the Year" in 2011 was in fact the electric Nissan Leaf.

2012 Car of the Year Standings

1. Opel Ampera / Chevy Volt : 330 votes
2. Volkswagen up! :  281 votes
3. Ford Focus : 256 votes
4. Range Rover Evoque : 186 votes
5. Fiat Panda 156 : votes
6. Citroen DS5 : 144 votes
7. Toyota Yaris : 122 votes

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