Category Archives: Motorsport

Motorsport

Watch New Forza Motorsport Trailer, Game Releases On October 10

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story referred to the game as Forza Motorsport 7. This is incorrect. It is just Forza Motorsport.

The latest trailer for Forza Motorsport premiered during the Xbox Games Showcase during the 2023 Summer Games Fest. This new video focuses on the partnership with General Motors for highlighting the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and the Cadillac Racing V-Series.R LMDh racer for the new entry in the franchise. October 10, 2023, is the newly unveiled release date.

The Chevy and Cadillac will be the vehicles gracing the cover of Forza Motorsport. The video begins with the V-Series.R on the track competing with other race cars. Then, it quickly transitions to showing the E-Ray in the Home view where players can enter races and select different vehicles. 

Next, there’s more racing with a circuit showing Eaglerock Speedway on the walls. The course appears to have an oval layout, which would work for stock car-style events.

The next course on display seems to be the Suzuka Circuit. Later, there’s a brief glimpse of what looks to be the famous Eau Rouge corner from the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. A short snippet also appears to show a bit from the Le Mans track.

This short trailer isn’t our last look at Forza Motorsport before the game’s launch. There will be a walkthrough of the single-player career campaign on June 13 (announcement below).

 

Forza Motorsport will launch with over 500 cars, and over 100 of them will be completely new to the game. Plus, developer Turn 10 Studios will pack the roster with more racing-specific machines than ever before. If that won’t provide enough to pick from, there will be over 800 upgrades available for vehicle customization.

Of course, these cars would be useless without a place to race. Forza Motorsport has 20 places to race, five of which are new to the series. An earlier clip revealed two of them: Hakone in Japan and the Kyalami circuit in South Africa.

The graphics should be better than ever, too. The developers promise the ability to play in a 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, and that’s with ray tracing to create even more realistic lighting effects. A new time-of-day function allows players to start a race during the day and have the event transition into the night. For better sound, the game supports Dolby Atmos, which adds a layer of height to the noise in addition to the usual left-to-right projection.

The new game will have additional driving assists to be more accessible to users. For example, Blind Driving Assists help blind players or those with low vision. It adds more audio cues to help users navigate tracks without needing to see everything. One Touch Driving aids folks who have issues with pressing multiple buttons simultaneously, gripping a controller, or maintaining button pressure.

The video below is from June 2022 and shows more of the gameplay.

Motorsport

Catamaran Superyacht Takes Inspiration From 1920s Era Boattail Speedsters

Suppose you had a thing for 1920s-era car design and wanted to make a Gatsby-esque statement at the next Monaco Grand Prix. Or perhaps you want a lair on the high seas worthy of a James Bond villain. If the answer to either of these scenarios is “yes, please,” then Andy Waugh Yacht Design has something for you. 

Dubbed the Decadence, the 80-meter, or 262-foot catamaran concept is inspired by the automotive and aeronautical advances of the 1920s. It looks like an Auburn Speedster or the “Count Trossi” 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK. But according to the design firm, it “exemplifies the potential of the SWATH hull form,” which refers to the concept of small-waterplane-area-twin-hull vessels.


Motorsport

Next-Gen BMW M5 Looks Aggressive In Rendering Based On Recent Spy Shots

The next-generation BMW M5 is still under development, as the latest spy shots from a couple of days ago still show a heavily camouflaged sedan doing the rounds at the Nurburgring.

However, that hasn’t stopped internet-famous car designer X-Tomi from imagining what the next iteration of BMW’s performance sedan could look like, taking inspiration from the images we published as the work week drew to a close.

With styling cues borrowed from the X5 M and X6 M, X-Tomi’s rendering shows a bright red M5 sitting on signature black M wheels and wearing an X-shaped front end that incorporates a black grille with a red outline.

The hood looks very similar to that used on the M4 coupe and the sensor for the radar-guided cruise control sits in the lower part of the front bumper, which is a much better placement than BMW used on the regular 5 Series, where there was an attempt to integrate it in the double-kidney grille, but it’s hard not to notice it once you get a glimpse of it.

The front fenders are also wider than on the run-of-the-mill 5 Series, which is to be expected, considering the M5 will most certainly have wider wheels, as well as beefier brakes.

 

With this being a fan rendering, some unknowns remain, such as the powertrain that will motivate the seventh-generation BMW M5. Currently, the Bavarian performance sedan is powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that makes 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque in Competition trim.

Rumors say that the next-generation M5 will use the hybrid setup of the XM SUV, so a twin-turbo V8 and a single electric motor that make a combined 644 hp and 590 lb-ft in the base variant and 738 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque in the XM Red Label.

This information hasn’t been confirmed, but we’re pretty sure that BMW will try to one-up the current-gen M5, as well as the electric i5 M60 which packs a dual-motor setup making 590 hp and 549 lb-ft.

As always, we’d like to know what you think about this, so head over to the comments section below to give us your thoughts.

Motorsport

Ford Maverick Owner Not Happy With Ground Clearance After A Year Of Driving

The Maverick, Ford’s entry-level pickup, debuted in 2021 and since then has been sold in over 120,000 units in the United States alone. Presumably, some buyers got a Maverick as their first-ever pickup, but others chose Ford’s unibody truck because it promises decent fuel economy and lower maintenance costs compared to the bigger pickups out there.

However, as the video embedded at the top of this page shows, it’s not a perfect vehicle, especially if you like to wander off the beaten track frequently.

YouTuber Overland Florida explains in the 5-minute long production that the biggest gripe he has with his 2022 Ford Maverick Lariat FX4 is the low ground clearance and low-hanging front bumper, which isn’t ideal when going off-road.

He says that because it’s an FX4-equipped pickup, it should have a higher ground clearance from the factory, seeing how the optional package comes with goodies like all-terrain tires, exposed front tow hooks, hill descent control, and skid plates as standard.

Ford released the Tremor pack for the 2023 model year, which comes with a lot more off-road-oriented features, like an electronic lockable rear differential, skid plates, and – more to the point of this article – different front and rear shocks that increase the ride height by one inch (25 millimeters), compared to the base variant Maverick.

Unfortunately, cooler and more feature-rich variants usually come later in the life of a new vehicle – an issue early adopters have to live with.


Motorsport

Porsche, Microsoft Team Up For Special Race Livery Themed Xbox Series X

Porsche is making the most of its 75th anniversary with a series of events to commemorate its history. In addition to videos and concepts, it sponsored exhibits and art cars to showcase its heritage and direction for the future. Now Porsche has teamed up with Microsoft to produce a special edition of the Xbox Series X inspired by its cars.  

Revealed during the Summer Game Fest this week, the Xbox Series X consoles wear liveries of some of the most famous Porsche racing cars in the automaker’s history. Consisting of six different designs, the liveries of several iconic Porsche 917 cars are featured, including the 917/20 “Pink Pig” from the 1971 LeMans, the “Hippie” design of the 917LH, and the red and white livery of the winning 1970 car. Other liveries include the 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Mobil 1, several versions of the Martini and Rossi cars, and a design commemorating the Porsche 963 car racing in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

There will only be 75 of the Porsche-themed special edition Xbox consoles, each featuring a wireless Xbox controller in a matching design. Where do you find one of these consoles? That’s the rub. All 75 consoles are sweepstake prizes in a competition open to US, United Kingdom, and German residents over the age of 18. The sweepstakes event opened on June 8th and runs through October 1. Participants are limited to one entry per day on the Porsche Xbox Sweepstakes website.

Those of us who are not lucky enough to win one of the Porsche-themed Xbox consoles can console ourselves with the new Forza Motorsport. Expected out in October, the game launches with over 500 realistic cars, including the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and the Cadillac Racing V-Series.R prototype racer. Also included are new tracks and a brand-new single-player mode allowing gamers to delve into the art of car-building. Even visually impaired gamers can get in on the action with the new Blind Driving Assists and One Touch Driving for people who need help pressing multiple buttons simultaneously.  

Motorsport

Massive Ferrari “Barn Find” Features 20 Cars Lost In Hurricane Charley

Not far from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway sits a collection of Ferraris hidden away for decades. The collection contains some of the most storied cars, including a 1956 250 GT, once owned by King Mohamed V of Morocco, and a “long-nose” 275 GTB that participated in the 1966 Targa Florio. While the location in Indiana may seem odd for this collection, how they arrived is even more unusual. 

Hurricane Charley laid waste to many parts of south-central Florida in 2004, causing flooding and widespread damage. In its path sat a barn containing approximately 20 rare and vintage Ferraris. The collection includes cars dating from 1954 to 1991, including the aforementioned 250 GT and 275 GTB as well as a rare Mondial 500 Spider that raced in the 1954 Mille Miglia and a NART 1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione developed by Luigi Chinetti Sr. for the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans.  

The 2004 hurricane season was unusually destructive, with four major storms, including Charley, that caused over $60 billion in damage and more than 3,000 deaths throughout the Caribbean and Gulf Coast of the US. For that reason, this collection of Ferraris was relocated to the warehouse in Indiana, where they remained untouched for almost 20 more years. 

Join owners and enthusiasts discussing this topic at FerrariChat.com!

Several of these cars still bear scars from Hurricane Charley, when the barn they were located in partially collapsed. The damage includes everything from dents and scratches to smashed windshields and caved-in roofs. Other cars look unscathed but need a good detailing to revive their appearances. All of them are in original, unrestored condition, wearing their original paint and patina. 

While many people knew of the cars from their racing histories, few knew they still existed, and only a select group knew of the collection. It’s the holy grail of barn finds for Ferrari collectors and aficionados. And now the entire collection is for sale as part of this year’s RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterrey, California.       

If you’re shopping for a Ferrari, or are interested browsing a diverse collection of Ferraris, check out the ones for sale on the duPont Registry. The list includes modern cars like the Ferrari F8 Tributo and SF90 Stradale and vintage Ferraris like the Dino 246 GTS and 512 BBi.   

Motorsport

See Tiny Citroen 2CV Morph Into Camper With Double Bed, Integrated Kitchen

The Citroen 2CV is often mocked because of its funny looks, rudimentary construction, and archaic on-road performance. However, it was built in more than five million units over the course of its 42-year history and helped put France’s population back on the road after World War II and put Citroen back on the map as a serious carmaker.

So, with this being said, there are also a fair few people out there who like the 2CV and do everything they can to preserve the history of the iconic French car, and maybe even use it in ways you would never think it would be possible to do.

People like Bernd, a charismatic 2CV owner from Switzerland who owns and regularly drives a camper version of the French vehicle.

As you can see for yourself in the video embedded above, the tiny, 152-inch (3.86-meter) long Citroen has just enough room in the back for a double bed, albeit with an extra section bolted on the rear of the car to improve legroom. That same metal box doubles as a camp kitchen, complete with a gas double burner cooker and basic utensils

Privacy is assured by a generous set of velcroed curtains, and the biggest storage space is found under the rear bench seat, where there’s room for about three t-shirts and a pair of socks.

There’s no mention of the engine, but the owner says at one point that it’s a 2CV Special, which was only made in the 1980s. When new, it had an air-cooler 602 cc engine under the hood that made an unremarkable 29 horsepower, sent to the front wheels via a four-speed manual transmission.

Throughout its 40-year-plus history, the Citroen 2CV was nothing more than an economy car, the French equivalent of the VW Beetle. But in recent years, prices for used cars have varied between $5,000 and over $40,000 for special models.

As always, we’d like to know what you think about the video embedded at the top of this page, so after watching it, head over to the comments section below to give us your thoughts.

Motorsport

296 GTB Is Ferrari’s First Sub-7 Minute Car On Nurburgring

Germany’s Nurburgring is one of the most challenging race circuits in the world, with its bumpy surface, twisty layout, and grueling 12.9-mile (20.8-kilometer) length, which led to its apt nickname, “The Green Hell.”

It’s not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure, and that’s why records set on the North Loop (Nordschleife) part of Nurburgring have a lot of weight to them, compared to other, less feisty tracks, that is.

One such record has been set in April by German car magazine Sport Auto, but the video – embedded above – has only been published a few days ago, with a Ferrari 296 GTB becoming the fastest road-going Ferrari ever on the Nordschleife under the helm of the magazine’s test driver, Christian Gebhardt.

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Motorsport

Hyundai Puts Pony History On Full Display Alongside N Vision 74 Concept

Hyundai has been putting its history front and center over the last few years. It restored the original 1974 Pony Coupe Concept last year, and it’s now honoring the company’s early years with a new heritage exhibit at Hyundai Motorstudio Seoul.

Hyundai will display the concept, the N Vision 74 concept, and other historical items. The exhibit, “Pony, the timeless,” coincides with the publication of a book and a magazine series focusing on the historic model. The Pony was Korea’s first independently developed automobile.


Motorsport

The Most And Least Advanced Motor Industries Around The World

The global automotive industry can change dramatically from one country to another. Between 80 and 90 million new cars are sold every year in the 195 countries of the world. More than half of these cars (54 percent) are located in Asia, as is the majority of the world’s population (59 percent). Other regions such as the United States and Canada account for only 5 percent of the world’s population, but 19 percent of vehicle sales.

The industry has many faces depending on where you are. Some are quite developed in terms of technology. Other countries are lagging behind in terms of regulations and the importance of the sector within the GDP.

Who Is Ahead?

The European Union and the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Korea, and China are very well positioned. They have a strong regulatory, trade, tax, manufacturing, and R&D structure. That’s why almost all the new cars that are presented come from these markets.

Both automakers and consumers can take advantage of the best conditions to sell, buy, and drive cars. The authorities are moving in harmony with the industry to improve development and innovation, although in Europe, the 2035 lawsuit is now holding court.

The Stellantis Factory In Tychy Poland

The Stellantis Factory In Tychy, Poland

Who Is Working Hard?

Behind these markets are countries working hard to become attractive for foreign investment. India, Southeast Asia, North Africa, South Africa, and some Latin American markets are improving their automotive landscape by introducing more efficient and flexible regulations and making it easier for automakers to invest.

However, there are still issues related to import taxation and population income that make it difficult for developed economies to keep pace. Brazil, for example, has a strong manufacturing hub, but is unable to adopt the latest technologies because most consumers cannot afford them. However, India is close when it comes to regulations.

The BMW Rosslyn Plant In South Africa

The BMW Rosslyn Plant In South Africa

The Worst Countries For The Automotive Industry

Countries with the poorest automotive industries are usually those isolated in terms of trade, or where local production is nearly impossible due to lack of infrastructure and support from local authorities.

This is the case of Iran, for example. Its economy is largely blocked by international sanctions which make it almost impossible to import new and competitive cars at competitive prices. It is also very difficult to produce locally due to a lack of components and access to international technology. All cars produced in Iran today are rebadged older-tech models no longer produced in Western economies.

A large part of the African continent is also experiencing great difficulties. The heavy presence of used car imports puts new cars in a very difficult position, considering the very low income of the population. Most Africans cannot afford a new vehicle. The result? The streets are filled with polluting cars and old technology.

The Russian Case

Russia is also heading towards a difficult situation. As Western automakers have abandoned this market after the invasion of Ukraine, local production is shrinking to a handful of small companies that lack the technology to compete in global markets.

AVTOVAZ Plant In Russia

AVTOVAZ Plant In Russia

Furthermore, it is slowly becoming a satellite market for Chinese manufacturers, which means that consumers will not have much choice in the foreseeable future.

The author of the article, Felipe Munoz, is an Automotive Industry Specialist at JATO Dynamics.