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2024 GASGAS CROSS COUNTRY AND ENDURO MODELS ANNOUNCED

July 28, 2023 David

GasGas has revealed its new Cross Country and Enduro models for 2024. The bikes have been completely redesigned and now share the same platform as the motocross models released earlier this year. The Cross Country models now feature a closed cartridge style spring fork, replacing the air fork. Additionally, GasGas has expanded its Enduro line with two new four-stroke models, the EC 450F and EC 500F. Here is the official information and images from GasGas.

Enduro | It’s time to rock ‘n’ roll!

The new generation of GasGas enduro bikes are designed to provide an easy and enjoyable riding experience. Whether riding in the woods, on trails, or tackling extreme sections, these bikes deliver top-notch enduro performance. The new bodywork not only improves the bikes’ appearance but also provides larger and smoother contact areas, allowing riders to grip the bike tightly on challenging terrain. GasGas has expanded the Enduro line with the addition of the EC 450F and EC 500F models. These big-bore bikes are perfect for open and flowy trails and come equipped with top-level components such as Braktec brakes, WP suspension, and enduro-specific PANKL transmissions. All GasGas enduro bikes are equipped with a rear suspension linkage, ensuring smooth handling over rough terrain. With the new lighter and more powerful motors, the outgoing agile and stable handling of the previous generation is amplified.

Technical Highlights Enduro

New frame – The new frame is engineered for stability at high speeds while maintaining agility on tight trails.
New aluminum subframe – The strong and reliable subframe contributes to the bike’s ergonomics and handling.
New die-cast aluminum swingarm – This lightweight and flexible component ensures optimal performance.
New bodywork – The refined rider triangle provides larger contact areas for better control and improved grip. The eye-catching design is all red.
WP XPLOR front fork with open cartridge – The front fork has undergone technical changes to enhance performance and handling. It is now a little longer, features new settings, and remains easily adjustable by hand.
WP XACT rear shock with rear linkage – The rear shock is shorter and lighter while maintaining 300mm of travel. It features a new piston for improved comfort and consistent and progressive shock action, thanks to the linkage system.
New forged triple clamps – The triple clamps include a new steering stem that offers more flexibility for increased comfort.
New Braktec brakes – The bikes come equipped with unique GASGAS brake disks and new front and rear calipers, ensuring excellent control in off-road conditions.
Neken Handlebars – Made from high-strength aluminum and featuring a unique bar bend specific to GASGAS, the handlebars provide durability, comfort, and improved safety with a larger bar pad.
New footpegs – The larger footpegs offer better control in all conditions.
New Throttle Body Injection with separate oil tank for 2 strokes – This feature brings 2-stroke enduro bikes up to date, ensuring clean operation, crisp response, and strong power across the rev range.
New electronic exhaust control for 2 strokes – The electronic powervalve controls the opening of the exhaust ports, improving durability and increasing torque.
New motors – The new motors are lighter, more powerful, and centrally positioned to enhance overall bike handling.
New, unified motor position – All 4-stroke models have the motor mounted in the same position, improving handling across the lineup.
Map Select Switch – Adding a Map Select Switch to the four-stroke models allows riders to customize performance. It enables features like traction control, a quickshifter, and a choice of two maps for optimal riding experience. Two different engine maps are also available for 2-stroke models.

Full line-up: EC 250, EC 300, EC 250F, EC 350F, EC 450F, EC 500F

Cross Country | Spice it up!

The Cross Country lineup has also been completely revamped. The five models have been built from the ground up with a focus on delivering exceptional performance both in tight and open terrain. These bikes share essential features with the motocross and enduro ranges, such as fuel injection, larger fuel tanks, and 18″ rear wheels. These upgrades make cross country riding more enjoyable than ever before. The Cross Country models are available in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Technical Highlights Cross Country

New frame – The new frame offers stability at high speeds while improving rider feedback and cornering ability.
New aluminum subframe – The subframe enhances the bike’s ergonomics, strength, and reliability.
New die-cast aluminum swingarm – This lightweight and flexible component ensures optimal performance.
New bodywork – The refined rider triangle provides larger contact areas for better control and improved grip. The eye-catching design is all red.
New hour meter – The addition of an hour meter helps riders stay on top of bike maintenance.
WP XACT front fork with closed cartridge technology – The front fork is easily adjustable by hand. It features steel springs with a pressurized oil chamber and a hydrostop for smooth landings.
WP XACT rear shock – The rear shock is shorter and lighter while maintaining 300mm of travel. It has a new piston for improved comfort and performance.
New forged triple clamps – The triple clamps are equipped with a new steering stem that provides more flexibility for increased comfort.
High-performance Braktec hydraulic clutch system – The hydraulic clutch system ensures consistency and reliable performance with minimal maintenance.
New Braktec brakes – The bikes are equipped with unique GASGAS brake disks and new front and rear calipers, ensuring excellent control.
Neken handlebars – Made from high-strength aluminum and featuring a unique bar bend specific to GASGAS, the handlebars provide durability, comfort, and improved safety with a larger bar pad.
New footrests – The larger footrests offer better control in all conditions.
New TBI injection with premix for 2-strokes – Throttle Body Injection brings 2-stroke bikes up to date, ensuring clean operation, crisp response, and strong power throughout the rev range.
New electronic exhaust control for 2-strokes – The electronic powervalve controls the opening of the exhaust ports, providing maximum power and improved durability.
New engines – The new motors are lighter, more powerful, and centrally positioned to enhance overall bike handling.
New unified motor position – All 4-stroke models have the motor mounted in the same position, improving handling across the lineup.
Map Select Switch – By adding a Map Select Switch to the four-stroke models, riders can customize performance with features like launch control, traction control, and a choice of two maps. Two different engine maps are available for 2-stroke models as well.

Full line-up: EX 250, EX 300, EX 250F, EX 350F, EX 450F

News

2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed – show report and gallery

July 14, 2023 David

Get ready for the Goodwood Festival of Speed happening this year. Join us from Thursday 13 July to Sunday 16 July as we bring you all the latest car unveilings, public debuts, and classic machinery.

This year’s theme is Goodwood 75, which commemorates 75 years of motorsport history since the opening of the Goodwood Motor Circuit in 1948, as well as the 30th anniversary of the Festival of Speed.

The famous Goodwood hillclimb will showcase cars representing the different eras of motorsport at the site: racing years (1948-1966), testing years (post-1966), Festival of Speed’s 30th anniversary (1993-2023), return of racing (1998-2023), and the next 75 years. Alongside these, there will be brand-new cars and special exhibits, including air displays by the Red Arrows on Thursday and Friday.

Porsche, which is celebrating 75 years since producing its first sports car, will be honored with the Festival of Speed’s central feature, designed by Gerry Judah. The company will also showcase several new cars at the event.

So, what can you expect to see at this year’s Festival of Speed? Here are some of the highlights:

Cars to see at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed

AIM EV Sport 01

The designer of the Nissan GT-R has created this sleek 483bhp electric sports car, weighing only 1425kg. It is powered by two liquid-cooled, high-performance electric motors located on the rear wheels, with a maximum speed of 10,000rpm. The car is equipped with an 81kWh battery split into four packs, delivering a total torque of 582lb ft and enabling it to accelerate from 0-62mph in under 6.0 seconds.

Nissan GT-R designer creates lightweight, 483bhp EV sports car

Alpine A290

Alpine is introducing this Renault 5-based hot hatchback targeted at the mainstream market. It will make its public debut at Goodwood and features an FIA-approved racing chassis and two motors on the front axle. Promising to be a more practical version of the acclaimed A110, the car retains the sporting character associated with the Alpine brand.

Alpine A290 on sale in 2024 as feisty electric hot hatch

Ariel Atom 4R

Ariel has surprised everyone with the unveiling of the Atom’s latest iteration, the 4R. It boasts the most powerful four-cylinder engine ever fitted to the track-focused sports car, producing a staggering 400bhp sourced from Honda. Additionally, the 4R is equipped with a new Quaife six-speed sequential gearbox, Öhlins dampers, and carbon-ceramic disc brakes.

BMW

BMW Motorrad Motorsport ready for the WorldSBK weekend at Donington Park – Home round for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.

June 29, 2023 Prafful Singh

The FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) returns to historic ground. The sixth round of the 2023 season will take place at Donington Park (GBR), where the first WorldSBK race was held in 1988, from June 30 to July 2. The circuit near Nottingham (GBR) is also a special place for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. Several significant successes have been celebrated there in the past. It is also the home race for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, as well as Scott Redding (GBR) and Tom Sykes (GBR), who will once again stand in for injured Michael van der Mark (NED) this weekend.

The Bonovo action BMW Racing Team aims to continue its momentum from Misano four weeks ago (ITA) at Donington Park. At Misano, Garrett Gerloff (USA) achieved his best result of the season so far in a main race, finishing eighth in race two. His teammate Loris Baz (FRA) has used the break since Misano to train intensively and is confident of being 100% fit again after the injury he suffered at Mandalika (IDN).

The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team has a special tradition for its home race at Donington Park. At the beginning of race week, the entire team gathers at their headquarters in Guisborough (GBR), about two and a half hours’ drive from the race circuit. “Our team is based in the north of England, and after we set off for the first European event, all the trucks, equipment, bikes, and so on return to the UK for the first time. We’re practically on the road all year round,” explained Team Principal Shaun Muir. “After the races at Misano and before the races at Imola, this is the only time we have all the equipment here. It’s a good time to pack the trucks with new equipment, and we have the opportunity to prepare the bikes here in our workshop instead of doing it at the track on a Wednesday and Thursday. Here, we have several days and a suitable environment to get everything ready for Donington Park.” The 17,000-inhabitant town of Guisborough is Shaun Muir’s hometown. The team’s headquarters was established in 2002 and has been developed there since.

In addition to the core team permanently based in Guisborough, the days leading up to the race weekend at Donington Park provide an opportunity for the international team to come together. “Our team members mainly have the chance to meet during race weekends. Our mechanics come from all over Europe, from the UK, Portugal, France, Poland, and so on and now they all gather here with us. It’s really like a big team get-together,” said Muir.

Now everything is prepared, the trucks have arrived at Donington from Guisborough, and the race weekend can begin. It’s a track that team manager Muir finds exciting not only because it’s the home track: “I think what’s really special about Donington is that it’s a motorcycle track through and through. It has always been on the WorldSBK calendar; that’s where it all started. Personally, I really like the circuit, and all the riders I speak to feel the same way. I believe that Donington Park is one of the top-three tracks for almost all riders, from the past and the present. It’s a real attraction. So, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Quotes ahead of the Donington Park round.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “After a four-week break, we are now continuing with three race weekends within five weeks. We want to start this series of events at Donington Park, Imola, and Most in the best possible way. We have very good memories associated with Donington Park. It’s where we celebrated our first WorldSBK victory in 2012, and also after our factory comeback in 2019, we had successful outings at this circuit. The goal, of course, is to continue this trend. The track has been resurfaced, and in the initial practice sessions, we will see how it affects the handling and setup work. In any case, we are looking forward to exciting races at the historic Donington Park circuit and working hard to close in on the front.”

Garrett Gerloff, #31 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “I’m really looking forward to Donington Park this weekend. It’s a track where I had success in the past and so did BMW, so hopefully we can have a good weekend and find a setup quickly. It’s going to be slightly different because there’s new asphalt, but I think that’s good for us. We’ll see how it goes. I’m definitively looking forward to it.”

Scott Redding, #45 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I’m looking forward to my home round at Donington Park. Last year, it went well there for us and I would like to achieve similar results this time. That would be great in front of my home crowd. There is a new track surface so we need to see how that reacts with the tyres.”

Tom Sykes, #66 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I am very much looking forward to Donington Park. It’s my home race and a circuit that I enjoy. It’s also the home race for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. Not only that, on the BMW in the past I’ve had some success there so we have that in mind and with what we learnt at Misano we can hopefully make the base setting of the BMW M 1000 RR a bit more suited to me. I’ve had a good chat with my crew-chief Marcus Eschenbacher in between with some ideas for Donington so I am really looking forward to the possibilities. We’ve also had some fantastic weather here in the UK and if that can continue into the weekend, I can imagine that it can provide excellent racing for the fans. Fingers crossed for a successful weekend.”

Loris Baz, #76 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “It’s been quite a long time since Misano, but Misano was the first race where I was feeling good on the bike and not riding in pain, so it’s definitely a big improvement for me to be able to ride like this. I had a good three, four weeks to train even more. I’m back at 100 % now, so I’m really looking forward to this round. I love the Donington track! I hope we have more luck than at Misano where we had some issues. I’m confident of finally ride pain-free and enjoying riding the bike. Let’s see if the new Donington surface brings us luck.”

Track Facts Donington Park

Track Facts Donington Park.
Circuit length	4.023 km – clockwise
Corners	12 – 7 right-handers, 5 left-handers
Pole position	Left
Longest straight	550 metres (start-finish straight)
Grip level	Medium
Track layout	Fluid, fast turns; hard braking zones; climbs and descents
Strain on brakes	Medium
Amount at full throttle	28 %
Top speed / lowest speed	277 km/h / 45 km/h
Best overtaking opportunity	T1, T9, T11
Key factors	High speeds through the turns, stability and feel on brakes when leaning, courage

Featured

The Newly-Revealed 2024 Lexus GX Looks Like A Serious SUV

June 11, 2023 Prafful Singh

The new Lexus GX is a completely fresh model from the ground up with an all-new look and more off-roading credentials to its name

The third-generation of the Lexus GX has been globally premiered. This is its most significant update till date, and the previous generational update was introduced over a decade ago. This luxury off-road capable SUV is set to go on sale across international markets towards the end of 2023. Here are five things you need to know about the all-new Lexus GX:

Looks Like A Tank

The new GX is based on the new GA-F platform, which is shared with the Lexus LX. It looks nothing like its predecessors and adopts a block-ish design that looks like something that Dwayne Johnson would drive through walls in the next Fast and Furious movie. The curvy nature of the previous generation is replaced by a meaner, more aggressive looking sharp silhouette and looks more butch than it ever has.

The grille now seems a lot more palatable while still being in-your-face with its tall stance. Its wheel arches are more prominent than its predecessor, thanks to the chunky cladding all around, and can be filled with wheels ranging in size from 18- to 22-inches. The strong shoulder line flows through the entire body and the lines casually integrate into the bonnet. One quirky detail is the upward kink in the window line.

The boxy SUV trait continues at the back with an upright boot design and crisp geometrical proportions. A touch of modernity can be seen with the connected LED tail lights. The GX truly gives you that off-roader vibes with a neo-retro appeal.

Premium And Luxury From The Inside

The cabin of the new Lexus GX has a very different design approach to the badass styling on the outside. Its interior looks very luxurious and premium like one would expect from a Lexus, but still gives out utilitarian vibes. It has a single-pane sunroof and grab-handles on the A- and B-pillars on each side.

Occupying the centre stage is a massive 14-inch touchscreen system and the 12.3-inch digital driver’s display is integrated into the same panel. The tall heighted dashboard gives you the feeling of a giant SUV. Even though the climate controls are operated via the touchscreen, it has physical dials integrated for the dual-zone temperature adjustment.

Also Read: Upcoming Cars In India

It’s Got A V6!

The new GX continues to be a body-on-frame SUV that is powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, which comes mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox. Also on offer is a 2.4-litre turbocharged hybrid engine, which will be good for the fuel efficiency. It is the first ladder-on-frame Lexus to use a hybrid system. Both powertrains come with 4WD.

Off-Road Monster

Aiding its off-road credentials is a full-time 4WD with low-range gearbox and multi-terrain select mode. The controls for which are housed in the centre console, ahead of the drive selector, with switches to lock the differentials. It’s also the first Lexus to get E-KDSS, which provides compatibility between off-road and on-road driving. There are special seats which minimize the head toss while driving off the road. Lastly, the driving performance is improved by all-terrain tires..

Lexus will also be offering two hardcore off-road variants – OVERTRAIL and OVERTRAIL+. Both of them get several modifications to make it more capable.

Expected Price And India Launch Details

Lexus is expected to bring the new GX to India sometime in 2024, after the global launch. The GX sits between the RX and LX in the Lexus SUV range and has never been offered in India. It’s expected to be priced around Rs 2 crore (ex-showroom).

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