New MINI JCW Coupe Racer to Debut at 24h of Nurburgring

Well, that was quick. Just three days after unveiling the MINI Coupe, the firm’s first-ever two-seater coupe model, and even though its flagship version won’t be available to the public before autumn, the company presented the MINI John Cooper Works Coupe Endurance (yes, that’s quite a mouthful, so we’ll just call it JCW) racer.

And, what’s more, its public debut will be in one of the most demanding endurance races of the world, the Nürburgring 24 hours at the legendary Nordschleife, the place which Jackie Stewart has famously christened “the Green Hell”.

The MINI JCW Endurance is powered by a tuned version of the standard 4-cylinder, 1.6-litre engine that features a twin-scroll turbocharger as well as direct injection.

Power is up to 250 hp, which results in a top speed in excess of 240 km (150 mph), while maximum torque -with the overboost function- reaches 330 Nm (33,6 kgm).

If there’s one thing, other than styling, that the MINI is famous for is its go-kart feeling behind the wheel. Of course, the British firm’s engineers have enhanced it by adding stiffened and adjustable dampers as well as the (obligatory) roll cage, racing seat, 6-point seatbelts and HANS system.

According to MINI the front spoiler, the rear diffuser and the adjustable rear wing of the JCW package generate increased downforce, while the Coupe’s more raked windscreen, compared to the 3-door version, reduces drag.

Last, but not least, and unusually for a racer, the MINI JCW Coupe Endurance features electronic stability control (DSC: Dynamic Control System), which is specially tuned for the track, and the Race ABS from the MINI Challenge.

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Some companies really know how to celebrate. Take AstonMartin and Zagato, for example. The iconic British sports car maker and the legendary Italian coachbuilder will mark the 50th anniversary of their first collaboration with a brand new study.

To honor their first joint project, the 1961 DB4GT Zagato, the two companies developed the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, a race car study that will be unveiled on May 21 at the Villa D'Este Concorsod'Eleganza in Italy, where it will compete against the Ferrari Superamerica 45. But this elegant and dramatic coupe was not built for classy Concours d'Elegance events alone, as it will actually race at the Nurburgring 24 Hour event on June 25-26.

The car's design draws inspiration from older classics such as the DB4GT Zagato, V8 Vantage Zagato and DB7 Zagato. Based on the high-performance V12 Vantage, the V12 Zagato features an impressively sculpted bodywork, combining Italian elegance with British force.

"The V12 Zagato is an elegant yet brutal design which reflects the great balance between race performance and pure Aston Martin style,” said Aston Martin director of design Marek Reichmann. “The original DB4GT Zagato was a true icon, powerful and graceful; the new design is a true representation of the spirit of DB4GT Zagato," he added.

Work on the project started in 2010, with the aluminum body being hand-crafted, in true coachbuilder's style. Each front wing alone contains seven separate pieces of aluminum, combined and hand-finished to obtain one flowing form. Elements like the traditional Zagato double bubble inclined roof, the dramatic air scoops in the front fenders, the recessed taillights and the sweptback rear end give the V12 Zagato an aggressive yet very distinctive look.

The endurance race car features a 6.0-liter V12 engine that produces 517 horsepower and 570 Nm (420 lb-ft) of torque, just like the V12 Vantage it's based on. However, weight reduction measures make it faster than the roadgoing version. It should sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (96 mph) in under 4 seconds. Aston Martin will field two cars at the Nurburgring 24 hour race but the really good news is the company will build a limited edition version for the road as well.

“Matching the technology of the age with the traditional skills vital to deliver such a bespoke and exclusive sports car will lead to a strictly limited run of road going V12 Zagatos,” said Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin CEO.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Lexus CT200h Race Car to Debut at the Nurburgring

The Lexus CT200h compact hybrid will debut in racing car guise at an endurance race this weekend at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit. Entered by Gazoo Racing, the same organization that races the Lexus LFA, the CT200h will compete in the Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy. Around 200 cars will line up at the start of the six hour-race.

The Gazoo Racing CT features the Japanese automaker’s Lexus Hybrid Drive, but has a larger capacity 2.4-liter petrol engine instead of the factory 1.8-liter unit for better performance. At start-up and during braking, the car uses only the electric motor, consuming no fuel and therefore producing zero emissions. The internal combustion engine takes over at higher speeds, with the electric motor providing extra power under acceleration and at racing speeds.

The race car shares with the road-going CT200h the batteries and hybrid system, with the latter selecting the most appropriate power sources and capturing energy through regenerative braking to charge the battery so that the electric motor never runs out of juice.

According to Lexus, the Gazoo Racing CT requires less fuel and emits less CO2 and NOx gases than any equivalent petrol or diesel race car it will compete with. The car will be entered in the SP4 Class and will be driven by three experienced pilots: Kumi Sato, Masahiko Kageyama and Minoru Takaki.

By Dan Mihalascu

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