Tuesday, 27 December 2011

BAILEY LMP2 ( SOUTH AFRICA )





This is an African Phenomenon for 2011. Below are the stats straight from the makers mouth describing this awesome beast.

"Bailey Cars took the Bold and Brave step of building a current day Prototype car in 2009. Its taken 2 years of intense design and manufacture to produce this master piece of south African engineering.

The car has had many firsts for South Africa such as full carbon Tub, full CFD body design and building a car to the A.C.O Le Mans 24 hours regulations

The car is available to customers who would like to compete in sports car racing throughout the world in events such as ALMS, Le Mans series, Asian Le Mans Series and even the South African Le Mans Series and RSA GT challenge.

Chassis

· Carbon composite monocoque chassis

· Monocoque certified to all ACO and FIA structural and crash standards

· Adjustable pedal box and steering column

· Safety equipment includes 6-point lightweight seat belt harness

· Plumbed in fire extinguisher system

Engine

· 460hp maximum as regulated by ACO
· The engine must be made in a minimum of 1000 units in 12 consecutive months and must come, either from a grand touring car, Or from a large production car.
· Choice of homologated BMW, Lexus, Toyota or Nissan 5000 cm3 8 cylinders maximum. maximum
· Or 3200 cm3 forced induction engine with max 6 cylinders
· Diesel not allowed in LMP


Suspension

· Double wishbone layout all round

· Pushrod rocker type with damper and coil over spring all round

· Third-spring option for front and rear suspension

· Frictionless bearing seals all round

· Same upright all round

· Angular-contact wheel bearings all round

· Chromoly steel-fabricated TIG-welded wishbones

· Quick adjustable ride height, camber, and toe

· electrically power assisted rack-and-pinion



Fuel System



· 90-litre bladder type fuel cell

· Dual Low-pressure fuel lifts pump plus dual high-pressure pumps




Transmission



· Ricardo sequential-shift gearbox

· Six forward speeds plus reverse with torque input capacity in excess of 500 Nm

· Adjustable gear ratios

· Paddle shift as standard

· Gear oil cooling system



Bodywork


· All body panels of lightweight infused epoxy glass composite construction

Brake System

· AP Racing six-piston aluminum calipers all round

· 380 mm diameter ventilated discs front and rear

· Full carbon brake set up as option



Wheels and Tyres


· Wheel dimensions 11”wide x 18” diameter front

· 13” wide x 18” diameter rear

· 3 piece wheels

· Centre lock and anti loosen to FIA standards


Cooling System


· 1 water radiators

· 8-litre dry sump oil tank

· Twin engine all cooler

· Twin Electric oil scavenge pump

· 1 intercooler

· Driver air-conditioning system



Electrical System



· Military-spec chassis wiring loom

· FIA-regulation emergency power cut-off switch

· External start jump plug

· Digital dash display and with full data logging

· Xenon headlamps



WEIGHT

· Minimum weight as specified by ACO 900kg excluding driver and fuel


Bailey - Beautifully Engineered Cars

http://www.baileyedwardscars.co.za

Monday, 26 December 2011

Choosing the right tires for your car

Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. I had a great time with family and few friends in London. While chatting with the guys about cars I realised that most of us had only one set of tires (or Tyres for those in the UK) which we only changed when they were worn out.

Like most people, I leave it up to the tire shops to recommend and change the tires. However, there are a range of tires to choose from but it is important to be aware that all cars have different requirements depending on the type of car and what you usually use it for. For example it would not make sense to have performance tyres usually used for racing for your family car which you normally use for every day commuting.

Moreover now that winter is here, it is a good idea to think about winter tires as well. The winters here are not that bad and so far we have had fairly great weather without any snow, we never know. It was fairly bad last year and I had a tough time driving in the snow using my normal tires. I have learnt my lesson and have got myself some winter tires which I ready to change to once it starts snowing.

Anyway, if you are interested in learning more about the different styles of Car Tires, check out Tires information site.

Friday, 16 December 2011

Trying to blow up the XJ Sentinel

Targeted at the rich, famous and powerful, the XJ Sentinel from Jaguar provides discreet armoured protection. According to Jaguar, they have put through extensive independent testing and certification to the latest national and international standards by QinetiQ®.

The cars offer ballistic protection up to B7 level (BS EN 1522 level FB7 and BS EN 1063 BR7-), blast protection against 15kg TNT equivalent detonated within close proximity of the vehicle, and substantial under floor grenade protection.

They are also available with several optional features and can be tailored to individual requirements.

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

BMW M5 to be launched in Canada in 2012

updated: 17th Dec 2011

Another North American BMW news:

Just found out from the BMW Canada website that the new BMW M5 will be launched there in 2012. The car is the latest update - the 5th generation of one of the most popular sport sedans in the World (BMW claims it to be the most "most successful high-performance sedan in the premium segment of the executive class").

The new BMW M5 is powered by a eight–cylinder V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology developing 412 kW/560 hp, which can take the car from 0–62mph in 4.4 seconds,

The engine is mated with a seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic, and Active M Differential.

Exterior details including twin dual–tailpipes and subtle M shaped rear spoiler.

Check out the clip of six lucky guys who get the change to test drive the car at the Nordschleife, Nürburgring.



Click the link for more news about BMW Canada

BMW i3 and i8 at LA show

BMW recently showed of their i3 and i8 Concepts at the 2011 LA Auto Show.

Both the i3 and i8 cars are part of BMW's "Project i" and is a separate brand.

First unveiled at 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the i3 is expected to go into mass production in 2013 and available for delivery by the end of the year. The car will be BMW's first zero emissions mass produced vehicle.

On the other hand, first announced in 2010 and also unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the BMW i8 is a hybrid and sporty looking car. The car will be available in 2014. SO far no news on expected prices as yet.

Tuesday, 6 December 2011