Ferrari’s 599 GTB Fiorano is already a potent pony, so when the Italians decided to put their stallion through the XX program (which was responsible for cars like the Enzo FXX and the FXX Evoluzione) the ears of millionaires around the world definitely perked up.
The end result of Ferrari’s poking, prodding, tuning and trimming is called the 599XX, and it’s the fastest road car they’ve ever produced. (Though calling this a road car is a bit of a stretch.)
The ‘extreme track car’ bumps power to 700 hp at 9,000 rpm, and uses carbon fiber wherever possible to bring the weight down while increasing aerodynamic downforce. Other neat goodies include F1 style ‘doughnuts’ over the brake discs that improve aerodynamics and brake cooling, carbon fiber brake pads, and a whole host of active aerodynamic components they call the ‘ActiflowT’ system.
Like previous XX cars, the 599XX will be invitation only, so if you don’t already have a few Ferraris parked outside, this won’t be the next addition, but for the select few, Ferrari has created a car that will more than likely defy belief.
The Lotus Exige is already a rather remarkable little car, so when you take it and hand it off to a tuner, the results are often mind blowing.
Sector111’s Exige is a prime example of that fact. The track-tuned terror is ready to take on any supercar thanks to a roots hybrid supercharger that brings horsepower up to 240+. (Which doesn’t sound like much, until you remember that the car weights just 2,000 lbs with a full tank and a fat driver.
With great power comes great responsibility however, so the Sector111 Exige also includes aerodynamic enhancements like a carbon fiber front splitter, undertray, 5-element rear diffuser, side skirts, rear wing, and arch louvers. In addition, carbon fiber body mods include a CF roof, rear hatch, access panels, and side scoops to keep weight down without sacrificing aerodynamic performance.
An AP Racing Big Brake Kit brings everything to a halt when needed, and a Nitron Exige GT3 triple adjustable suspension system keeps all four wheels planted through even the most pant soiling turns.
Want more?
That’s just too damn bad, because there’s just not much left on the car to modify! (Lightweight valve stems coming soon…)
The Bloodhound SSC is more rocket than car, and aims to shatter the current world land speed record with a goal of 1,000 mph, or 31% faster than any four-wheeled vehicle has gone before.
Powering the Bloodhound SSC is a jet/hybrid rocket mix that uses a rocket for its raw power and a lack of draggy air intake, and a Eurojet EJ-200 jet engine for controlled output that allows the Bloodhound SSC team to increase Mach numbers in small, careful steps.
In addition to power, the Bloodhound SSC needs to be controllable, so little winglets above each wheel act as fully dynamic trimmers that make small adjustments in microsconds to maintain constant wheel load up to Mach 1.4.
In the middle of the Bloodhound SSC sits a MCT V12 race engine that makes over 800 horsepower. This might sound like an impressive figure, but when you’re goal is 1,000 mph, it’s not even close to what you need, so the V12 is just there for hydraulic power, starting the EJ-200, and pumping more than a ton of High Test Peroxide through the Falcon rocket in just 22 seconds at 1200 psi.
Another important element of a car like this that few people think about is the airflow. The fin needs to be a balance of high speed stability and low speed wind resistance, and even the rear wheel covers have been designed to minimize drag caused by the airflow around the wheel, since an unprotected wheel would see oncoming airflow at the top reach speeds of Mach 2.8 if left unprotected.
So what does a run to 1,000 mph look like?
Bloodhound SSC will accelerate from rest using an EJ-200 jet engine, taking it up to 300mph.
At that point (a) the rocket will be ignited, so that it and the jet are operating simultaneously, thereby increasing the acceleration to well over 2g.
Having reached maximum speed (1,050mph), the rocket thrust will be stopped (point b), but the jet engine will continue burning for a few seconds.
During this brief period, the car will decelerate at about 1.5g. When the jet engine also stops (point c), the deceleration will peak at nearly 3g.
When the vehicle slows to subsonic speeds the aerodynamic drag will reduce dramatically, slowing the deceleration of the vehicle. Two additional deceleration peaks are shown on the curves (points d and e), indicating the release of two parachutes. At low speeds, below 200mph, hydraulically operated disc brakes can be used.
The land speed record is calculated from the average times of the car over two runs (to eliminate the effect of wind and other variables) so the car must then stop, refuel, turn around, and do the run all over again within an hour to claim the title.
Can they do it?
We’ll just have to wait to find out, but it sure looks like they’re taking steps in the right direction!
Designed to compete in rear-wheel-drive, GT3-spec racing, the R8 GT3 will more than likely break through the 500 HP barrier, as well as tack on a six-speed sequential sports gearbox, tons of carbon fiber bits and pieces, and the aerodynamic changes seen here. Due to GT3 rules, the suspension will more or less stay the same, but who’s going to complain about that?
Hamann’s Stallion is a Porsche 911 Turbo based monster.
With 630 horses coming from the twin turbocharged, 3.6 liter engine, the car gets to 60 in just 3.3 seconds (a full six tenths of a second off of the regular turbo), and has a new maximum speed of 359km/h (223 mph).
Refusing to leave well enough alone, Mercedes-McLaren have taken their SLR supercar and turned it into a club-racing monster, called the SLR 722 GT.
Developed in conjunction with British motorsports company RML Group, and designed for the handful of very rich drivers who can afford to pony up the one million pounds it takes to get [...]
