Every year, SEMA serves as the debut for some of the most outrageous cars and stunning concepts from tuners around the world, and this year, Mercedes-Benz decided to get in on the action with the debut of their new GLK.
One of those GLKs that stormed the SEMA show is this Pikes Peak Rally Racer from RENNtech, and with its inspiration coming from the winged, unlimited-class rally cars of the famed Pikes Peak Hill Climb, it’s no surprise that the styling needed to be kicked up a few notches.
However, beneath the menacing exterior lies a powertrain that might surprise a few people: a hybrid, designed to make the GLK a formidable performer while at work and at play.
By combining an electric motor in parallel with the 3.5 liter V6 petrol engine, RENNtech has been able to capture the impressive torque that characterizes electric motor drives, adding 54 Nm to enhance the GLK’s performance off-the-line and out of corners.
In addition, internal combustion engines can start to wheeze as the ambient air thins at the higher altitudes that a hill climb takes place in, but with a hybrid drive, thrust is maintained at any altitude with help from the electric motor, allowing the GLK to remain strong during every part of the race.
The 3.5-liter V6 engine that comes stock in the GLK received a special intake manifold, cams and cylinder heads directly from MB, and then RENNtech added their own long-tube headers, composite air intake, and RENNtech ECU software to make the engine put out approximately 350 horsepower on gas power alone.
To help with speed, RENNtech cut weight by removing most of the sound insulation and replacing the Mercedes-Benz seats with lightweight carbon-fiber buckets. With the addition of a full roll cage and the movement of several components towards the rear of the GLK, weight distribution almost reached the perfect 50/50, which helps handling on tight, demanding rally stages.
Custom coil-over suspension was created by KW for RENNtech, allowing for adjustments in height, rake, damping rate, camber and toe-in, and 412mm, 2-piece rotors with 8-piston callipers from RENNtech handle stopping power in the front, while 4-pot callipers grab 356mm discs in the rear.
Not so subtle exterior modifications include a front splitter, rear diffuser, and lower side skirts all designed to help direct airflow underneath the GLK to reduce drag and produce added downforce, while improving high speed stability at the rear. The rear wing elements also serve an important aerodynamic purpose, and flared wheel arches and other bodyshell modifications “create a powerful side line that highlights the dynamic thrust of the Rally Racer”.
It’s definitely not the subtlest Mercedes-Benz on the road, but if you want cutting edge, rally ready technology that’s designed to get you where you want to go at a very high rate of speed, then look no further than the RENNtech Pikes Peak Rally Racer.
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!
Antec’s Skeleton is a fantastically futuristic looking PC case that claims to be the world’s first open air case.
With a unique design that allows for unprecedented airflow, a front 92mm fan, and a top three-speed 250mm fan with multicolor LED customization, the Skeleton goes utterly unmatched in stylish cooling. Factor in the layered component trays for top-notch convenience, as well as the rackmount quality side rails, and you have a case truly without equal.
Though it definitely won’t blend in under your desk, this frag factory isn’t designed to, and if you’re the type of person that builds and customizes your machine so that you can get props and respect at the local LAN parties, then this might be just what you were looking for to dominate the competition.
