1967 Ford GT40

When you start to closely examine the many classic car models to surface over the years, you’ll notice one auto manufacturer’s name popping up a lot more than most – Ford. Henry Ford’s lines of cars and trucks have become some of the most popular on the planet, and none are more popular than the sports cars.

1967 Ford GT40 is atop the list of Ford classics.

The reason for 1967 Ford GT40m popularity is a little difficult to understand for basic Mustang fans. After all, the GT40 wasn’t technically a street car – although a few street models were released (and are being released now with a redesign effort of the classic model).

1967 Ford GT40 was built to strictly be a racecar.

Dealing with overseas competition from the likes of Ferrari and other giants in the racing world at the time, Ford was the proverbial America’s pride in its efforts to produce a Ferrari-defeating automobile. The result was the

1967 Ford GT40 – a sleek, fast and powerful sports car with a massive V8 engine and a body-style reminiscent of the Sting Ray.

This high-performance sports car proved that the Europeans weren’t the only manufacturers of muscle-bound racecars. It opened the doors for the rest of the world to enter into the realm of racing. Ford built this car to defeat Ferrari in a high-speed, long distance race, but 1967 Ford GT40 ended up winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans event four times in a row.


There was no hidden code or technical engine speak involved in the name of Ford’s racecar. The “GT” stood for “Grand Touring,” and the “40” was a reference to the fact the top of the GT was 40-inches off the ground – per the rules of Le Mans at that time.


One of the more shocking factors of Ford’s four consecutive wins, especially to Ferrari and similar manufacturers, is that Ford decided to use a large displacement V8 (4.7 and 7 L) instead of a 3 or 4 liter V12 used in racecars built by Ferrari.


1967 Ford GT40 didn’t come until a year and two versions later. It had most of the specifications of its predecessors, but the MK III was a road-car only, and only 7 were built in total. This makes this year’s Ford one of the rarest and most sought after cars around. You would have to be extremely wealthy to purchase one of the original 7 today.


If you were privy to 1967 Ford GT40 racecar of the era, then it wasn’t hard to spot the differences in Ford’s road model. For starters, Ford went with a primary color instead of the racing patterns. There were also four headlights on the car, and the rear body was extended and expanded to make room in the trunk.


Although 1967 Ford GT40 used the same powerful engine, it was detuned not to put out as much horsepower on the road. The original seven had 4.7 liter V8 engines that put out 335 horsepower. The shocks were also softened, the tires were changed, and the interior of the car was redesigned with road driving and not racing in mind.

The Camaro received new sheet metal in 1969. The look was more angular than the two previous Camaros. Wheel wells were squared off, new front and rear ends were added and it all contributed to longer and lower look. The interior was updated with new square gauges and an optional tachometer.
Chevy offered buyers a plethora of engine choices, everything from a low budget six cylinder engine to an incredible 427 ci monster that was part of the special order ZL-1. Most buyers picked the “more reasonable” small block V-8s.
The Z28 was continued for the road racing fan. It came with the 302 ci engine conservatively rated at 290 hp. Upgrades to the car included dual exhausts, special front and rear suspension, a heavy-duty radiator, quick ratio steering, and 15 x 7-inch Rally wheels. A four-speed manual transmission and power disc brakes were mandatory options and a Posi-Traction rear axle was highly recommended. Top speed was estimated at 120 mph. The Z28 was very popular and Chevy produces over 20,000 copies.
For those who enjoyed straight line performance, the Camaro SS was an obvious choice. A 396 ci V-8 with up to 375 horse power was available on the Super Sport. Those engines produced so much torque that the rear suspension often buckled under the stress. Wheel hop was very common in these cars. However, with the right aftermarket suspension components, the SS was a force on the drag strip and at traffic lights.
The

1969 Camaro

continued to sell well even though it was the last year for that body style. On thing that helped was the delay in the introduction of the 1970 Camaro. Due to production problems with the new Camaro design, the introduction was delayed several months. Today, many consider the

1969 Camaro

to be the best design of all the Camaros. They new Camaro that Chevy is set to launch in 2009 was heavily influenced by this car. That is indeed a fine tribute.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420

has unveiled a new motorsport-inspired special edition; the V8 Vantage N420 which brings a new dimension of sporting prowess and dynamic ability to the V8 Vantage range.

Successor to the special edition V8 Vantage N400 of 2007, the Vantage N420 is based upon the standard 4.7-litre, 420bhp, 180mph V8 Vantage and is available as a Coupe or Roadster, and with a six-speed manual or optional Sportshift automated manual transmission.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420

draws inspiration from the company's experiences at the Nürburgring 24-hour race. In the 2006 running of the annual Nürburgring endurance classic amongst a field of mostly motorsport homologated cars, Aston Martin entered a near-standard, road-registered V8 Vantage. Driven by a team of employees, including Aston Martin's CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez, the V8 Vantage - named ‘Rose' by the team - finished 4th in class and 24th overall from a field of more than 200 specialised racing cars.

Since then Aston Martin has returned every year to compete in this gruelling endurance race, scoring a string of class victories and podiums with road-registered V8 and V12 Vantages and most recently the new four-door Rapide. Not only has this racing success spawned a burgeoning V8 Vantage GT4 customer programme run by Aston Martin Racing, but lessons learned in racing at the Nürburgring has led to aerodynamic and other performance developments being fed back into Aston Martin's road cars.

A generous standard specification and some unique options ensure the special edition Vantage N420 is both exclusive and distinctive, while also offering a 27kg weight saving - achieved through the application of carbon fibre - over the standard V8 Vantage.

On the outside, wider sills combine perfectly with a carbon fibre splitter, side strakes and diffuser, while bold 10-spoke diamond turned alloy wheels complete with gloss black finish, black mesh vents and ‘Graphitic' tailpipe finishers complete the co-ordinated look.

Inside

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420

offers an Iridium interior package, with graphite instruments, leather or Alcantara® steering wheel, special N420 sill plaques and lightweight carbon fibre seats, complete with ‘Race Track' stitching as in the V12 Vantage. Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control and Park Distance Control are also standard.

Cementing the Vantage N420's credentials as a special edition V8 Vantage tailored for the most discerning and enthusiastic drivers, it is fitted with the normally optional Sports Pack. This package combines revised springs, dampers and anti-roll bars for even more responsive and dynamic handling, while retaining the V8 Vantage's renowned poise, balance and long distance ability. Finally, a new sports exhaust system delivers a suitably rousing soundtrack.

A further distinctive feature is the availability of a new range of optional Aston Martin ‘Race Collection' paint schemes. Pairing bold body colours with contrasting hues for the cant rails and radiator grille surround, they celebrate the marque's racing heritage. All of the company's successful N24 Vantage racers are celebrated, with ‘Rose' yellow, ‘Kermit' green and ‘Elwood' blue all featuring in the collection along with traditional Aston Martin Racing green. The white and black car shown in the accompanying images wears the equally striking ‘Asia Cup' livery.

Production of

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420

begins this month, with deliveries commencing in August and prices starting from £96,995.End of Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420 special edition review.

We toured the factory in Crewe prior to taking the train from nearby Manchester to the start of our castle-punctuated drive in Edinburgh, Scotland and the commissioning service there is gloriously extensive, as are the visuals – the craftsmanship on display in the leather and woodworking areas are positively stupefying. Over 10,000 people tour the factory every year, and about 30 percent of those are current or soon-to-be owners, so you figure to be in good company. From where we sit, if you're going to order a new Bentley, you're short-changing yourself if you don't schedule a sit-down in Crewe first. If nothing else, seeing firsthand that your new purchase is as much a collective work of art as it is a piece of engineering will help you sleep well at night after writing out The Mother of All Checks.

But enough about haute couture. We didn't fly transatlantic and spit in the mouth of Iceland's inconveniently ornery Eyjafjallajokull to get a lesson in carpentry and hide-splitting – we came to drive. While it would have been be easy to dismiss a vehicle of the Mulsanne's heft as a sleepy luxobarge, that's not what Crewe's crew had in mind. After all, the Mulsanne wasn't named for some tony Mediterranean archipelago – it's christened after a legendary straightaway on Le Mans' Circuit De La Sarthe. Although they're too polite to say as much, it's clear that Bentley thinks languid reactions are for those who prefer to ride with the Spirit of Ecstasy.
Prior to shoving off, company officials we spoke with talked not only of peerless grand touring, but of dynamic excellence – something we were counting on. The Mulsanne's exceptional width combined with Scotland's narrow-gauge country roads struck us as a daunting combination – before factoring in the right-hand drive. Did we mention those full-figured flanks start at $285,000?

2011 Bentley Mulsanne

As we would discover, this isn't really the sort of car that feels like it shrinks around the driver when putting the bricks to those incredible drilled pedals. Yet this rear-driver is exceptionally quick, cresting 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and topping the century in 11.6. Given a fair bit of straight tarmac, the V8 will locomotive its steel-chassis'd self all the way up to 184 mph. And if you're just trundling along at more modest speeds, unless you produce a stethoscope, you won't notice that four of the cylinders have gone dark – the variable displacement system works like a treat. EPA figures have not yet been released, but really... who's kidding whom? If you're buying a Mulsanne, you're probably beyond the impact of any economy, much less one that governs something as ordinary as fuel.
Straight-line authority is something of a given in a car like this, but it's how well the big Mulsanne negotiates corners that surprises. That's due, in part, to the air suspension tuning and the steering responsiveness, both of which can be tweaked by choosing between four detents on the Drive Dynamics Control knob that's adjacent to the gear selector. Sport, Comfort, Custom and Bentley are the settings on offer – the latter is the setting favored by engineers, and it strikes an agreeable balance between Comfort and Sport. The Custom detent allows drivers to mix-and-match their own preferences, but we suspect few will find it necessary.

Continental bulk requires globe-halting brakes, and the Mulsanne delivers with massive 15.75-inch steel discs up front, and 14.5-inchers out back. Like the rest of the Bentley family, this model will probably get optional carbon-ceramic units for superior fade-free performance, but truthfully, we never came close to testing the standard system's limits on Scotland's lilting country roads – we would need a protracted downhill canyon run or a closed course to really get them hot and bothered.

2011 Bentley Mulsanne

 

2011 Bentley Mulsanne

As was true with the Arnage, the new Mulsanne relies on a 6.75-liter (pronounced: "Six and Three-Quarters") 90-degree V8. The keen among you will note that Bentley has offered just such an eight-cylinder for over 50 years. Only this isn't that engine. Once again, Bentley has worked hard to make what's new seem steeped in tradition, taking a time-honored engine format, but adding lightweight pistons, connecting rods and a forged crankshaft. Team Bentley has also introduced cam phasing and variable displacement (read: cylinder deactivation) to the twin-turbo powerplant for improved fuel economy and lower emissions – both are technological firsts in the ultra-luxury segment.

Good for 505 brake horsepower at 4,200 rpm and 752 pound-feet of torque from just 1,750 rpm, the new 6.75 is yoked to a ZF-sourced eight-speed gearbox, and the Mulsanne is the first 'large' Bentley to be fitted with paddleshifters. The latter are simple spoke-mounted +/- pull tabs similar in look and operation to those used on countless Audi models for some years now, although they receive a more substantial chrome finish and knurled finger grips that mimic the pattern on the outside door handles.

The 599 GTO is reserved for just 599 clients who seek the maximum expression of high-performance driving. The 599 GTO benefits directly from the technological transfer from racing and set a record lap time at Fiorano in 1'24".

The Fiorano lap time provides just one indication of the potential of this car. Just as significant are the technical specifications - 670 hp in a 1495kg car represents a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp, and ensures a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 3.35" as well as a top speed of over 335 km/h.

Fundamental to the GTO's performance is the innovative approach to chassis development which, for the first time on a production car, saw the integration between a handling set-up tuned for a level of responsiveness that is close to the limit and highly sophisticated electronic controls. The result is the almost complete absence of understeer and a truly communicative chassis.

As is Ferrari's policy, every new Ferrari features new solutions for a road car. Thus the 599 GTO is equipped with the latest, second-generation carbon-ceramic brakes which are lighter and offer better performance, new aerodynamic innovations, such as the wheel doughnuts which increase aerodynamic efficiency as well as improve brake cooling, and the Supersport tyres developed by Michelin include a wider front tyre for greater roadholding. The driver-car interface is also new with the adoption of the Virtual Race Engineer (VRE) which provides the driver with instantaneous information on performance.

The 599 GTO's more aggressive character is also apparent in a number of styling elements that recall the 599XX and from the powerful sound of the V12.

The GTO (Gran Turismo Omologata) moniker instantly calls to mind two Ferraris that have entered the collective imagination as symbols of performance. After the 1962 250 GTO, which swept the boards in GT racing categories in the 1960s and is now a highly prized collector's car, came the iconic 1984 GTO, which basically invented the entire modern supercar genre.

The web special includes photos, videos and interviews on the new car, while an exclusive preview for a small number of Ferrari clients will be held on April 14th at the Military Academy in Modena. The public debut of the 599 GTO will instead be at the Beijing International Motor Show at the end of April.

ENGINE AND GEARBOX

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO

The 599 GTO's engine is directly derived from the 599XX unit implementing, however, the necessary modifications for road-going homologation. It thus complies with Euro 5 and LEV 2 standards. The 5999 cc 65-degree V12 engine punches out 670 CV at 8250 rpm with maximum torque of 620 Nm at 6500 rpm and there is a smooth, constant rush of power all the way to the redline with no loss of flexibility even at medium and low revs. This result was obtained by working on the fluid-dynamics and components to reduce internal friction and by adopting, amongst other things, the 599XX's redesigned crankshaft. The car also has a racing-type intake system with a new manifold with diffuser-type intake geometry and short inlet tracts designed to improve power delivery at high revs and reduce losses. To maximise volumetric efficiency per cylinder, a connection between the two plenums at the front compensates for variations in the volume. This is how the engineers managed to achieve maximum performance at high engine speeds. The engine sound inside the car is carefully controlled to balance the intake sound with the exhaust, which features a 599XX-derived 6-into-1 manifold.
The 599 GTO features the same, lower 60 ms shift times and the possibility to make multiple downshifts as on the 599XX.

VEHICLE DYNAMICS

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO

One of the most significant innovations on the 599 GTO is the close correlation between the chassis set-up, which is close to the handling limit, and the input from the electronic controls which are developed to increase overall levels of performance.
Since the very earliest states of the two cars' development, Maranello's engineers worked to ensure that these two areas of the car would be seamlessly integrated thus pushing responsiveness to the limit. The result is, of course, superlative driving involvement as well as faster lap times. Apart from new springs and a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, the car also features a second generation magnetorheological suspension control system (SCM2). The suspension works in tandem with the VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) and latest-generation F1-Trac traction control. This makes the car extremely responsive to driver inputs - thanks in part to the adoption of a very direct steering ratio - but also very stable under braking, sharper on turn-in, more precise in cornering and quicker out of corners.

WEIGHT REDUCTION

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO

The 599 GTO inherits much of the development work - using the same principles as employed in F1 - that went into making the 599XX such an extreme performance car. Reducing weight was a vital objective and the result was the widespread use of composites and components manufactured with technologies more akin to racing specifications. The areas involved include the bodywork and greenhouse (with thinner gauge aluminium and thinner glass), the brakes, transmission and exhaust system. The result is a dry weight of 1495 kg and a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp, a very significant figure that underlines the GTO's performance potential.

AERODYNAMICS

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO

The 599 GTO's aerodynamics have benefited significantly from Ferrari engineers' experience in F1 and with the 599XX which allowed downforce to be greatly increased without impacting on drag. Thanks to solutions transferred from the track car to the road-going version, the GTO generates downforce of 144 kg at 200 km/h. The entire car was honed, including the front, the sides, the flat underbody and cooling flows. In the latter instance, the GTO can count on improved ducting to the brake discs and pads, and the adoption of wheel doughnuts - a disc positioned outside the brake disc that ensure that hot air exiting the wheelarch stays as close to the body of the car as possible to reduce drag.

Work on the nose of the car was aimed at reducing the width of the wake generated by the front and thus reduce drag. The front spoiler incorporates a separate lower wing that increases downforce at the front of the car and increases the flow of cooling air to the oil radiator. On the flanks there's a new sill design with a more pronounced leading edge that improves the efficiency of the central section of the underbody. The underbody itself incorporates a new, lower front section with diffusers ahead of the front wheels to optimise downforce, and a new double-curve rear diffuser.

WHEEL RIMS AND TYRES

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO

Here the difference in size between the front and rear tyres has been changed. The GTO's front tyres are now 285/30 on a 9.5'' channel with 315/35 on an 11.5'' channel at the rear. The 599 GTO has 20'' rims. Roll rigidity is greater at the rear to minimise understeer. These solutions guarantee improved lateral grip and quicker turn in.

BRAKES

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO

The new CCM2 braking system is lighter and even more consistent in high performance situations. Its consistent coefficient of attrition meant that the ABS could be calibrated to a particularly high performance level, further reducing lap times, thanks to improved deceleration and shorter stopping distances. In fact, the 599 GTO boasts an excellent 100 to 0 km/h braking distance of just 32.5 metres. As well as their role in improving aerodynamics, the Formula 1-derived wheel doughnuts also improve braking efficiency by optimising brake cooling.

CAR-DRIVER INTERFACE

2011 Ferrari 599 GTO

The car-driver interface was designed to maximise car and driver performance with a layout of the main commands that ensures absolute efficiency and minimum distraction. The Racing manettino also puts the emphasis firmly on sporty, track-specific driving settings by offering the driver full choice with regard to the electronic control parameters. The ICE position on the 599 GTB Fiorano has been replaced by CT-Off (traction control off). The GTO is also fitted with bespoke, longer carbon-fibre F1 paddles for easier use in high-speed driving. In addition the GTO also features the Virtual Race Engineer, a system that monitors the status of the car and gives the driver immediate visibility of vehicle performance.