Rodin Cars Welcomes Jamie Chadwick to Exclusive Test Session

• Reigning W Series Champion, Williams F1 development driver and Aston Martin GT driver climbs aboard the Rodin FZED for an exclusive three-day-test programme at Rodin’s private test track in New Zealand

• Test programme aims to gather more track performance data of the one-of-a-kind FZED single-seater with the highly talented Chadwick behind the wheel

• Newly resurfaced track also features an updated layout featuring a fast 130-radius corner that will test both car and driver

• Chadwick will provide valuable technical feedback and work alongside Rodin’s in-house team of engineers as well as company founder David Dicker

Waiau, New Zealand, 12 March 2020 - Rodin Cars is gearing up to welcome reigning W Series champion, Williams F1 development driver and Aston Martin GT race car driver, Jamie Chadwick, to an exclusive three-day test session at its private test facility in Waiau, New Zealand.

The programme, which takes place between 17-19 March, will see Chadwick pilot the spectacular Rodin FZED in a series of test sessions designed to accumulate track performance data to further develop and refine the single-seater race car’s driving experience. The data will also play a significant part in the ongoing development of the ground-breaking FZERO, which aims to be one of the world’s fastest track cars. With Jamie Chadwick behind the wheel, she will also provide Rodin’s in-house team of skilled engineers with valuable technical insight, capitalising on her extensive and successful experience as one of the world’s leading motorsport talents.

Jamie Chadwick

Jamie Chadwick said: “I am really looking forward to the experience with Rodin and contributing to its unique and ongoing story during my time at the dedicated facility. I’m interested in really getting under the skin of the car and seeing what it can do, and in the process work with Rodin’s team of engineers to refine what looks like a stunning racing machine.”

The brand recently completed a significant redevelopment of its purpose-built test facility, with strategic additions allowing engineers to further enhance the effectiveness of its testing and better showcase the performance of FZED and the upcoming FZERO. Fully resurfaced throughout, the work has seen the addition of a fast and demanding 130-degree sweeping left-hand corner designed as a homage to Suzuka’s iconic 130R. The track also plays host to Rodin’s driver development programme with each customer invited to hone their skills in a number of high-performance cars ahead of their FZED delivery.

David Dicker, Founder of Rodin Cars

David Dicker, Founder of Rodin Cars, said: “We are looking forward to seeing Jamie behind the wheel of the FZED and showcasing her driving talent during her visit. We won’t stop gathering data on the FZED as it’s a constant development process to improve every single area of the car and I’m confident Jamie’s driving experience and technical ability will help deliver a new level of insight both for the FZED but also the forthcoming FZERO. We have also invested in a new track surface throughout as well as a change to the layout and I’m confident Jamie will get to grips with the circuit and the FZED really quickly.”

Delivering a powerful 675bhp and 490Nm of torque from its Cosworth GPV8 engine, the FZED offers customers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to own and drive an open-wheeled track racer posting lap times close to those of a Formula 1 car. Weighing in at just 609kg, FZED’s ultra-lightweight, carbon fiber composite construction allows it to accelerate from 0-100mph (160kph) in just five seconds and reach a top speed of 186 mph (300kph).

The Rodin FZED will start at £500,000 GBP ($650,000 USD), which provides drivers with one of the purest driving experiences outside of modern Formula 1. By joining the Rodin family, drivers will benefit from a full driving experience at Rodin’s fully equipped facility under the tuition of expert driving coach, Mark Williamson.

Many of FZED’s exquisite titanium components, including the steering wheel and composite seats, are designed in-house and 3D printed on-site ensuring that every part is of the highest quality without compromise. Boasting one of the most diverse collections of 3D printers anywhere in the world, Rodin Cars has established a strong reputation as an emerging player in the high-technology automotive engineering and manufacturing sector. The industry-leading technology is also enabling the brand to develop its own titanium and carbon wheels, with the aim to deliver a 25 percent weight saving over the standard magnesium design.

MAZDA MOTORSPORTS SELECTS MULTIMATIC TO OPERATE IMSA RACE PROGRAM

• Multimatic Motorsports will take over the operation of Mazda North America’s IMSA race program.

• UK stars Oliver Jarvis and Harry Tincknell drive for Mazda in the IMSA Sportscar Series.

• Watch our new ‘driver and car as one’ film here: https://youtu.be/D0U7-wweIHE

From the next round of the IMSA Sportscar Championship, Mazda’s two RT24-P prototypes will be operated by Multimatic Motorsports, the competition arm of global automotive engineering firm Multimatic Inc. With its broad experience in racing operations and race car development, Mazda has now tasked Multimatic with the operation of its flagship North American racing program.

The IMSA Sportscar Championship is a multi-class sportscar series with race distances varying from 24 hours to just one hour and forty minutes, and the Mazda RT24-P race cars compete in the fastest Daytona Prototype Class for overall victories. Commenting on the appointment, Nelson Cosgrove, Director Mazda Motorsports, said: “Mazda is looking forward to going racing with Multimatic when the IMSA resumes racing and we have a shared goal of winning the IMSA driver and manufacturer’s championships,” Adding, “the management and engineering staff of Multimatic are familiar with our team and will continue to elevate our program”.

With an unchanged driver line-up, UK sportscar racing stars Harry Tincknell and Oliver Jarvis remain at the heart of this US race program. With the world-famous Sebring 12 Hours postponed until later in the season, the IMSA series will resume when professional sporting events are able to restart in North America.

However, Mazda has started the year well with a strong result in the season-opening Daytona 24 Hours where Oliver Jarvis took pole position before finishing second in number 77 Mazda RT24-P alongside Olivier Pla and Tristan Nunez – Mazda’s best ever overall result in America’s most famous endurance race. Having faced technical issues in the closing hours, Harry Tincknell’s number 55 car crossed the line in 6th place.

Fresh from a strong showing at the first round of the series, Mazda North America’s British racing drivers Oliver Jarvis and Harry Tincknell returned to the UK to spend a day with the innovative Skyactiv-X powered Mazda3, to explore how, whether on-road or track, Mazda’s focus on the connection between car and driver is at the forefront of development.   

Living in the UK but competing on the other side of the Atlantic, their day job involves racing the high-tech, lightweight and powerful Mazda RT24-P prototype but day-to-day in the UK both drivers enjoy Mazda’s road car range. And they took time out from their schedule to explain why Mazda’s ‘Jinba Ittai – car and driver as one’ engineering ethos applies to both road and track.

With driver focused cockpits, personally molded seats and the need to feel what the car is doing at the limit at all times, motorsport represents the very pinnacle of being at one with the car. Whether it’s steering feel, confidence on the brakes or the direct communication of the car’s grip level through the suspension - success and speed in competition relies entirely on the driver being intuitively connected to the car.

A concept that’s similar to the one that Mazda’s road car engineers pursue with their philosophy of ‘Jinba Ittai’. This sense of complete oneness with the car, which sits at the heart of every Mazda, has become a well-acknowledged trait of Mazda’s range. From the MX-5 sports car to the CX-5 SUV, a human-centered development approach has ensured that every Mazda, delivers the seat position, comfort and intuitive feedback needed for the driver to feel connected to the road and at one with the car, regardless of the type of journey.

Oliver Jarvis

Commenting on the Skyactiv-X Mazda3, Oliver Jarvis said: “while you’re obviously not pushing as hard as you are in the race car, with accurate feedback, well-weighted controls, and a great driving position, the Mazda3 still communicates with the driver and makes you feel engaged behind the wheel, regardless of what type of drive you are on, so there’s a correlation between track and road.”

Adding, “with both road cars and racing cars the amount of engineering effort and skill that goes into making a car feel natural in its feedback to the driver is huge. Whether it’s for comfort, safety and enjoyment on the road or performance on the track it’s crucial to be at one with the car”.

Harry Tincknell

Harry Tincknell said: “whether it’s dealing with the high speeds of the Daytona banking, coping with the bumps of Sebring or navigating the tight corners of a street course like Long Beach you need to feel completely at one with the race car. Things are changing every second and you have to be able to react instinctively, and that’s no different on the road, where you need a good level of comfort and confidence to enjoy the experience as much as possible. There may be hundreds of different things that are just one percent better and you might not notice them when you jump into the car, but the combined result is that everything just feels natural and connected.”

Two of Britain’s biggest sports car racing stars, Oliver Jarvis and Harry Tincknell will be back in action when the IMSA Series recommences later this year. Whether it’s enjoying their Mazda3s in the UK or competing in the Mazda RT24-P in North America, both Oliver and Harry get to enjoy Mazda’s focus on the driver and the importance of being at one with the car. A synergy that is highlighted in our latest film: https://youtu.be/D0U7-wweIHE

Ferrari Challenge UK Series 2020 Season Launch

UPDATE 03/20/2020

London, 20 March 2020. The third round of the Ferrari Challenge North America, scheduled at Indianapolis from 17 to 19 April, has been postponed. The move came in response to the developing Covid-19 situation and aims to safeguard everyone involved in the event.

Following the suspension of motorsport activities in the UK, Ferrari and its partner MSVR also confirmed the postponement of the opening round of the Ferrari Challenge UK that was scheduled at Snetterton from 17-19 April. The new date will be announced shortly.

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Brands Hatch, Thursday 27 February 2020.  After a hugely successful inaugural season in 2019, the Ferrari Challenge UK returns in 2020 with another 4 race weekends of competitive racing with Ferrari clients in the Ferrari 488 Challenge. The series will see clients compete on both the Donington Circuit and the Brands Hatch GP Circuit for the first time. As in 2019, the Season Finale takes place at Silverstone in September.

The Ferrari Challenge UK Series is the only National Championship operated by Ferrari, and completes the impressive family of Ferrari Challenge Championships, which is made up of the European, North American, and Asia Pacific series, as well as the UK series.

Francesco Balli – Regional Manager, Ferrari North Europe, said: “We are thrilled that the first season of the Ferrari Challenge UK was an incredible success, and this has given us great momemtum to build on this series for 2020. We are delighted to welcome many of the drivers from 2019 back to the grid this year, as well as some new drivers who will be taking to the track in their Ferrari 488 Challenge for the very first time. We’ve also seen some clients use the Ferrari Challenge UK series to progress and compete in the Ferrari Challenge Europe season this year, which is exactly what we had hoped.”

The calendar for the Ferrari Challenge UK Series 2020 is below:

Test:                                        17 March, Donington

Races 1 & 2:                          18-19 April, Snetterton Postponed.

Races 3 & 4                           16-17 May, Donington

Races 5 &6                             4-5 July, Brands Hatch (4 July – Indy Circuit, 5 July – GP Circuit)

Races 7 & 8                           19-20 September, Silverstone

How the Brabham BT62 Set a Bathurst Lap Record

The first weekend in February 2020 saw the running of the Bathurst 12-hour. The same weekend in 2019 saw the Brabham BT62 make headlines, setting the fastest time ever for a closed-wheel vehicle around Australia’s most famous circuit.

Just how fast was that lap? And how did we do it?

V8 Supercars are Australia’s most popular racing class. It’s the series that carries the torch and continues the mystique of Bathurst as Australia’s most challenging, and most famous, racing circuit. Its champions are household names in Australia – Jane, Firth, Brock, Moffat, Johnson, Bowe, Richards, Brabham, Perkins, Skaife, Lowndes and Whincup.

The fastest-ever lap around Bathurst in a V8 Supercar was last year’s Bathurst 1000 pole position qualifier, Scott McLaughlin, at 2:03.378.

The fastest-ever GT3 lap at Bathurst was driven in 2016, in a McLaren 650S GT3 – a time 2:01.567. A de-restricted GT3 car (an Audi R8) has also gone around the track in a time of 1:59.321.

On 2 February 2019, the Brabham BT62 surpassed them all, setting a lap time of 1:58.679 – shaving 2.9 seconds from the GT3 lap record and an astounding 4.7 seconds from Australia’s fastest ever V8 Supercar lap. What makes the record all the more remarkable is that it was broken after only 12 exhibition laps without any real set up time.

How did the BT62 do it?

The simple answer is an outstanding driver and even more outstanding vehicle dynamics.

Luke Youlden is no stranger to Bathurst. He’s lapped the Mount Panorama circuit thousands of times, completing the gruelling Bathurst 1000 race multiple times over his professional career, tasting victory in 2017.

He’d never been in a car this dynamic, however, with blazing speed up Mountain Straight, amazing handling through the twisting top section of the circuit and enough power to seemingly shorten Conrod Straight and The Chase before crossing the start/finish line.

To put this lap in perspective:

The BT62 covered more than an Olympic swimming pool per second, averaging 188.5 km/h around the 6.213 km circuit.

At the speeds it was travelling – and given the BT62’s low weight and amazing downforce capabilities (up to 1600kg at top speed) – the car could have driven around 14% of the lap upside down.

The car pulled maximum loads of 2.89 g in the corners, 1.24 g under acceleration and a massive 3.51 g under brakes. That maximum braking instance involved 80kg of leg pressure applied to the pedal and resulted in the BT62’s carbon/carbon brakes heating to 675C degrees, a comfortable operating window for brakes used in F1 cars.

The power to reduce the 3kms worth of straights comes from the Brabham 5.4 litre, naturally aspirated V8 engine producing 700hp at 7400 rpm. Combine this with a 6-speed Holinger racing gearbox weighing just 63 kilos with a super-fast gear change, and you have a hypercar capable of rapid acceleration; a car that gets faster, sooner, maximising your time at top speed on the straights.

Power is nothing without control, however, and the BT62’s superior chassis dynamics and outstanding aerodynamics proved invaluable over the twisting top section of the mountain circuit.

The chassis itself is a masterpiece of design and construction. Manufactured from lightweight, high-tensile steel it provides unrivalled torsional rigidity, allowing Brabham’s engineers to concentrate on tuning the suspension to deal with the track rather than compensating for compromised chassis performance. The chassis features adjustable anti-roll bars, full camber adjustment and industry-leading, 4-way adjustable, racing dampers.

Working with the chassis to keep the car glued to the road is an aerodynamics package producing up to 1600kg of downforce at top speed. The BT62’s sculpted body is designed to manage airflow over the whole body as a continuous surface. This optimises aero performance by keeping the high-pressure air working on the upper surfaces and low-pressure air working on the underfloor. Any low-pressure wake is kept away from the critical aero surfaces and air intakes, ensuring maximum downforce and adequate cooling flow to the powertrain.

The Brabham BT62 is a tour de force of technical know-how, producing performances that rank second only to the top echelons of open wheel racing.

Born from champions, the Brabham BT62 delivers world-beating performance for the champions of tomorrow.

As for Mount Panorama, the BT62 holds the record but still has unfinished business – an even quicker time beckons.

McLaren Extends Relationship with Intelligent Money British GT Championship for a 5th Season

• A record 12 entries running with McLaren Customer Racing, doubling the number on the grid from 2019

• 720S GT3 and 570S GT4 to contest Silver and ProAm classes across both GT3 and GT4 championships

• McLaren 720S returns as official Safety Car

McLaren Automotive will once again be represented on the highly-competitive Intelligent Money British GT grid, as it is confirmed that a total of 12 McLaren entries will contest the GT3 and GT4 championships during the 2020 season. This will be the strongest-ever showing for the British brand with eight examples of the 570S GT4 battling for GT4 honors, while an expanded grid of GT3 cars will see teams battling for both ProAm honors and, for the first time, the Silver class championship. The grid will also be led by McLaren for the fifth successive season as the 720S Safety Car returns to action.

The 720S Safety Car will manage and co-ordinate all on-track activities at each of the nine races, leading a record 34-car grid, with one-third made up of McLaren Customer Racing teams. This announcement further strengthens the relationship between McLaren Automotive and the SRO-run series which now enters a fifth year.

720S GT3 to challenge for ProAm and Silver titles

In the GT3 championship, Balfe Motorsport returns with the 720S GT3 for a second season and an unchanged ProAm line-up from 2019 of Shaun Balfe and McLaren Factory Driver Rob Bell. The pair are looking to pick up where they left off last season, having scored a race victory at the season finale at Donington Park to secure third in the championship.

Two new Customer Racing teams will also take to the British GT grid fielding the 720S GT3 for the first time in 2020. Championship regulars, and reigning GT3 Silver class champions, Optimum Motorsport confirmed a switch to McLaren over the winter and the Wakefield-based team will run with Australian driver pairing Nick Foster and Martin Berry, who are both new to the series. Completing the McLaren Customer Racing GT3 runners and riders is the newly-established 2 Seas Motorsport with a two-car entry both battling for Silver class honors. Angus Fender will share with McLaren GT4-race winner Dean MacDonald for one entry, while Championship debutant Isa Al-Khalifa has been confirmed in the second car. His driving partner is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.

Biggest ever McLaren presence on the GT4 grid

The GT4 class within the Intelligent Money British GT championship continues to grow in stature, and the grid gains strength each year with 2020 being no different. This season sees no less than eight examples of the 570S GT4 confirmed for the full season calendar battling for outright GT4 championship honors, with entries in the Silver and ProAm classes.

Leading the GT4 charge will be Tolman Motorsport as the team returns for the season with a two-car entry wearing striking new liveries. The 2019 GT4 championship runners-up will once again line up with the newly selected McLaren Automotive Driver Development Programme (DDP) drivers. Now entering its third season, the DDP continues to nurture young motorsport talent, and this year has expanded the reach of the program beyond the UK with international drivers representing Australia, North America, and Switzerland. It has now been confirmed that Michael Benyahia and Alain Valente will be paired up in the number #4 570S GT4, while Harry Hayek will race alongside Katie Milner in the number #5.

After confirming a move to join McLaren Customer Racing earlier this year which will see Optimum Motorsport run the 720S GT3 in both the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and Intelligent Money British GT Championship, the team will also contest the domestic championship’s GT4 class with Pure McLaren GT Series graduates Brendan Iribe and Nick Moss partnering with professionals Ollie Millroy and James Pickford in two ProAm entries. The four drivers have previously raced together, clinching victory at the Gulf 12 Hours at the close of the 2019 season.

In parallel to a two-car entry in the GT4 European Series, HHC Motorsport returns to the British GT Championship running with a pair of 570S GT4s for a second season. After winning the opening round of 2019, the team will be looking to make another immediate impact on the championship with a double Silver class entry. Gus Bowers and Chris Wesemael both make a step up to GT4 competition and debut in the series. The driver line-up for the second car will be confirmed in due course. 

Completing the line-up of McLaren Customer Racing GT4 entries is Balfe Motorsport, bringing the total number of entries for the McLaren brand on the grid to a record 12. McLaren Professional Driver Michael O’Brien partners with Graham Johnson for a second season, while the first racing commitment since his appointed as Factory Driver will see Euan Hankey racing alongside double-Pure McLaren GT Series champion Mia Flewitt who makes a return to the British GT championship for her first full season.

“British GT’s official Safety Car partnership with McLaren Automotive enters its fifth season this year, extending one of the championship’s longest-running associations. We’re delighted to have the 720S - likely to be the world’s most capable Safety Car - leading our supercar pack to the start of every round once again, while the manufacturer’s GT3 and GT4 models make up one-third of this year’s full-season entry. We’re very proud that such an iconic British brand continues to have a high-profile presence in one of the UK’s biggest motorsport series.”Lauren Granville, Intelligent Money British GT Championship Manager 

Intelligent Money British GT Championship 2020 – confirmed entries for McLaren Customer Racing teams:

720S GT3 : GT3 championship – ProAm

Balfe Motorsport:          
#22 – Shaun Balfe (GBR), Rob Bell (GBR)

Optimum Motorsport:  
#68 – Martin Berry (AUS), Nick Foster (AUS)

720S GT3 : GT3 championship – Silver

2 Seas:               
#09 – Isa Al-Khalifa (BAH), TBC
#10 – Angus Fender (GBR), Dean MacDonald (GBR)

570S GT4 : GT4 championship – ProAm

Balfe Motorsport:          
#20 – Graham Johnson (GBR), Michael O’Brien (GBR)
#21 – Mia Flewitt (SWE), Euan Hankey (GBR)

Optimum Motorsport:  
#27 – Nick Moss (GBR), James Pickford (GBR)
#88 – Brendan Iribe (USA), Ollie Millroy (GBR)

570S GT4 : GT4 championship – Silver

Tolman Motorsport:      
#4 – Michael Benyahia (USA), Alain Valente (SUI)
#5 – Harry Hayek (AUS), Katie Milner (GBR)

HHC Motorsport:           
#57 – Gus Bowers (GBR), Chris Wesemael (GBR)
#58 – TBC, TBC 

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Alfa Romeo Returns a Legend

Giulia GTA: The Return of an Alfa Romeo Legend

• 110 years after its foundation, Alfa Romeo returns to its roots, bringing back one of the legends of its history and of motoring in general: Giulia GTA

• The new Giulia GTA is technically and conceptually inspired by the Giulia GTA of 1965: the “Gran Turismo Alleggerita” developed by Autodelta and based on the Giulia Sprint GT that racked up sporting successes worldwide

• Based on Giulia Quadrifoglio, Giulia GTA is fitted with a more powerful version of the Alfa Romeo 2.9 V-6 Bi-Turbo engine, now with 540 hp

• A GTAm (modified) variant is an extreme 100 percent “street legal” version of the GTA, characterized by two racing seats, roll bar, and 6-point safety belts

• With its extensive use of ultra-light materials, GTA and GTAm benefit from a weight reduction of 220 lb compared to the Giulia Quadrifoglio, achieving a best-in-class weight/power ratio of 6.2 lb/hp

• Specific technical solutions have also been developed for aerodynamics, setup, and handling

• Alfa Romeo will collect the declarations of interest on Giulia GTA and GTAm starting today, available in only 500 certified, numbered units in total. Lucky buyers will receive an exclusive customer experience, with the one-to-one sales process and dedicated experience package

March 2, 2020,  Auburn Hills, Mich. - On June 24, Alfa Romeo will reach an important milestone in its remarkable history: 110 years in business. During that century-plus span, Alfa Romeo engineers and designers have relentlessly pursued innovation, while always remaining true to the brand’s DNA. Over the years, this DNA – the perfect combination of sportiness and elegance – has created not only some of the most iconic vehicles ever built but also vehicles that are right at home both on the racetrack and in any beauty contest. To mark its 110th birthday, Alfa Romeo presents a vehicle that fully signifies a return to the brand’s origins, while paying tribute to one of the most emblematic vehicles of Alfa Romeo: Giulia GTA.

A set of initials with a legendary feel: GTA
The acronym GTA stands for “Gran Turismo Alleggerita” (alleggerita being the Italian term for “lightened”), and it originated in 1965 with the Giulia Sprint GTA, a specific version derived from the Sprint GT, designed as a sports car and presented at the Amsterdam Motor Show staged that same year. The body of the Giulia Sprint GT was replaced with an identical version in aluminum, for a total weight of 1,642 lb compared to the 2,094 lb of the road version. A second variation concerned the 1.6 twin-cam engine which, in the road configuration, with dual ignition, reached an impressive output of 115 hp. The technicians of Autodelta, the official Alfa Romeo racing team, chose it as the reference vehicle for the Touring category and developed it to achieve a maximum output of 170 hp. The model’s success in competitions was then immediate: three consecutive “Challenge Europeo Marche”, tens of national championships and hundreds of individual races in every part of the world. And the way it ramped up the image of the entire range was also impressive: Giulia Sprint GTA expressed the claim “A victory a day in your everyday car” to perfection. From then on, the GTA made a name for itself as the undisputed icon of Alfa Romeo's sportiness and the acronym GTA became so successful that the public soon associated it with all the sporty Alfa Romeo vehicles in general.
 
The legend is renewed with excellent technical solutions
On the year of its 110th anniversary, Alfa Romeo intends to break a few rules: it doesn’t intend to talk about history, especially its own, nor does it want any gifts for its birthday. Instead, it prefers to give a gift to Alfa enthusiasts by presenting the Giulia GTA. Today, this is a real return to the roots of Alfa Romeo, planted deep in the world of performance and grand touring.
 
Specific technical features and functional style
For the new Giulia GTA, Alfa Romeo engineers have striven to improve aerodynamics and handling but above all to reduce weight: the same guidelines followed for the 1965 Giulia GTA. The active aerodynamics were specifically studied to increase the downforce. These solutions contain technical know-how that comes directly from Formula 1, thanks to the synergy with Sauber Engineering and the use of the Sauber Aerokit. The same task is assigned to the side skirts, the specific rear spoiler, and the active front splitter. The titanium Akrapovi? central exhaust system integrated into the carbon fiber rear diffuser is also new, as are the 20-inch center-lock wheels, appearing for the first time on a sedan. The handling at high speeds has been improved by widening the front and rear wheel tracks by 50mm and developing a new set of springs, shock absorbers and bushings for the suspension systems. On GTAm, the aerodynamic front piece has been optimized to an extreme level, by adding a larger front splitter and a real carbon rear wing, which ensures a perfectly balanced load at high speeds. In terms of performance, the powerful 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo, made entirely of aluminum and capable of unleashing no less than 510 hp in the standard configuration, reaches a power output of 540 hp on Giulia GTA, thanks to meticulous calibration work performed by Alfa Romeo engineers. The same team has also succeeded in optimizing the implementation of the new Akrapovi? specific exhaust system, with its unmistakable sound.

Moving inside the car, several new details stand out: the trim in 100% Alcantara® on the dashboard, door panels, glove compartment, side pillars and the central trim on the seats. Alcantara® is used even more extensively on the GTAm version, where the rear bench has been removed, leaving room for a fully upholstered “basin”, hosting specific moldings designed to hold helmets and fire extinguisher. The new matte carbon inserts endow the interior with a distinctive technical and aesthetic elegance. In the new GTAm, the interior is unique in that it features a roll bar, no door panels or rear seats and the door is opened with a belt in place of the handle, another touch that comes from the racing world.
 
An excellent weight/power ratio
But power on its own is not enough to ensure extraordinary performance. The work done to reduce vehicle weight has been meticulous and it has reaped particularly impressive results, with a total weight reduction of 220 lb, thanks to the adoption of lightweight materials such as carbon fiber for the driveshaft, hood, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches, rear wheel arch inserts and, on the GTAm, the shell of the specific sporting seats with 6-point Sabelt safety belts. Further, lightweight aluminum is used in the engine, doors and suspension systems, and various other composite materials are used throughout. For instance, Lexan – a unique polycarbonate resin that comes straight from the world of motorsports – has been used in the side and rear window frames, further contributing to the weight reduction. The result is a weight set around 3,350 lb which, combined with the increase in power to 540 hp, brings the weight/power ratio to an excellent level, 6.2 lb/hp, making Giulia GTA and GTAm capable of delivering extraordinary performance. Its acceleration from 0 to 62 mph is lightning fast – thanks to the Launch Control system, the chronometer stops at just 3.6 seconds. The Giulia GTAm is the two-seater configuration approved for on-road use, with front splitter and larger visible rear wing in carbon, the ultimate expression of sportiness. In the GTA version, with the same power, Giulia offers four seats, no rear roll-bar; spoiler and splitter optimized for daily use on the road; the same door panels, seats and windows as those of the Giulia Quadrifoglio. The result is a veritable supercar for everyday use.
 
A privilege for 500 lucky customers
Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and its extreme version, Giulia GTAm, will be built in a limited edition of only 500 units in total, all numbered and certified and ready to take up their place alongside their 1965 forerunner as one of the most sought-after collector’s items. They are not only magnificent to look at, but they are also ready to unleash impressive power on the road, usable thanks to a series of sophisticated technical solutions. The same exclusivity found in Giulia GTA and Giulia GTAm will also characterize a particularly exclusive dedicated customer experience, designed to treat the 500 lucky owners to a unique interaction that is 100 percent, Alfa Romeo. After the advance bookings, which are now officially open and will close as soon as the 500th unit has been reserved, the sales process will be one-to-one, with a brand ambassador product specialist following each customer from order to delivery. But the buying experience doesn’t stop at the dedicated sales process. Indeed, the new owners will also receive a personalized experience package kit, which includes a Bell helmet in special GTA livery, a full racing set by Alpinestars (race suit, gloves, and shoes) and a personalized Goodwool car cover for protecting his or her GTA or GTAm. In addition to other equipment for true enthusiasts, the Alfa Romeo customer experience also includes a specific driving course devised by the Alfa Romeo Driving Academy.
 
Alfa Romeo
Since its foundation in Milan, Italy, in 1910, Alfa Romeo has designed and crafted some of the most stylish and exclusive cars in automotive history. That tradition lives on today as Alfa Romeo continues to take a unique and innovative approach to design automobiles. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio sets a new benchmark in performance, style, and technology in an SUV. The award-winning Alfa Romeo Giulia delivers race-inspired performance, advanced technologies and an exhilarating driving experience to the premium midsize sedan segment. The Giulia Quadrifoglio and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio feature Alfa Romeo’s most powerful production engine ever with best-in-class 0-60 mph times of 3.8 and 3.6 seconds, respectively. Rounding out Alfa Romeo’s world-class lineup is the handcrafted Alfa Romeo 4C Spider. Alfa Romeo is part of the portfolio of brands offered by global automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. For more information regarding FCA (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA), please visit www.fcagroup.com.

Follow Alfa Romeo brand news and video on:
Website: www.alfaromeo.com
Newsroom: FCA US Media Website
Facebook: Alfa Romeo USA 
Instagram: @alfaromeousa
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Verdant Theme GT By MSO Showcases Luxury Innovations and Bespoke Personalisation

• Unique satin tri-tone paint artistry gives McLaren’s practical supercar a new face of modern luxury

• Bespoke craftsmanship and materials include first use of cashmere in a supercar

• Verdant Theme GT by MSO a showcase of personalized luxury innovations from McLaren Special Operations that are available across the McLaren range

A masterclass of innovative color and materials takes McLaren’s GT to a luxuriant new level of bespoke personalization in the McLaren Verdant Theme GT by MSO (McLaren Special Operations). Building on the GT’s multi-faceted talents and continent-crossing capabilities by displaying a rich new layer of craftsmanship from MSO, the unique car showcases artistry and techniques that are available across the entire McLaren Automotive range.

The Verdant Theme GT by MSO revels in a feeling for the verdant landscapes and fresh horizons that the GT has been designed to explore. Colors and materials employed with the highest level of technical precision reflect hues and textures from the natural world – for example, key touch points in the cabin are trimmed in cashmere, the first time this softest and most luxurious of wools has been used by McLaren and the first time it has become available in a supercar.

One of distinctive features of the car immediately apparent is a stunning new take on MSO’s innovative satin tri-tone paint finish. Seamlessly graduated from light to dark, the car’s body blends three shades of satin-finish green – from nose to tail, Horsell Green, Arbor and Steppe Green – all created especially for this car. Achieving the perfect progression of shades required 430 hours of painstaking work in what is among the most complex paint processes yet undertaken by MSO.

The lushness of the Verdant Theme GT by MSO is completed with hand-painted pinstripe accents in Napier Green on the body and the front splitter. The MSO Bespoke brake calipers are painted Napier Green while the MSO Black Pack guarantees the most dramatic of contrasts with gloss black finish for the wheels, the upper window surround and the exhaust finisher.

Dark Green, Jet Black and Laurel Green leather with Laurel Green micro-piping contrasts in the cabin with charcoal grey cashmere. Indulgently soft and luxurious, it adorns the center tunnel, the door inserts, the lower section of dashboard, the sun visors, the head restraints and the back upper section of the seats. MSO has been working on an automotive application for cashmere for 18 months, but limited availability means that at this stage it must remain among the most exclusive of all MSO options.

The Verdant Theme GT by MSO’s cabin – offering the space, comfort and usability expected of a GT – is further enhanced with subtle MSO signature details such as dedication plaque, embroidered logos and an accelerator pedal laser-etched with the MSO logo.

No enhancements were deemed necessary to the GT’s Proactive Damping Control suspension, nor its 612 bhp 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8, both already optimized to provide an outstanding Grand Touring combination of authentic McLaren supercar performance – 0-60mph in just 3.1 seconds – with touring comfort and refinement that sets new McLaren standards.

Ansar Ali, Managing Director, McLaren Special Operations

“The McLaren Verdant Theme GT by MSO is the perfect showcase for us in the way it takes modern-luxury to the next level by incorporating so much innovation. The Grand Tourer of McLaren’s range provides a sophisticated and elegant canvas for our artistry, but also I hope the spark that will inspire every McLaren owner as they seek ever more ways to personalize their car, whether it is GT, sports convertible, track supercar, or the ultimate uncompromised road car such as our new McLaren Elva.”
Ansar Ali, Managing Director, McLaren Special Operations

Sleek, elegant and muscular, the superlight McLaren GT is a compelling blend of beautiful design, high-quality innovative materials, true supercar performance and McLaren driving dynamics and engagement. Designed for the journey, this exceptionally refined vehicle has the capacity to carry 20.1 cubic feet of luggage including carry golf bags and skis.

Technology and modern craftsmanship share equal prominence in the McLaren GT, with the finest high-quality materials complemented by features such as the most sophisticated McLaren infotainment system to date; hidden-until-lit ambient lighting and the option of an electrochromic glazed roof.

Further information about McLaren Special Operations and the personalization opportunities it offers is available at https://cars.mclaren.com/en/mso.

Two days of official WorldSBK testing for the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team

Scott Redding 6th and Chaz Davies 11th as official WorldSBK testing concludes at Phillip Island (Australia).

Two days of official WorldSBK testing for the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team, ended today at the Phillip Island Circuit (Australia), with Scott Redding and Chaz Davis in 6th and 11th position respectively. 

Scott Redding got off to a great start on Day-2, staying in P1 for a long time. A crash at turn 10 at the start of the afternoon session (after a good lap in 1'30.8 and the best T4 overall) delayed the work programme for the second testing day.  His team, however, did an extraordinary job allowing Scott to get back on track for the final run.   
After the comparison work between the 2019 and the 2020 version of the Ducati Panigale V4 R, on the second day of testing, Chaz Davies focused on the set up by putting together 65 laps.
Both Aruba.it Racing - Ducati riders also received positive information about the race pace ahead of the first round of the 2020 WorldSBK season which will kick off on Friday with the #AusWorldSBK free practice at the iconic Phillip Island circuit in Victoria State, Australia.

#45 Scott Redding - Combined Standings Day 1-2: P6
Day-1: P6 (1'31.236, +0.496, 46 laps)
Day-2: P6 (1'30.885, +0.362, 45 laps)

#7 Chaz Davies - Combined Standings Day 1-2: P11
Day-1: P10 (1,32,113, +1,373, 44 laps)
Day-2: P11 (1,31,533, +1,085, 65 laps)

Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #45)
"I'm very pleased with what we've done. They were two important days in which we worked on many aspects. We have closed the gap to front guys and the feeling with the bike is definitely positive. It's a shame about today's crash but the important thing is that there were no consequences. Maybe we still need to improve on the single lap but the race pace data is very positive".

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #7)
"It's been a busy couple of days. If I'm honest, I think I found a good feeling, maybe not great but still positive even if we still have to perfect the set up for the race. Compared to the first day of testing, however, today the feeling was better. It is clear that we still have a lot of work to do but there is a lot of confidence and above all a lot of desire to start the season in the best possible way.

Ducati Team concluded the last MotoGP preseason test in Qatar

with Dovizioso tenth and Petrucci sixteenth

The final 2020 MotoGP preseason test concluded this evening at Losail, in Qatar. The same race venue, situated just a few kilometers away from the capital city of Doha, will host the opening Grand Prix of the new season in less than two weeks.

During the three days of testing available, the Ducati Team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci were able to work consistently on the development of the Desmosedici GP20 bike as they kept testing the new tire solutions brought by Michelin this year.

The last day for the two riders was mostly dedicated to making the final arrangements ahead of the upcoming race weekend. In the late afternoon, they headed back out on track together to complete a long run that gave positive feedback.

Andrea Dovizioso ended the day with the tenth fastest time, in 1:54.312, closing in tenth position also in the combined classification of the three days.

Danilo Petrucci ended the last day of testing in the tenth position with the fastest lap time in 1:54.752 that he posted on his 36th lap out of 56 put in today. In the combined rankings, the rider from Terni also sits in the same position with his fastest lap time on Day 1 in 1:54.634, 0.776 seconds off today’s pacesetter.

After completing the preseason test, the Ducati Team riders will resume action at Losail Circuit from 6th-8th March for the first MotoGP Grand Prix of the season.

Andrea Dovizioso (#04 Ducati Team) – 1:54.312 (10°)
 “I am really satisfied with the work done today. We were able to try different setups that helped us understand that we still have some room left for improvement. The most positive aspect of today was the race simulation. With used tyres, I was able to cover the race distance without problems. On top of that, I did a few laps behind Danilo, which helped me to understand how to manage better the tyres. My race pace is good, and I am sure that if we can be fast as the front guys, then we will be able to fight for the top positions during the race weekend”.

Danilo Petrucci (#9 Ducati Team) – 1:54.752 (16º)
 “I am happy about this final day of testing here in Qatar. We tried to manage our last session well without focusing on lap times and giving priority to the long run. We were able to cover the same distance as the race and to remove the doubts that we still had. Now we need to work well during the race weekend to be able to secure a good starting position for the race. As we were fast during the race simulation, I am sure that we will be able to be competitive also in the race”.