This week we have a good mix of press images released in the wake of the Paris Motor Show launches and a whole load of great shots sent in by all of you out there – there’s been an impressive spread of photos coming in from all around the world.
The press images allow us to see a bit more detail on the raft of new cars introduced in Paris, such as the F-Type roadster, and to see them in more isolated conditions. Under the spotlights it can sometimes be a bit difficult to glean the true form of a car – only a few stands, such as McLaren and Mercedes-Benz, went for pure white lighting.
I’m still pondering over the front of the new F-Type: it just doesn’t seem to have enough character at first glance – but perhaps it will grow on me, like the P1. Jaguar used last year’s C-X16 concept as a starting point for the nose treatment.
It’s the rear where it all works: referential rather than derivative, this is the part you want to be showing other cars on the road…
Obligatory at-speed shots point towards the performance of the F-Type: the standard, S and V8-S models all tick the stats boxes – none of them are slouches.
Surely the Jag should be chasing a Bond villain in this shot?… Now, where’s the coupé?
Volkswagen backed up the release of the new Golf in Paris with a supporting GTI concept – the real thing is due to go on sale next Summer.
A performance pack will be available as a standard option by the factory for the first time, upping power by about five per cent and stiffening the ride.
Tartan upholstery is there of course, harking back to previous generation GTIs.
A couple more images of Mclaren’s P1 have been released, showing some new angles: from this angle the complex curving shape is more apparent, as is the location of the retracting rear wing.
That wing is absolutely huge: it has both a Formula 1-styled DRS mode for low-drag mode – and then this stop-the-air-dead high downforce position. It’s growing on me, I have to say…
Then there’s the case of the silent supercar: the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive. Its four electric motors take the SLS from 0-60mph in less than four seconds, delivering over 1,000nm of pure torque; the power-train has been developed by AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth (née Ilmor), the same company responsible for the F1 team’s engines. I really want to hear the driving sounds that have been tuned into the car: it’s not going to be the throaty roar of the petrol-powered equivalent, but it’s intriguing nonetheless.
Honda have tuned up the CR-Z hybrid: a Lithium Ion battery and Plus Sport boost system have been installed and the bodywork revised.
The boost system operates like a push-to-pass button in racing: if there’s enough battery power then an extra shove of power is delivered to the driving wheels.
Ferrari’s shot of their FF shows off the new full-length panoramic roof they’ve added. It certainly makes the car appear less ‘heavy’, but it’s still an awfully big machine…
Talking of which: the Bentley Continental GT3, seen here in high def glory.
Out goes the four-wheel drive system and weighty luxury options (butler, jacuzzi, bar, etc): in comes a racing engine and rollcage.
Over on the #IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER Tumblr channel, we’ve received some fantastic images from events that have been taking place all around the globe, starting off with this shot of Alonso’s Ferrari at the recent Singapore Grand Prix.
South American TC2000 is a fantastic tin-top series – one we have to cover on Speedhunters in the near future if at all possible. Somewhere underneath this flame and bodykit is a 2.7-litre, V8-powered Corolla, captured by Alvaro Naranjo from Chile on a trip across the border to the Autodromo General San Martin in Mendoza, Argentina.
Edoardo Mascalchi from Florence, Italy, caught this 458 catching some serious kerb during the ACI CSAI Racing Weekend at Mugello. I hadn’t realised how close the track was to the beautiful city of Florence – I sense a two-centre holiday at the earliest opportunity…
Sihabutr uploaded a whole series of images of Alfa goodness, taken at the Bira International Circuit in Thailand.
Over in Bahrain, Audi came back from their defeat at the hands of Toyota in Brazil to win in the Bahrain desert at last weekend’s sixth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Matthew attended the Rockford Speedway for the 47th annual National Short Track Championships and caught the Illinois Vintage Racing Series lined up in the pits before their feature race on Saturday night.
From the shots Matthew took it looks like there were some pretty scary moments, like this massive crash during the Mid-American feature race on Sunday. Thankfully both Brian Holtz (#3) and Rick Corso (#88) weren’t seriously injured.
The Peugeot Onyx concept isn’t the only one going for copper: this Mercedes was spotted and snapped. From the tags it looks like it somehow sneaked into the H20 International event in Maryland last weekend.
Now to yet another continent: Paul Kundu shot this Evo in what should be the natural habitat for a rally-bred car: Africa. The event was a charity safari event in the Kenyan savannah; more surprising were the other cars taking part, which included Skylines and Supras, all built and tuned locally.
Talking of rallying, Hyundai have become the latest manufacturer to throw their hat into the rallying ring – though unlike Peugeot the firm are heading straight to the top, with a planned entry into the World Rally Championship.
It’s been 10 years since they last competed in the WRC with the Accent: as with the WTCC, more manufacturers are signing up to compete, but the worry is that they might just be replacing ones that drop out…
Hill-climbing is incredibly popular all around Europe, and this Group 2 Ford Escort Mk1 BDE was captured at a historic hill climb in France, competing alongside Stratos, Sunbeams, Group B Renault 5s and more. It looked like quite an event!
As usual, thanks to all of you who have sent pictures in: this is just a small selection of all the submissions we’ve received, so be sure to check out the full gamut of all tagged uploads at iamthespeedhunter.dev.speedhunters.com!
There are three ways to submit your images to #IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER: you can upload them to Twitter or Instagram, tagging your picture with #IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER, or alternatively you can email in images to iamthespeedhunter@dev.speedhunters.com. Note that images should be formatted as medium quality JPGs at a minimum size of 800×533 pixels.
Make sure you add a quick description of what the image is or where it’s from, whatever the method you use. The images should be the ones you think are the very best – they don’t have to be yours, but you must have permission of the copyright holder for us to be able to post them up.
日本のSpeedhunters読者にお知らせです。
Speedhuntersでは、週一回#IAMTHESPEEDHUNTERにて、読者の皆さんから寄せられたカーシーンの投稿写真を紹介しています。
投稿写真は、カーレース、カーショー、イベント等、車に関するものならなんでもOKです。
Speedhuntersで皆さんの撮ったカーシーンショットを世界中のファンに紹介して、あなたもSpeedhunters記者の仲間入りしましょう！
#IAMTHESPEEDHUNTERには、ツイッターかインスタグラムにて簡単に写真を投稿していただけます。
上記方法で写真を投稿する際は、写真に#IAMTHESPEEDHUNTERのハッシュタグを付けてください。
また、メールアドレスiamthespeedhunter@dev.speedhunters.comでも投稿受付しています。
写真は、800×533 ピクセル以上のJPGのフォーマットでお願いします。
上記サイズより小さい写真ですと、すばらしい写真でもサイトの写真サイズの関係上掲載できないことがありますのでお気をつけください。
投稿された写真は世界中のSpeedhunters読者とシェアされますので、あなたのベストショット写真を投稿してくださいね！
また、写真に併せてどういった写真なのか、どこで撮られた写真なのかの説明と投稿者様のお名前を明記の上投稿お願いします。
皆さんからの投稿お待ちしています！
Jonathan Moore
