Aston Martin has confirmed its new mid-engined hypercar will be called the Valhalla. Due to launch in 2021 the British brand’s rival for the McLaren Senna was first previewed as a concept at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. Aston Martin Valhalla production will be limited to 500 coupe examples, with each costing around £1 million.… Continue reading Aston Martin Valhalla name announced for 003 Concept
Tag: Possible_Motorsport
Tesla is having its best week since October, but investor says bear case is still strong
VIDEO1:5401:54The bear case for Tesla remains strong, market watcher saysTrading NationTesla is back in gear.
The stock has rallied 12% this week in its best weekly stretch since October. Since a low Monday morning, it has revved 17% higher.
“For the bulls on Tesla you're really happy that the month of May is over and June has come. What a rally in the stock,” John Petrides, managing director and portfolio manager at Point View Wealth Management, said Thursday on CNBC's “Trading Nation. ”
Now Tesla faces two potential paths, he said.
“I really do think the stock is at a crossroads here. Tesla is a very polarizing name. You either have a strong conviction on the upside or you have a strong conviction on the downside – there's no in between,” Petrides said.
While bulls have rushed in this week, Tesla still generates a lot of skepticism on Wall Street. The stock is one of the most heavily shorted at 31.4% of its float. High short interest levels indicate a large number of investors are making a bet the shares will move lower.
Petrides said both the bulls and the bears have their talking points, but he leans toward one of those arguments.
“If you're buying here today, you're buying it for the long term. You think that Tesla will continue to dominate the electronic market five years from now. Or you think they're going to drown in their own debt and burn through cash and the stock is going to go consistently lower,” he said. “We're on the case of the bear side.”
Tesla's high debt load has caused concern among Wall Street firms and investors. Morgan Stanley recently cited Tesla's debt load and access to capital alongside weaker demand as reasons for concern over its stock price. The firm said its worst-case scenario would take the stock down to $10.
“We think that valuation is just not attractive for this capital-intensive business where more competition has come into the market,” added Petrides.
Tesla's price-earnings ratio, a measure of valuation, still trades as high as 121 times forward earnings even after the stock's steep decline this year. The Invesco QQQ ETF, which tracks the Nasdaq 100, trades at just 20 times forward earnings.
Even with this week's rally, Tesla shares remain on track for their worst annual performance ever. The stock has fallen 37% since the beginning of the year.
Fiat Chrysler CEO Back to Square One Following Renault Deal Collapse – The Wall Street Journal
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV Chief Executive Mike Manley spent his first year in the job trying to motivate employees stunned by the sudden death last summer of his charismatic predecessor, Sergio Marchionne. Now, the 55-year-old executive must again rally the workforce following Fiat Chrysler’s failed merger proposal and a whistleblower lawsuit filed by one of… Continue reading Fiat Chrysler CEO Back to Square One Following Renault Deal Collapse – The Wall Street Journal
The unthinkables: manufacturers’ most oddball models
The press were rendered mute when the covers were pulled from this. Why was this slab-sided, flat-backed, narrow-tracked Alfa so ugly? Was it actually finished, with its black hole of a grille and frameless headlights? It was. The SZ’s shape troubled less with time, and it was way, way better to drive than it looked.… Continue reading The unthinkables: manufacturers’ most oddball models
Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar to fight for overall victory at Le Mans
Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar to fight for overall victory at Le Mans
Published: Jun 14, 2019
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by
Neil Allison
On the eve of the 60th anniversary of its glorious win in the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, Aston Martin announces that it will once again bid for outright victory in the French endurance classic in 2021.
14 June 2019, Le Mans: On the eve of the 60th anniversary of its glorious win in the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, Aston Martin announces that it will once again bid for outright victory in the French endurance classic in 2021.
Following the announcement of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s decision to introduce hypercars to the top category of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), Aston Martin will field a minimum of two works Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercars, specially-developed for the 2020/21 FIA WEC season, including the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Britain has enjoyed a long romance with the Circuit de la Sarthe, indeed in 2021 it will be 100 years since an Aston Martin first raced there. But it’s more than a quarter of a century since a British-built derivative of a road car claimed top honours at Le Mans, and invoking the pioneering spirit of the company’s founder Lionel Martin and the ingenuity of some of Britain’s best engineering minds, Aston Martin is now set to carry that mantle into the next decade with a bold attempt to win Le Mans and the world championship.
Aston Martin Valkyrie, the world’s most extreme road car and platform for this future challenger, is the combined vision of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey, Aston Martin EVP and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman and Aston Martin VP and Chief Special Operations Officer David King. It was created as a result of a technical collaboration between Aston Martin, Red Bull Advanced Technologies and project partner AF Racing.
In line with WEC’s newly confirmed ‘hypercar’ regulations designed to allow race-prepared derivatives of the world’s fastest road cars to fight at the forefront of world sportscar racing, the Aston Martin Valkyrie race car will draw on all the radical pillars of the road car and its track-only AMR Pro variant.
The new car will feature a race-prepared version of its bespoke high-revving normally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine. Placed within a lightweight carbon fibre structure, and featuring F1 inspired aerodynamic technology, it forms a fully competitive platform capable of challenging for outright race wins.
Aston Martin Vice President and Chief Special Operations Officer, David King said: “The FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans represent the ultimate challenge for the Aston Martin Valkyrie – the world’s most extreme hypercar. Designed and built with the purpose of pushing boundaries on the road, it’s natural to conclude that the next stage in its development would be to measure its capabilities on the track. I can think of no better way to do that than to compete in a world championship and the most prestigious and famous race of all.”
Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, Andy Palmer said: “We have always said that we would one day bring Aston Martin back to Le Mans with the intention of going for the outright win when the time was right – now is that time. David Brown came here in 1959, with a car and a team of drivers capable of winning. We intend to do the same in 2021. The Aston Martin Valkyrie is primed for such a challenge and sits perfectly within the ACO’s new ‘hypercar’ rule framework. Bringing to bear all of our previous experience and knowledge of competing at the top levels of motorsport, we embark on this most ambitious project with the necessary ingredients for success. What could be more evocative than the wail of an Aston Martin V12 leading the charge into the night on the Mulsanne straight? ”
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Mercedes-Benz & Matchbox: No limits.
With a Matchbox car and its incredible backstory, Mercedes-Benz USA collaborated with Mattel to remind girls they have no limits. We’ve transformed female racing champion Ewy Rosqvist’s Mercedes-Benz into a toy car that aims to inspire young girls. In 1962, Rosqvist was the first woman to win a long distance rally when she entered the… Continue reading Mercedes-Benz & Matchbox: No limits.
Unique £50m McLaren sportscar and supercar line-up brought together for the first time
First time these examples of McLaren’s modern day roadcars have been brought together in a ‘collection’ estimated to be worth £50m Cars were ‘reunited’ at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, Surrey The unique line-up was created to help celebrate McLaren Automotive employee, friends and family open day For the first time McLaren has… Continue reading Unique £50m McLaren sportscar and supercar line-up brought together for the first time
Ultima RS Debuts With Up To 1,200 HP Of Track Conquering Power – Motor1 UK
10 June 2019 at 11:00 By: Chris Bruce You can load the cabin with amenities like air conditioning, rearview camera, and parking sensors. The Ultima RS is the new range-topping model from the boutique British automaker best known for the Ultima GTR. It debuts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but interested buyers can pre-order one… Continue reading Ultima RS Debuts With Up To 1,200 HP Of Track Conquering Power – Motor1 UK
Wed 05 Jun 2019
Gordon Murray Automotive reveals details for its new ‘T.50’: the purest, lightest, most driver-focused supercar ever
Designed to the same exacting engineering standards as the driver-focused McLaren F1; improves upon its iconic predecessor in every way
Mid-engine and rear-wheel-drive layout; famed central driving position and
H-pattern gearbox all key to a matchless experience behind the wheel
All-new V12 to be the highest-revving engine ever used in a production car; produces unrivalled power-to-weight
‘Fan car’ technology delivers the most advanced aerodynamics yet seen on a road car
Unique carbon fibre tub and a focus on minimising the weight of every component underpin ‘lightweighting’ strategy – overall weight is just 980kg
New model will set new standards for supercar packaging, providing driver and two passengers with exceptional comfort, safety, practicality and luggage space
Only 100 exclusive models to be produced costing in excess of £2m (before taxes); deliveries from early 2022.
Gordon Murray Automotive, sister-business of visionary vehicle design and engineering company Gordon Murray Design, has announced details of its first vehicle – the T.50 supercar. Conceived as the spiritual successor to the Murray-devised McLaren F1, the T.50 will be the purest, lightest, most driver-focused supercar ever built.
The development of T.50 is at an advanced stage, with full production and customer deliveries set to commence in early 2022. Just 100 owners of the T.50 will experience Murray’s vision – a supercar inspired by his 50 years at the pinnacle of Formula One and automotive industry engineering and design.
Professor Gordon Murray CBE, Chairman of Gordon Murray Group, said:“An unflinching dedication to lightweighting, highly-advanced active aerodynamics and world-leading standards of advanced engineering will ensure the T.50 rewrites the supercar rulebook. Our experienced team is applying the same uncompromising approach to design and engineering that shaped every facet of the F1, and they are able to deliver substantial improvements over that car in every meaningful way.”
The engineering planning, plus all interior and exterior styling of the new vehicle has been carried out by Gordon Murray Design. It will be manufactured in the UK by Gordon Murray Automotive – a new company first announced in late 2017 at the One Formula exhibition. The event celebrated 50 years of Murray’s career in motorsport and automotive design and engineering, plus it previewed plans to build a limited-run supercar – the T.50. Every race or road car penned by Murray so far has featured a ‘T’ designation; and the T.50 will be the 50th in a highly illustrious line.
The T.50 breaks from performance-car convention, just as the F1 did in 1992. It weighs significantly less than any other current supercar. It has the most advanced aerodynamics of any road car, and it relies on design and engineering excellence to deliver the purest, most driver-focused performance and dynamics of any road car since the F1.
It will be powered by a compact and light, naturally-aspirated, all-new V12 engine. The unit will be capable of an extraordinary 12,100rpm – unparalleled in a V12 road car – and 650hp to deliver unmatched power-to-weight. However, Murray says: “I have absolutely no interest in chasing records for top speed or acceleration. Our focus is instead on delivering the purest, most rewarding driving experience of any supercar ever built – but, rest assured, it will be quick.”
The T.50 adopts the same, iconic three-seat format that Murray pioneered for the F1, with the driver benefitting from a central ‘jet-fighter-style’ driving position. The new car builds on the F1’s highly-advanced aerodynamics, taking Murray’s ground-effect innovations to an all-new level with intelligent management of underbody airflow coupled with a 400mm fan at the rear. The fan actively controls underbody airflow – a feature Murray famously premiered on the Brabham BT46B Formula One ‘Fan Car’. This approach allows the upper surfaces of the car to retain purity and beauty, eschewing the exaggerated scoops and spoilers familiar in the segment and equipping the T.50 with the most advanced aerodynamics of any road car
All engineering, design and styling of the T.50 is by Gordon Murray Design and the car will be manufactured by Gordon Murray Automotive at a new, purpose-built facility in Surrey, UK. Furthermore, all major components will be bespoke and UK-sourced, including the powertrain, body and chassis. This will be a true British supercar.
The T.50, by Gordon Murray Automotive will be priced in excess of £2 million before taxes.
T.50 IN DETAIL
Setting new standards in lightweighting, the T.50 supercar weighs significantly less than any existing supercar
“Automotive enthusiasts and road-test editors have discussed the concept of ‘peak supercar’ for some time,” says Murray. “The reality of chasing top speeds only adds weight, notably through ever-more powerful engines, which increase the requirement for larger, heavier ancillaries. We are taking a very different approach.”
Ingrained in the approach of the Gordon Murray Automotive product development strategy is a fastidious commitment to minimise weight – in every component. “This is the key to achieving enhanced performance and dynamics, and refocusing the supercar on the driver and the thrill of driving. We’re not interested in simply chasing numbers, and never will be,” asserts Murray.
Gordon Murray Automotive will produce the world’s lightest, most driver-focused supercar through sophisticated use of advanced carbon fibre engineering and this fanatical dedication to purging the vehicle of every unproductive gram.
The T.50 supercar will weigh just 980kg – around a third lighter than the average supercar – making it, by far, the lightest supercar ever.
With a clear driver-focus, the external proportions are highly compact (smaller than the footprint of a Porsche 911 at just 4,380mm long and 1,850mm wide) to optimise handling, while the interior is nonetheless spacious and comfortable for three, with ample dedicated space for luggage.
The most advanced aerodynamics of any road car
In rewriting the supercar rulebook, Gordon Murray Automotive set out to equip the T.50 supercar with the most advanced aerodynamics of any road car. The new model will feature intelligent under-body active aerodynamics, which employs continuous, dynamic and interactive underbody ground-effect systems to optimise the driving experience.
Uniquely, the supercar will feature a 400mm ground-effect fan, similar to that on Murray’s famous Brabham BT46B Formula One ‘Fan Car’. The Gordon Murray Automotive team has established a new technical partnership with a Formula One team, which will make its rolling-road wind tunnel available to develop the aerodynamics of the T.50.
With all of the car’s intelligent aerodynamic sophistication housed beneath the car, the upper surfaces are free from unsightly wings, outlets, vents and bulges, safeguarding the purity and beauty of the exterior design. The sense of drama, even when stationary, is amplified by the striking dihedral doors that hark back to the F1 – where they first appeared on a supercar.
An engineering work of art with bespoke powertrain and running gear
Through exquisite engineering, every part of the T.50 is refined to create the purest, most focused supercar ever made – “We expect this to be the last, and the greatest, ‘analogue’ supercar ever built,” says Murray.
The T.50 features a bespoke, mid-mounted, all-new V12 engine that has been designed, developed and built exclusively for Gordon Murray Automotive by Cosworth Powertrain.
The V12 3.9-litre ‘Cosworth Gordon Murray Automotive’ engine will rev to an unparalleled 12,100rpm and develops 650hp and 450Nm torque. Paired with the car’s extraordinary lightness (980kg), it achieves a power-to-weight of 663hp/ton exceeding that of any other naturally-aspirated sports car designed for the road.
The V12 Cosworth GMA engine delivers more power from four litres than the F1 produced with 6.1 litres in 1992, an achievement aided by the inclusion of roof-fed ram-air induction, which increases horsepower to around 700hp.
Cosworth Managing Director, Powertrain, Bruce Wood, said: “We are tremendously excited to be part of the T.50 supercar project, and to have the opportunity to work alongside Gordon Murray Automotive. It is a real privilege to play such a key role in the T.50 with an all-new V12 3.9-litre engine, designed, developed, manufactured and assembled by Cosworth’s industry-leading powertrain division.
“Developing an engine that delivers superlative performance, while meeting stringent emissions targets, is a challenge that demonstrates Cosworth’s unique capabilities. To be so intrinsically aligned with a supercar that puts engine performance, response and light weighting at the very heart of the driving experience is the ultimate accolade and underscores Cosworth’s reputation and capabilities as a leading OEM tier one powertrain partner.”
The Gordon Murray Automotive team was focused on producing the purest driving experience so rejected the use of turbos or electrified powertrain assistance, instead applying attention to engine response.
Murray adds: “By working with the team at Cosworth Powertrain we have created the greatest naturally-aspirated engine ever designed for the road. It is the highest revving, highest power density, lightest and fastest-responding naturally-aspirated V12 ever made for a road car.”
Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a bespoke, lightweight six-speed transmission designed in conjunction with British transmission technology specialists Xtrac. In the furtherance of maximum driver reward and low weight, Murray has specified the T.50 with a newly-designed and developed ‘H-pattern’ six-speed gearbox –..
GROUPE RENAULT: Communication of the board of directors on the findings of the joint RNBV audit
PRESS RELEASE 2019/06/04Communication of the board of directors on the findingsof the joint RNBV auditBoulogne-Billancourt, June 4th, 2019 – Renault’s Board of Directors today reviewed the final findings of the Joint Audit Mission that was commissioned jointly with Nissan in respect of their jointly-owned subsidiary RNBV. These findings confirmed the existence of deficiencies within RNBV… Continue reading GROUPE RENAULT: Communication of the board of directors on the findings of the joint RNBV audit