Modified Cars Blog » Opel

M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 Rally Car

Brett — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:27:42 +0000

In April M-Sport announced that it will develop a rally car to conform to the new FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) Super 2000 (S2000) sporting regulations based on the new Ford Fiesta. Now M-Sport has announced that it has began production of the first Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car at M-Sport’s Cumbrian base. The Ford Fiesta S2000 has also been confirmed as the vehicle that Ford will use in the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship.

The S2000 regulations are aimed at reducing costs and encouraging more teams to participate in the WRC and other national rally championships. The S2000 is significantly cheaper than the current WRC cars and are no less spectacular.

Currently there are only two manufactures competing in the WRC – Citroen and Ford, but Toyota, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Skoda, Fiat, Proton, Lada, Suzuki, MG, Renault and Opel already have S2000 cars competing in various national rally championships that have already adopted the S2000 sporting regulations. Skoda has already tested its Fabia S2000 rally cars in various WRC events this year while Kimi Raikkonen recently tested the Fiat Abarth Grande Punto S2000 at the WRC event in Finland at the end of last month. Former WRC stalwarts, Mitsubishi and Subaru might also begin development of S2000 vehicles.

The 2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA

Brett — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 07:40:34 +0000

Alfa Romeo is to debut a high-performance version of its new MiTo hatchback, the Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA in March at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The base Alfa Romeo MiTo, with its 8C Competizione styling is powered by a 1.4-Liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with ‘overboost’ feature that produces a maximum of 153 bhp and 169 lb ft of torque. However, the MiTo GTA will be powered by a 1.8-Liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with variable valve timing and direct injection that produces a maximum of 230 bhp and 169 lb ft of torque, which according to Luca De Meo, the CEO of Alfa Romeo, makes the MiTo GTA will be the fastest car in its class! And it’s not hard to see why, only the 211 bhp Mini Cooper S JCW come close in terms of power, while the 197 bhp Renault Clio RS and the 192 bhp Opel Corsa OPC are a long way off!

In the MiTo GTA, power will be transferred to the front wheels via Alfa Romeo’s Q2 electronic limited-slip differential system that provides better traction and improved handling. The 230 bhp MiTo GTA should be able to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in under 6 ½ seconds and is expected to make its way to the show room floors in Europe by the end of 2009. And given the Fiat group’s new partnership with Chrysler, the MiTo GTA may be coming to North America!

Vauxhall Astra VRX, Nürburgring Edition

Brett — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:47:30 +0000

Vauxhall have released a special edition Astra VXR, dubbed the Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition because its pre-production development was carried out at the infamous race track. The Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition is based on the Astra VXR and will feature individual numbering as well as several cosmetic upgrades.

The exterior features unique metallic white paint with chequered flag graphics and lightweight white 18-inch alloy wheels. There are also dark tinted windows, carbon fibre wing mirrors and B-pillars. The Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition’s interior also gets carbon fibre detailing on the door trims and fascia, as well as unique Recaro front seats with the outline of the Nürburgring race circuit embossed onto the backrests.

Sadly the only change to the engine is a Remus Sports Exhaust that was developed by the Vauxhall race team Triple-Eight. The 2.0-liter ECOTEC 4-cylinder turbocharged engine driving the Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition produces 237 hp and gives the special edition vehicle a 0 to 60 mph acceleration time in 6.2 seconds, just like the base Astra VXR. Top speed is electronically-limited to 155 mph.

The engine is matched to the same six-speed manual transmission as the base car, and rides on the same lowered VXR sports suspension. Ventilated disc brakes all round and blue-painted callipers are responsible for stopping the vehicle.

The Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition will retail at £20,995, that’s only £1,100 more than the base Astra VXR!