After creating the highly acclaimed Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina back in 2006, Jim Glickenhaus has revealed to us he now aims to take the theme one step further; to the N�rburgring for the 24 Hours race next year. At this time the project only exists on the drawing board and whether it will receive the green light depends on the quest for additional sponsors to help fund the racing effort. However, a project of this profile should have little trouble to find an enthusiastic backer. We can forward all serious suggestions to Jim.
With carbon fibre tubs not allowed, some creativity is needed to create the P4/5 Competizione. To make the car fully compliant with the strict regulations, it will be built around an existing chassis. The best news perhaps is, that it will be powered by the engine originally found in the 333 SP. The 4-litre V12 has powered the 333 SP to numerous victories and produces the most glorious howl. The rolling chassis will be clothed in a body that will share its styling with the P4/5 road car.
Although the design has not been finalised yet, we have gone ahead and posted a P4/5 Competizione feature with renderings done by Dutch artist/designer Michiel van den Brink. This page will certainly be updated as the project progresses.

At this weekend's Petit Le Mans, Rocketsports Racing (RSR) unveiled their all new Jaguar XKR based GT2 racer. It was originally intended to take part in the race but the car was not deemed ready to complete the grueling 1000 mile classic. Instead it was demonstrated for a few laps by RSR's Paul Gentilozzi. Developed in-house but with help from Jaguar, it is based on the latest incarnation of the XKR road car. The advanced aluminium spaceframe chassis was retained but clothed in a new carbon-fibre body. Built to full GT2 regulations, the new XKR will be raced in the 2010 American Le Mans Series but can also be raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Gentilozzi, together with Marc Goossens and Scott Pruett will compete in the final round of this year's ALMS, at Laguna Seca in two weeks time.
One of the XKR GT2's most famous predecessors is the E-Type Lightweight, which was built in 1963. History is repeating itself as the Lightweight E-Type also needed customer involvement to get the development started. Jaguar only decided to build a competition version of the E-Type after John Coombs had campaigned a relatively standard car for two seasons. This very same car was subsequently turned into the Lightweight by fitting an aluminium body and engine block. A total of twelve cars were constructed but they failed to impress in major events.
Today they are nevertheless well sought after and very competitive in historic events. This was underlined at last week's Goodwood Revival where Adrian Newey and Bobby Rahal piloted the last Lightweight built to victory in the blue-ribbon RAC TT Celebration race. This was reason enough to take a closer look at this Jaguar racer. The article is illustrated with 18 images of four different examples, including Newey's car and the 2006 and 2007 RAC TT winning chassis.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s Ferrari upheld the policy to scrap redundant Formula 1 cars at the end of the season. One of the saddest results of this practice is that there are no examples left of the iconic Ferrari 156 'Sharknose' that propelled Phil Hill to the World Championship in 1961. Hill scored two wins and his team-mates piloted the V6-engined to three more victories in the other six races.
In recent years several people have attempted to create accurate replicas of the legendary Ferrari Formula 1 car. This weekend, at the Goodwood Revival, Jan Biekens presented his Ferrari 156 'Sharknose', which is inspired by the car used by Olivier Gendebien in the 1961 Belgian Grand Prix. It was constructed over the last five years by Jim Stokes around an original engine and transmission. The end-result is absolutely stunning and despite being a replica, it was definitely one of the highlights at Goodwood. This 156 is probably the closest we will ever come to experiencing a Sharknose.
Now that we have returned to the base, we can catch up with the recent new car releases. In Frankfurt Maserati previewed the GranTurismo MC Trofeo, which is set to hit the track next year. It is built specifically for Maserati's one-make series. Austrian manufacturer KTM used the final round of the British GT championship at Brands Hatch to test their upcoming X-Bow GT4 in anger. Unlike the previous racing version of the minimalistic racer, this car is further developed to full GT4 specification.
This morning Land Rover confirmed it will produce the LRX that was shown in concept form at Detroit last year. The two-door cross-coupe will be the smallest car in the Land Rover line-up.
Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg have created a very special edition of the 1018 bhp CCXR. Dubbed the Trevita, it features a silver carbon fibre body. Production is limited to just three examples.

Well over 130,000 enthusiasts traveled to the Goodwood Motor Circuit this weekend to visit the 12th annual Revival meeting. The three-day event provides a small time-capsule where it almost seems like it's the 1950s or '60s all over again. The track is beautifully restored to its original condition and most spectators and participants dress up accordingly. In this atmosphere some of the greatest sports and single-seater racers as well as motorcycles take to the track in fifteen different races. Up in the air vintage planes provide an additional spectacle, highlighted this weekend by two demonstrations of the very loud Avro Vulcan bomber.
The blue ribbon event on track is the one-hour, two-driver RAC TT Celebration event for 1960 - 1964 GT cars. The grid, valued at around 150 million pounds, consisted of several Ferrari GTOs, Shelby Cobras, Aston Martin DB4 GTs and Lightweight Jaguar E-Types. Assigned to drive these valuable machines were the likes of Derek Bell, Bobby Rahal and Brian Redman. Other noteworthy cars out on track included the ex-Jim Clark Lotus 25, a beautiful recreation of the Ferrari 156 Sharknose and an Alfa Romeo 'Alfetta' to name just three.
The absolute highlight of the weekend were birthday celebrations for Sir Stirling Moss, who had turned 80 on the eve of the Revival. A parade of over 80 racing cars represented the superb career of this versatile driver. Among them were the Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin and Lotus, which he used to score his biggest wins. There is no better place than Goodwood to celebrate one of the biggest living legends; he won his first noteworthy race at Goodwood and also suffered his career ending accident on the high-speed track. Also celebrated was the 50th anniversary of the Mini and the 75th anniversary of ERA.
We were at Goodwood all three days and have captured the highlights in our concise report and all races, parades, demonstrations and displays in our exclusive 220-shot gallery.

At Frankfurt, the Aston Martin Rapide was shown to the public for the first time. The fourth model in the Aston Martin line-up was over three years in the making. Powered by the familiar V12 engine, the Rapide is the first four-door Aston Martin built in over 20 years.
At Frankfurt several manufacturers took the fuel efficient theme one step further. The most extreme was the Volkswagen L1 Concept, which is based on the 1-Litre test car that was built back in 2002. Thanks to a low-drag body and a very efficient engine, the L1 can cover nearly 70 km on one litre of fuel. Peugeot's BB1 Concept is the fuel efficient take on the city-car. The quirky super-mini features electric motors in both rear wheels. Instead of a conventional steering wheel, the Peugeot concept uses scooter style steering handles. Sister company Citro�n showed the REVOLTe Concept. It also uses a green drive-train but can also be seen as the first sign of an upcoming 2CV-style model.
Volkswagen also launched the most powerful Golf to date. Simply dubbed the Golf R, it uses a 270 bhp version of the turbocharged and direct-injected straight four engine. It will be pitched against the Renault Megane Sport 250. In recent years the Sport versions of the Megane have received nothing but praise, so even though it is down on power, the Sport 250 will certainly be a fierce rival for the Golf R.
German specialist manufacturer Wiesmann used Frankfurt to showcase the new Roadster MF5. Limited to just 55 examples, it combines the roadster body with the BMW M5 V10 engine that was previously only found in the coupes.

Earlier today the Messe in Frankfurt opened its doors for the first of two media preview days. Most of the manufacturers revealed their big releases on the opening day and in this update we take a first look at seven of them.
Priced at 1.1 million Euro, the most expensive car at Frankfurt is probably the Lamborghini Reventon Roadster. Like its Coupe counterpart launched two years earlier, the production of the drop-top Reventon is limited to just 20 examples. What does set it apart is the use of the latest 670 bhp version of the legendary V12 engine. Even more limited and powerful is the Brabus E V12 'One-of-Ten'. As the name suggests just ten will build of this high performance version of Brabus' E Class. The twin-turbo V12 engine yields nearly 800 bhp and the car features spats over the rear wheels giving it a top speed in excess of 370 km/h.
At the Audi stand two very different versions of the R8 sports car are on display. Ready for production is the R8 Spyder, which comes exclusively with the 5.2 litre V10 engine. The e-tron will most likely not be found in the showrooms any time soon. It uses the R8 architecture combined with an electric drive-train consisting of four motors. Together they produce 313 bhp and a whopping 4500 Nm of torque. Thanks to a very smooth body, the e-tron has a range of nearly 250 km/h.
We were not particularly keen of the styling of the MINI Coupe Concept announced a few weeks ago. In Roadster form the design works a whole lot better. Although still shown as a concept, the twins will enter production some time next year.
Bugatti celebrated their 100th anniversary in style over the weekend. The icing on the birthday cake was the unveiling of the 16C Galibier Concept. Powered by a twin-supercharged V16 engine, its named after Bugatti's previous four-seater; the 1930s Type 57 Galibier.
Lotus announced their intention to race in next year's N�rburgring 24 Hours race with the all new Evora Type 124. Based on the recently introduced road car, it features a 400 bhp version of the Toyota V6 engine.

For the fifth and deciding round of the season, the Le Mans Series circus had come to Silverstone over the weekend for the Autosport 1000 km of Silverstone. With two of the major championships still up for grabs, there was a lot to race for in addition to the victory on Sunday. In LMP1 Pescarolo Sport was ready to take on the fight with Aston Martin Racing while in GT2 the Team Felbermayr Proton Porsche was looking to defend its lead against the Ferrari entered by JMW Motorsport. Grabbing headlines in the build-up to the race was the presence of former F1 World Champion Nigel Mansell on the entry-list. He teamed up with his son Greg and Lawrence Tomlinson in the Team LNT Ginetta-Zytek. For the ever popular Classic Endurance Racing event another racing legend, Bobby Rahal, had entered his old Lola T290.
Both the CER race on Saturday and 1000 km race on Sunday provided plenty of spectacle for the 25,000 strong crowd. We have captured all the action in a detailed report and an exclusive 160-shot gallery.
We will only have a few days off before we have to spring back into action to cover this year's Goodwood Revival, which is held from September 18th to the 20th. This year the time-warp event will celebrate Sir Stirling Moss, who turns 80 on the 17th. He has gone through his biggest highs and lows on the Goodwood Motor Circuit, so it is wholly appropriate that his birthday is celebrated there. To mark the occasion, the organisers have gather 80 of the cars once raced by Moss. Among them are the Aston Martin DBR1 that he drove to victory in the 1959 Tourist Trophy at Goodwood and the Ferguson P99 in which he scored the only Formula 1 victory for a four wheel drive car. A full run-down of all races can be found in our preview. Tickets are still available and can be booked at www.goodwood.co.uk.

The 1960s was a decade of experimentation and progress; also in racing. The engines were relocated, chassis design revolutionised and aerodynamics invented. Towards the end of the decade turbine engines seemed the next best thing and various jet-engined racing cars were built. One of the best known and most successful was the Howmet TX that was raced extensively in 1968. Funded by metal company Howmet, the mid-engined machine was developed by Ray Heppenstall with the help of Bob McKee. Two cars were built and they were raced at Sebring, Daytona and Le Mans. The TX managed to win two SCCA races and its class at the Watkins Glen round of the World Championship. Featured in our detailed article is the second car built that has recently been restored to full running order. It is pictured in action at Le Mans, Goodwood and the N�rburgring. This weekend this Howmet TX will be one of many exciting machines that will take to the track at the Silverstone finale of the Classic Endurance Racing Championship and Le Mans Series. More information can be found in our dedicated forum thread.
Hot on the heels of the release of the new McLaren, Mercedes-Benz have revealed the full details of their upcoming SLS AMG. The new 'Gullwing' uses an advanced aluminium spaceframe chassis and AMG's quad-cam V8 built from the same material. Mercedes' new 571 bhp range-topper will accelerate to sixty in under four seconds and is electronically limited at 197 mph or 317 km/h.
The Fiat Group uses Frankfurt to showcase their latest range of more efficient and more powerful 'MultiAir' engines. The most potent version of the 1.4 litre engine produces 170 bhp and can be found in the Alfa Romeo MiTo QV (Quadrifoglio Verde). Across the isle, Abarth will showcase this spectacular 695 Tributo Ferrari. In similar vein to Aston Martin's proposed Cygnet, the well equipped 695 Tributo can be used by Ferrari owners for trips their 2-metre wide monsters are not ideally suited for.

Almost exactly twenty years after Ron Dennis and Gordon Murray revealed the first information on McLaren's first production road car, the British Formula 1 manufacturer have now released all the details on the upcoming MP4-12C. Like the previous F1 and M6GT, the new McLaren incorporates racing car technology in a road-going shell. But unlike its predecessors, the MP4-12C is built fully in-house with bespoke bits only.
The 'heart' of the car is formed by a carbon-fibre tub that is moulded in one piece; the first time this has ever been done on a road car. The ultra-stiff chassis is backed up by a purpose-built twin-turbo V8 engine. It uses a flat-plane crank for high revs and a dry-sump oil system to mount it as low as possible in the chassis. Displacing 3.8 litres, the McLaren 'M838T' is good for around 600 bhp and 600 Nm and still yields very good CO2 figures. The power is transferred to the rear wheels through a dual-clutch, seven-speed gearbox. Throughout the design process, the engineers have focused on shedding weight and as a result the car reportedly weighs in at around 1300 kg. Penned by Frank Stephenson, the MP4-12C was designed to produce tremendous amounts of downforce.
The new McLaren is not a replacement of the highly acclaimed F1 but instead it is targeted directly at the Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo and Porsche 911 (Turbo). And not just on the road; McLaren Automotive principal Ron Dennis has already hinted at various racing programs for his new 'baby'. McLaren expects the MP4-12C to hit the global markets in 2011. If the original F1 is anything to go by, the new McLaren will surely set new benchmarks.

After a three year build-up, Rolls-Royce have finally revealed the first set of pictures of the upcoming Ghost. Although featuring a more powerful (563 bhp) twin-turbo V12 engine, the new Ghost will slot in below the existing Phantom models. By smoothing out the angles, designer Ian Cameron has made the 'baby Rolls' much more elegant than its bigger brother without loosing the brand's character. The official unveiling will be at Frankfurt next week and the Ghost will hit the market shortly after.
Green and lean are two of today's big themes but they certainly do not apply to the latest offering from German Mercedes-tuner Brabus. At the IAA they will reveal the 750 bhp SV12 R. Based on the current S-Class, it features an enlarged version of the range-topping twin-turbo V12 engine. The big beast accelerates to 60 mph in under 4 seconds and its top-speed is limited to 340 km/h. Mercedes-Benz will compensate for the potent Brabus with the introduction of the Concept BlueZERO E-Cell Plus. Like GM's Volt, the 'near production' Mercedes uses electric motors and a petrol engine that serves only as an electricity-generator.
One of the big stars in Frankfurt will most certainly be Ferrari's 458 Italia. Last week the Italian manufacturer released more pictures of the two-seater sports car, depicting the interior and engine. Ferrari's longtime F1 adversary Lotus will take the wraps off the Elise Club Racer, which does fall in the lean and mean category.
British specialist manufacturer Ginetta has done remarkably well on the track recently with their own GT-machines as well as with the Le Mans Prototypes built in conjunction with Zytek. The company is set to expand the range next year with the G40. Powered by a Ford Zetec four-cylinder engine, it will be eligible for the popular Ginetta Junior championship.

Within a few years, The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering has grown out to become one of the token events of the packed Monterey Motoring Week. This is thanks to a distinctly different approach; tickets are expensive and very limited but in return the visitors get a chance to admire a collection of the finest classic vehicles in relative tranquility as well as sample the latest sports cars and enjoy freshly prepared gourmet food. All things considered, it is hardly surprising that the event has sold out well in advance for the last couple of years.
This year The Quail featured a tribute to racing driver Hans-Joachim Stuck, bringing out some of the finest cars he piloted during his long career. Stuck's tribute coincided with the 30th anniversary of the BMW Motorsports Division for whom he drove for many years. The fantastic creations of Bill Devin were also honoured, highlighted by the sole remaining Devin GT fixed-head road car. The fourth special feature marked 50 Years of the Daytona International Speedway, which is home to both the Daytona 500 and Daytona 24 Hours races. As a result the special Daytona class featured a wide variety of racing cars, including an Indy Roadster, NASCARs and sports prototypes. Well over a hundred cars lined up in total, including several Bugattis, a host of Ferraris (two 250 GTOs), a wide variety of Porsches and a McLaren F1. At the end of the day the entrants picked the well deserved class winners and ultimately the 'Best of Show' all of whom were awarded a Sterling Silver 'Q'.
We were among the lucky few and spent our time very well, capturing all the highlights for everybody else. This hard work has resulted in an in-depth article, illustrated by an exclusive 130-shot gallery.

Five "pontoon-fendered" Ferrari sports racers out on track together during the Monterey Historic Races was one of the absolute highlights of the Monterey Motoring week last month. Making it even more special was the fact that not all of them were 250 TRs; amidst the three-litre engined racers was the ferocious 335 S. Powered by a 4.1 litre twin-cam V12 engine this very rare beast ranks among the most powerful front-engined racing cars of the period, producing in excess of 400 bhp. The unique machine is only very rarely seen in public and we captured every detail.
At Pebble Beach the list of nominees for the much coveted 'Best of Show' featured just two cars; the winning Horch and this remarkable Siata 208 CS Stabilimenti Farina Spyder. This was the first time a post-war car was nominated into this very exclusive group. The small Fiat V8-engined has a lengthy history as a works car and during this period was modified from the more common coupe body-style to the very attractive 'Spyder' body it features today. Another fabulous machine entered at Pebble this Mercedes-Benz SSK Carlton Roadster. Acquired by the current owner for a record amount back in 2005, it has survived in absolutely original condition. Much to our surprise, it was only awarded a third in class.
The all important Frankfurt motor show will open its doors in a fortnight and the list of new releases is growing rapidly. Porsche has revealed yet another world debut that will grace their stand; the 997 Sport Classic. Limited to just 250 examples, it is a tribute to some of the great Porsche 911s of the past and features a more powerful engine and unique styling cues like the built-in rear wing and 'Fuchs' wheels.
Volvo's display will feature a completely revised version of the C70 tin-top convertible. The headlights, lifted off the recent XC60 concept, are the biggest changes compared to the outgoing version. Lexus have revealed the first glimpse of the LF-Ch Concept aimed to conquer the popular European hatchback market.