Auto News - SRT Viper GTS-R to Make Racing Debut at Petit Le Mans

Auto News - SRT Viper GTS-R to Make Racing Debut at Petit Le Mans. Earlier in April, SRT revealed its Viper GTS-R race car that is destined to return to the American Le Mans Series this year and now we know when.

Ryan Hunter-Reay confirmed that he’ll be part of the Petit Le Mans driver lineup for the new SRT Viper race car, and joins Kuno Wittmer, Dominik Farnbacher, and Marc Goossens as confirmed drivers for the team. Though SRT hasn’t confirmed which races the Viper will make an appearance at, it’s widely believed that the Viper will participate in several races before Petit.

Hunter-Reay, who is currently the IndyCar points leader, will focus on capturing the IndyCar championship before hopping into the SRT Viper. Thankfully the Petit Le Mans race occurs after the IndyCar season ends.

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Auto News - 2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata Officially Revealed in Japan

Auto News - 2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata Officially Revealed in Japan. No big surprise here, but Mazda has given its popular MX-5 Miata sports car a refresh for the 2013 model year, which is now on sale over in Japan.

A few days ago, photos of the refreshed Miata leaked out onto the Internet, showing off its new CX-5-ey front end. The Japanese automaker has now made the changes official, announcing that the MX-5 Miata not only got aesthetic adjustment, but also a new pedestrian safety feature, and a few performance tweaks.

The new MX-5 front end benefits from a more pointed black mesh grille, while the foglight housings and lip spoiler have been altered for a sportier and more sleek appearance. Buyers who opt for the power-retractable hardtop also receive new 17-inch wheels while Dolphin Gray Mica will replace Metropolitan Gray Mica as a color option. A tan interior option is also available to buyers.

Mazda also decided to differentiate its hardtop models from its soft top models; the soft top variant has its headlights black-tinted, while the wheels are dark gray, while the interior door handles get a black treatment, and the gauge surrounds are finished off in a dark gray. The hardtop version has all of its accent pieces painted in silver rather than a darker shade.

While no modifcations were done to the powerplant, Mazda did retune the ECU on the manual transmission MX-5 to provide a more linear throttle response. Braking performance has also been altered, with the brake booster being modified to better modulate braking performance on the roadster. Lastly, the MX-5 went on a tiny diet with the redesigned 17-inch wheels, new front bumper, and wiring harness.

Most notable of all the new features on the 2013 MX-5 however is the Active Bonnet. When the vehicle senses a frontal impact under certain conditions, the rear edge of the hood will prop up in order to create more space between the hood and engine compartment. The automaker hopes this reduces the risk of injury if a pedestrian is hit by the car.

Unfortunately there’s no confirmation if the American Miata’s upcoming facelift will resemble the changes seen on the Japanese model, but we highly doubt that the automaker would deviate from what works.

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Auto News - Audi TT S-line Competition Package Offers Big Bang for your Buck

Auto News - Audi TT S-line Competition Package Offers Big Bang for your Buck. Audi is giving its customers a reason to be happy by announcing its TT Coupe S line competition special edition, which combines two previously separate packages, cutting approximately 50 percent of the total cost out.

Of course, nothing is ever free, and this is no exception. The package is already available worldwide and costs €4,300, or about $5,400 USD. For that price, you’re getting a laundry list of add-ons that would have cost a lot more last year.

The package offers to make lower-end models with the 211-hp engine look more like their aggressive S line siblings. That look comes courtesy of items like a front splitter and rear diffuser, air inlet and side sills, 19-inch wheels, a fixed rear spoiler and more come together to set the car apart. Probably the most generous piece of the package’s exterior portion is that it includes a no-cost pearl option with every paint color. While a meaner exterior is part of the bargain, it’s hardly the whole deal.

Inside, customers also get the S line treatment with perforated Alcantara upholstery, black leather and silver stitching. The steering wheel follows after the TT RS with a flat bottom and stronger contours. Expect to find more aluminum as well, while other small touches like S line embroidery in the seats further set it apart.

As wonderful as all this might sound to someone who wants a hot-looking TT without suffering the price, we’ve got to wonder what’s really going on. It’s not as if someone dumped rainbows and sunshine schnapps into Audi CEO Rupert Stadler’s coffee. Instead, we’re hoping this probably means a much overdue third generation is around the corner.

Whether or not that’s actually the case, anyone in the market for a new TT will be able to take advantage of the generous new upgrade.

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Auto News - Ferrari 458-Powered Fiat 500 is a Juke R Killer

Here are Auto News - Ferrari 458-Powered Fiat 500 is a Juke R Killer. Before gasoline-electric hybrids became a staple of the automotive world, enthusiasts referred to a ‘hybrid’ as a vehicle sporting an engine from a different car, shoehorned to fit in order to give a smaller chassis more power.

These days, the art of engine transplants is still popular, but this concept from Lazzarini Design takes it over the top. When one dreams, you might as well dream big, and that’s exactly what Lazzarini Design did with this custom Fiat 500.

Now before we go one, this isn’t real… yet. The tuning firm is soliciting anyone with over half a million dollars to make this dream become a reality.

The numbers seem a little bit off, but Lazzarini’s concept widens the rear of the Fiat 500 by almost 12 inches on each side (they said 300 mm, we think it should be more like 30 mm) while the front would be widened by a tad under eight inches (again, probably more like 20 mm and not 200 mm) on each side. The wheelbase would be lengthened by 12 inches to accommodate its new powerplant: a 4.5-liter V8 taken from a Ferrari 458 Italia.

Outrageous? Absolutely! What’s even funnier is the fact that Lazzarini Design said that it would detune the powerplant from 570-hp to 550-hp to help balance the car during “fast shift operations.” It also wants to lighten the load down to 2,200 lbs making this widebody Fiat 500 boast the craziest horsepower-to-weight ratio imaginable.

We have to applaud all the thought and work that went into these renderings. And if this was to become a reality, it would probably be pretty insane. Too bad it isn’t April 1st, this studio is serious.

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Auto News - First 2013 SRT Viper Sells for $300,000 at Barrett-Jackson Auction

Here are Auto News - First 2013 SRT Viper Sells for $300,000 at Barrett-Jackson Auction. As we mentioned earlier in the week, the first-ever production SRT Viper was heading to the Barrett-Jackson auction in Orange County, California with its proceeds benefiting the Austin Hatcher Foundation.

The SRT Viper that was present at the Barrett-Jackson auction wasn’t the actual one being sold, but VIN number-1 2013 SRT Viper just went for $300,000. It’s quite the price to pay, but having the first-ever of a new generation of SRT Vipers is undoubtedly something to be proud of. And we imagine piloting the 8.4-liter, V10-powered sports car with 640-hp will be worth every single penny.

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Auto News - MINI Countryman Coupe Should Be Available in 2013

Here is Auto News - MINI Countryman Coupe Should Be Available in 2013. The MINI Paceman concept, now known as the Countryman Coupe, will likely bow as a 2013 model year car, and be available in the first quarter of the same year.

Having just seen spy photos of the car, it looks production ready, especially due to the fact that the prototype wore a small amount of camo. MINI was not concerned with showing off the car early, which points towards a launch of the car sooner rather than later. A 1.6-liter twin-turbocharged engine sporting 211-hp and 192 lb-ft sourced from the JCW Mini should provide power for the the Countryman Coupe.

When asked about the launch date, MINI said that there is yet to be any official word regarding the model year, name, or specifications on the car, although many reports surfacing online say that an inside MINI source has confirmed the car will come in 2013. Interestingly, in a recent release from the company detailing the 2013 product lineup, the Countryman Coupe was not mentioned.

Reports of more variants coming from MINI however, point towards the Countryman Coupe’s launch in 2013.

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