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Category Archives: performance
Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto – Formula One’s Newest Driver
The second driver for Audi’s entry into Formula 1 in 2026 will be the 20-year old Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto. He will drive alongside German Nico Hülkenberg (37) for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber next year, which will become the Audi F1 factory team in 2026.
The experienced Hülkenberg, who was announced in April, and the promising F1 rookie Bortoleto form a Mutt and Jeff or opposite-experience driver pairing for Audi’s Formula 1 project. Bortoleto in 2023 stood out in his debut season winning the FIA Formula 3 Championship. The São Paulo native is currently leading the FIA Formula 2 Championship standings. His career began at the age of six in karting, and by twelve, he had moved to Europe with his family to pursue his Formula 1 dream. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, news analysis, people, performance, racing
Tagged 2026 Audi F1 factory team, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, formula one, Gabriel Bortoleto, Ken Zino, Nico Hülkenberg, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, X @KenAutoinformed
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Porsche Penske Motorsport Wins – Rename the 963 to 967?
The 2024 season was one of the most successful in Porsche’s long-distance racing history as the Porsche 963, won seven of eight possible titles together with the works team Porsche Penske Motorsport. Maybe it should be call 967 to honor the success in only the second year of racing the 963. The overall result of the 2024 season in the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was six out of six possible titles in North America, as well as the world championship crown for the works drivers Kévin Estre from France, André Lotterer from Germany and Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium in the FIA WEC. Porsche missed the manufacturer’s title in the world championship with the 963 this year by two points.
‟ ‘Nobody’s perfect’ – we already used this slogan in 1983, when only one third-party manufacturer appeared in the top 10 of the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport in a release celebrating the season today. It turns out that 41 years ago, Porsche publicized the Le Mans result under the ‘Nobody’s perfect’ on a now well-known poster. It depicted the racing cars from Stuttgart in the first eight places in the overall classification and in tenth place, with a Sauber BMW in between in the ninth spot. In AutoInformed’s view it also is just another example of Porsche’s sense of humor – counter the false stereotype on the lack of German humor. Remember the pink pig Porsche 917 endurance racer at Le Mans in 1971with the cuts of ham stenciled on the car? Continue reading
Posted in engineering, news analysis, performance, racing, results, shows and events
Tagged André Lotterer, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Dane Cameron, Felipe Nasr, fia, FIA World Endurance Championship WEC, imsa, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Jonathan Diuguid, Josef Newgarden, Ken Zino, Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, LMDh, LMH Hypercars, Porsche 963, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Thomas Laudenbach, X @KenAutoinformed
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AC Ace Classic electric at SEMA 2024 – Bring Money
AC Cars unveiled the AC Ace Classic electric at the SEMA 2024 show in Las Vegas today with electrified performance technologies partner TREMEC Electric GT. With 49 examples available for the launch, the new AC Ace Classic electric can be reserved exclusively at the SEMA show and by visiting here. Priced at $275,000 (£212,000) before tax and any personalization or custom options. It’s available as left- and right-hand drive and intended for US as well as UK clients. Continue reading
Honda Racing to Sell Parts to Honda and Acura Consumers
Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US), the North American racing arm for Honda and Acura, today announced it will create a new business to produce performance parts for customer use for street, track and off-road applications. Formerly known as Honda Performance Development (HPD), HRC US will offer a new line of performance parts for retail customers.
“HRC US has been winning races and championships on and off road for three decades, and we’re excited to apply this experience to new lines of performance parts for Honda and Acura enthusiasts eager to augment their performance driving experience,” said Jon Ikeda, senior vice president, HRC US. “To be an HRC genuine part, it must meet our exacting standards, while functionally improving vehicle performance and the driving experience.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, news analysis, performance, shows and events
Tagged 2024 SEMA automotive trade show, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David Salters, Honda IndyCar, Honda Racing Corporation, Jon Ikeda, Ken Zino, Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 Formula 1 car, X @KenAutoinformed
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For The Record – Corvette ZR1 Hits 233 MPH
The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1* is now the fastest car ever built by an American auto manufacturer. At a test track in Germany earlier this month, General Motors (NYSE: GM) President Mark Reuss drove a 2025 Corvette ZR1 233 mph, setting a top speed record for any current production car priced under $1 million. The Corvette team set this two-way average speed on the northbound and southbound straightaways of the High-Speed Oval Track at ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg.
“Setting the top-speed record in the Corvette ZR1 is a true triumph for Corvette and for Chevrolet, and also an exhilarating, surreal experience for me personally,” said Reuss. “With the current generation’s switch to mid-engine, we knew the outstanding performance and balance made this a real possibility. To go over there and get it done is a testament to the power of ZR1, and to the incredibly talented team that developed and built it.” Continue reading
Cadillac Lyric EV SUV Gets V-Series Performance Option
Cadillac (NYSE: GM) said today that the first electric SUV to earn the V-Series badge – the 2026 LYRIQ-V – debuts in early 2025. LYRIQ-V will appear markets around the world in both left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive, including the U.S., Canada, … Continue reading
Man vs Autonomous Machine Race Coming to Suzuka
The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL)* said today that a “Man vs Machine Showdown” is coming to the Suzuka Circuit in Japan next month. The exhibition race will be the first time Japanese spectators can see a head-to-head race between human drivers and AI technology. It will take place on the Super Formula double-header season finale on November 9-10.
“In partnership with Japan Race Promotion, A2RL’s ‘Man vs Machine’ challenge will pit two Super Formula race cars against each other in a head-to-head competition. One car will be piloted by former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat, A2RL’s development driver, while the other will be entirely controlled by advanced autonomous algorithms and robotics, showcasing cutting-edge technology,” A2RL said. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, milestones, news analysis, performance, racing, shows and events, software defined vehicles
Tagged A2RL, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology and Research Council, AI technology, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Dallara SF23, Daniil Kvyat, Juju Noda, Ken Zino, Stephane Timpano, X @KenAutoinformed
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Mattias Ekström Joins Ford Performance for 2025 Dakar Rally
“Joining the Ford Dakar program is really exciting for me,” said Mattias Ekström. “Ford and M-Sport have built a vehicle that looks, sounds, and drives awesome and we all have a common ambition to win the Dakar Rally. I have had four tries at Dakar so far and now I can say that I have some experience to be able to aim for the top. There is also a lot of knowledge and experience in the team to back up the ambition – starting with the long motorsport heritage of Ford, proven track record of M-Sport, very impressive driver line-up, smart engineers, technicians, and the rest of the team. I look forward to the first competitive outing with the Ford Raptor T1+ at Rally du Maroc and later at the Dakar Rally. I am in it to win it and I hope we will have very successful and great years ahead of us. I will do everything in my power to make it happen.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, news analysis, performance, racing, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Carlos Sainz Sr, Ken Zino, Mark Rushbrook, Mattias Ekström, Mitch Guthrie Jr, Nani Roma, Rally du Maroc, rally T1 category, X @KenAutoinformed
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McLaren W1 Supercar Global Reveal This Sunday
McLaren Automotive today said that the next version of its legendary ‘1’ car lineage – a new supercar named W1, will be revealed at 13:00 BST on Sunday 6 October 2024. The McLaren W1 is the successor to the McLaren F1. The W1 name “celebrates McLaren’s World Championship mindset.” The public reveal date marks the 50th anniversary of McLaren winning its first Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship, and Emerson Fittipaldi winning the 1974 World Drivers’ Championship with McLaren.
“The McLaren W1 is defined by real supercar principles and is the ultimate expression of a McLaren supercar. Born of our rich racing history and World Championship mindset, W1 pushes the boundaries of performance and is worthy of the ‘1’ name. Like its predecessors the F1 and McLaren P1™, W1 defines the rulebook of a real supercar,” Michael Leiters, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, design and styling, engineering, marketing, milestones, new vehicle, news analysis, performance, racing, shows and events
Tagged 1974 World Drivers’ Championship, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ken Zino, McLaren F1, mclaren p1, McLaren W1, Michael Leiters, X @KenAutoinformed
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McLaren P1 $449.99! Some Assembly Required
McLaren F1™ driver, Lando Norris has completed a lap of the British racetrack, Silverstone, in a 1:1 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1. Norris successfully lasted through the twist and turns of the 5.891km (3.66 miles) track. You can buy the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1 Lego for $449.99 (£389.99, €449.99), but some assembly is required.*
“Having worked on the original P1 program for McLaren, it’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original McLaren P1™ brought to life so realistically by the LEGO Technic team for the full-scale model. The car was an icon of its time. I hope that through this collaboration with the LEGO Group, we are able to inspire the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation,” said Ben Gulliver, Test & Development Director, McLaren Automotive. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, performance, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ben Gulliver, Ken Zino, Lando Norris, LEGO group, LEGO® Technic™, Lukáš Horák, McLaren Automotive, mclaren p1, X @KenAutoinformed
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Acura Performance EV Concept Debuts
“The Acura Performance EV Concept kicks off the exciting next step in our electrification strategy, showcasing the styling direction of our next all-new, all-electric Acura model that will debut next year,” said Mike Langel, assistant vice president, Acura National Sales. “Building on the just-launched all-electric 2024 Acura ZDX, our next all-electric Acura SUV will continue our focus on delivering Acura clients an exhilarating driving experience in the electrified future.” Continue reading
Posted in concept, design and styling, electric vehicles, global warming, marketing, news analysis, performance, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Dave Marek, Honda EV Hub in Ohio, Ken Zino, Mike Langel, X @KenAutoinformed
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Performance Driving – Acura Integra Type S HRC Prototype
Acura today debuted the Integra Type S HRC Prototype, showcasing a potential new line of street and track-focused Honda Racing Corporation* performance parts. Introduced during Monterey Car Week, a congregation of automotive and motorsports enthusiasts, the Acura Integra Type S HRC Prototype is said to build “upon the dynamic capabilities of the most powerful, best performing Integra ever to deliver ultimate street and track performance for Acura enthusiast customers to enjoy on their own Integras.”
“HRC performance parts is an exciting concept focused on building a stronger connection with Acura and Honda enthusiasts eager to access exclusive HRC race engineering to augment their performance driving experience,” said Jon Ikeda, Senior Vice President, Honda Racing Corporation USA.”Every spec of the Acura Integra Type S HRC Prototype screams performance. Everything is functional – if it doesn’t add performance it isn’t on the car.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, marketing, milestones, new vehicle, news analysis, performance, racing, shows and events
Tagged Acura Integra Type S HRC TCX race car, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Honda Racing Corporation USA, HRC US, Ken Zino, X @KenAutoinformed
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Cadillac Racing Expands WEC Entries to Two Cars in 2025
Cadillac Racing said today that its FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)* Hypercar program will expand to a two-car factory program to be named Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA** beginning with the start of the 2025 season. It’s a major realignment of two separate racing programs that have tried to beat each other for two seasons now. Jota is leaving Porsche. Drivers of the No. 12 and No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R racecars, powered by the purpose-built Cadillac 5.5-liter DOHC V8 engine, will be announced in the future. Continue reading
Posted in marketing, milestones, performance, racing
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA, FIA World Endurance Championship, Hertz Team JOTA, hypercar, John Roth, Ken Zino, Sam Hignett, wec, X @KenAutoinformed
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AC Cars Revives Cobra GT Coupe
AC Cars released today the first images of the new AC Cobra GT Coupe. The first ever official AC Cobra coupe set for production, working from an augmented version of the existing AC Cobra GT Roadster architecture. This road-going model, you might remember – if you are of a certain age and Monte Carlo Rally, LeMans and Kammtail resonate – draws on AC’s racing heritage. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, milestones, new vehicle, performance, racing, shows and events
Tagged AC Cars, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Carrol Shelby, Cobra GT Coupe, David Conza, Kammtail, Ken Zino, le mans, lemans, Monte Carlo Rally, X @KenAutoinformed
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First Look New 2025 Acura ADX Compact SUV
Acura today unveiled the Acura ADX, an all-new premium compact SUV. It’s targeting young buyers to the performance brand with ”an engaging driving experience, a feature-rich interior and top-class cabin and cargo space that supports their active lifestyles.” The new ADX will begin arriving at Acura dealers in early 2025 with a price range starting in the mid-$30,000 range at a time when performance is losing its appeal to younger shoppers, who are viewing car buying as a mathematical equation with lower prices winning.
“The all-new Acura ADX is an exciting new gateway model for the Acura brand expanding our performance SUV lineup to four exceptional models in the most popular segments,” said Mike Langel, assistant vice president, Acura National Sales. “ADX will hit the heart of the premium compact SUV segment, which has grown significantly over the past few years.” Continue reading →