We again recall the main figures of the past year. Perhaps there are not as many reasons as in 2023, but it seems that we have managed to collect all the most interesting and remarkable things. Now is the time to remember the Porsche Carrera GT race around the Nurburgring, all kinds of speed and distance records.
So, let’s go. The “Numbers of the Year” was opened with the honor of the road-going Ford Mustang GTD, which set a new Nürburgring record.
Ford
The fastback Ford Mustang GTD became the fastest American-made production car on the Nurburgring. The V8 5.2 compressor engine, developing 826 horsepower and 900 Nm of torque, as well as an active aerodynamics complex, carbon-ceramic brakes and Multimatic ASV adjustable shock absorbers helped to drive the track faster than seven seconds. The price for such a set of advanced technologies is rather high – $325,000.
The Porsche Carrera GT, which turned 20 years old this year, decided to prove that there is still gunpowder in the can and improved its own Nurburgring lap time by as much as 20 seconds. There was no increase in power or tricks with aerodynamics – only new homologated Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires were installed on the supercar. They were developed in partnership with the Porsche Classic department and the brand’s technical center in Weissach using dual compound technology. With the new tires, the Carrera GT not only drives faster and sharper, but can also stop earlier. When braking sharply from 100 kilometers per hour, the distance is reduced by 2.5 meters, from 200 – by 12 meters.
The number is the speed that Englishman Dylan Phillips achieved on a motorized garden wheelbarrow. According to the author, like most crazy ideas, this one came to his mind over a glass of beer. He built the car for fun, but after a series of test runs, when it reached 60 kilometers per hour, it was decided to go for the record. It so happened that Phillips broke not just some record, but a Guinness Book record, and by as much as 10 kilometers per hour.
Mercedes’ Drive Pilot autopilot, corresponding to the third level of autonomy, has learned to drive the car at speeds of up to 95 kilometers per hour instead of the previous 65 (they are already promising 130 km/h – now this is the permitted maximum speed for automated driving systems). The new version of the system has been certified by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority, and customer cars will begin to be equipped with it at the beginning of 2025.
The gold letters made for the Range Rover SV Candeo SUV weigh almost a kilogram. Each letter is printed on a 3D printer. Its outer part is made of 18-karat yellow gold, the inner part is made of white gold. The British have never used so much precious metal before, but they have to start at some point. In addition to gold, the Range Rover SV Candeo features Liberty Blue and Perlino leather, Natural Dark Wood trim and watch ceramics.
This is how far the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX prototype traveled on one charge. The start of the race was given in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. And the experimental electric car finished in Dubai, next to the recently opened Mercedes-Benz Brand Center. The distance between these two points is 1010 kilometers. However, at the end of the journey, the EQXX still had 309 kilometers of charge remaining. Energy consumption for the trip was 7.4 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers, which is equivalent to 0.83 liters per “hundred” for fuel cars.
The guys at R44 Performance and Tom Wrigley Performance have built one of the most extreme variants of the new BMW M2. The coupe’s engine was boosted to 1,500 horsepower, the automatic transmission was strengthened and the all-wheel drive transmission was transplanted from the M3. Only a couple of body panels and some suspension components remained intact. They spent 250 thousand dollars on everything.
The production of 233 wooden dies that decorated the luxurious Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail took 8,000 hours. They were made from Santos Straight Grain veneer, a hardwood. It has a beautiful texture, but during processing it often cracks and chips. To protect the veneer from aggressive environments, the Bespoke department even developed a special varnish. Unlike superyacht coverage, which needs to be renewed periodically, it is designed to last for the life of the vehicle.
For this amount in pounds sterling, the last “airy” Porsche 911 that left the gates of the Zuffenhausen plant was sold at Bonhams auction. The sports car rolled off the assembly line on the day of Ferdinand Porsche’s death – March 27, 1998, but since the client also ordered an extensive personalization program, the car was only given to him on September 5. The 911 received the WLS II modification package, which included the installation of larger turbochargers and an increase in engine power to the level of the 993 Turbo S – 450 horsepower. The car also added struts, a split exhaust, an oil cooler and a 92-liter fuel tank /m
The main figures of 2023 The main automobile figures of 2022 Motor – 2023: editor’s choice
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