We’re moving to www.motacarblog.com

We’re moving to http://www.motacarblog.com

You might have been wondering why I haven’t been posting as often as I normally do over the past few days.
Well there’s a good reason for that, I’ve been working away behind the scenes to bring all our old posts to our new .com address.

The website has now gone live on our new .com address.
So from now on the website will be viewable at www.motacarblog.com
Remember you can also follow all of our updates on Facebook.
If you haven’t done so already please; like, subscribe and share for the latest news, reviews, updates from the car world.
And to launch the new website we will be holding a competition soon.
Thanks to everyone who’s followed me so far!

~~Mota Car Blog~~

Ken Blocks Gymkhana SEVEN has finally dropped

GYMKHANA SEVEN

Since Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block debuted his Gymkhana SEVEN car (dubbed the Hoonicorn) for the first time publicly in the Ford booth at SEMA 2014, everyone has been patiently waiting for the latest instalment of the popular Gymkhana series to drop.

Well the wait is over and the video has finally been put online and we have a feeling this might just break the internet.
Entitled ‘GYMKHANA SEVEN: WILD IN THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES’, it features Block man-handling the world’s first performance all-wheel drive 1965 Ford Mustang notchback- with 850 ponies powering all four wheels – around a closed street circuit as he drifts seamlessly around a series of obstacles.

The Ford V8 engine roars loudly as the motorsport legend passes police cars that are cordoning off the streets, at one point he even drifts around a cop car, as remnants of his custom made Pirelli tyres leave a lasting mark on the streets of LA.

A personal highlight from the video is when Ken drifts the menacing Mustang under a classic low-rider as it bounces on its hydraulic suspension.

Sit back, turn up your speakers, engage full screen and enjoy the madness that is GYMKHANA SEVEN.

KIMI AND THE F12berlinetta

Kimi pictured with the Ferrari F12berlinetta

I’m sure if asked many people would say that getting to thrash a Ferrari F12 around at a track day would be a hard thing to beat, however Autoexpress motor journalist Chris Ebbs might have done just that.
After getting to drive the F12 around the track on his own, he was then treated to a hot lap with Formula 1 legend Kimi Raikkonen at a special F12berlinetta track day put on by the Italian Supercar creators at Fiorano.

“As a novice track driver, I’d come along to get some expert tuition in how to handle a supercar from Ferrari’s instructors. The day of tuition had gone well, then, over a couple of laps, Kimi Raikkonen proceeded to show me how little I really knew.” Said Ebbs.

From the moment they set off, you can see via the speedometer that he keeps his foot firmly planted throughout. He can be even seen correcting the supercar as it slides around the corners with only his left hand so that he can change up a gear mid-slide with his right hand.

At several points in the video Kimi’s over-steering skills can be seen being put to good use as he manages to control the 740bhp F12 effortlessly – a car with so much power that many drivers struggle to keep it on the track.

And to top it all off, at the end of the two laps the F1/WRC legend jumps calmly out of the F12 he was just driving and heads for another one in front that’s waiting parked up with fresh tyres – so he can continue his track onslaught.

F1 car dominates at track day

A still from Rennwerks youtube video

If you’re an F1 fan and find yourself missing the sound of the cars from the good old days, or if you’ve ever wondered how you would fair in a race against an F1 car in a normal road car – then this video might be one for you.

Rennwerk – a German motorsport engineering company – posted this video of one driver who took an Arrows A22 F1 car for a test drive on an open track day at the Zolder circuit in Belgium.

The Arrows A22 was by no means the quickest F1 car of its day (2001) but as you see it breeze past every other car on the track with ease, it becomes immediately apparent just how much faster an F1 car is compared to more normal performance machinery

However, before you go thinking that buying a retired F1 car is the quick route to track day glory, bear in mind this driver had a whole host of engineers and race mechanics employed to keep the fragile orange beast running in top condition.

Click play to watch the footage below.

This piece was written for AOL Cars

Type R in Honda’s ‘The Other Side’ never really existed

Civic Type R rendering

Over the past decade Honda have become synonymous for their clever marketing campaigns, with other hit adverts including ‘The Cog’.

If you haven’t seen the recent innovative interactive film Honda released a few weeks back entitled ‘The Other Side’, then you should definitely check it out.

However, as it turns out, the new Type R that we see in the film never really existed and was created entirely by computer generated visual effects.

VFX shop The Mill – the team behind the video explain:

‘The Mill worked with Wieden & Kennedy, Stink Digital and Somesuch director Daniel Wolfe to create Honda’s online interactive film launching its high-performance Civic Type R model. Ahead of the automobile’s launch, The Mill’s 3D team carefully crafted the red Type R model entirely in CG for the film and the expert Flame team seamlessly composited the CG vehicle into the night-time narrative to match perfectly with our hero’s daytime alter-ego.’

I have to admit, at no point did I think that the Type R used in the video wasn’t real and massive amount of credit has to go to the creators for not only creating such a smart film but also the incredible CGI work that went into making it.

Volvo FH truck races the Koenigsegg One:1

Volvo FH truck vs Koenigsegg One:1

In Volvo’s latest marketing campaign for their new dual clutch gearbox, they have put one of their vehicles to the test ultimate test.  The Swedish carmaker put their Volvo FH truck in a head-to-head race against another Swedish machine, only it’s slightly different to Volvos truck –it’s the Koenigsegg One:1.

Although they are two completely different machines, designed for completely different, the two vehicles end up in a thrilling battle that continues into the very last seconds of the race.

Piloting Volvo FH truck is TV presenter and former racing driver Tiff Needell, whilst behind the wheel of the Koenigsegg is the Hypercars official test driver.

The race is held in order to put Volvo Trucks’ new gearbox I-Shift Dual Clutch to the test – which is based on sports car technology. Since Tiff Needell has never driven a truck before, he first takes the Volvo FH out for a few test laps first and then the race is on!

Rocket propelled bicycle beats Ferrari in drag race

The Ferrari lines up next to the rocket powered bike

A French cyclist has ridden a rocket-equipped push bicycle into the record books by attaining speeds of 207mph (333km/h) at a racetrack in France.

Francois Gissy took just 4.8 seconds to accelerate to his top speed at the Circuit Paul Ricard racetrack, near Marseille.

To demonstrate just how fast this bike is, Gissy decided to go head to head with a Ferrari in a drag race. And the bike breezes past the Ferrari with ease!

And he’s not finished just yet as he wants to keep pushing the boundaries and believes he can achieve 250mph on his next run on the bike. However, he must first raise the much needed funding required to keep going.

The rocket-propelled bicycle, named Kamikaze 5, was designed by Mr Gissy’s Swiss friend Arnold Neracher, and has been used in a series of ever-faster speed challenges organised by the two men since 2011.

Speaking to the BBC about the new record Gissy said:

“It’s extremely intense, that’s why it’s a real feat,”

“The bicycle is extremely lightweight, there’s no aerodynamic covering and the force of the drag is extreme – maybe 200kg [440lb] of force on my body.

“At the moment [of riding] it’s very scary – there’s no pleasure like you would get from a motorcycle.

“But when you stop, you think – yes, that was amazing.

Mercedes readying new S-class Maybach

Mercedes S-Class Maybach

Mercedes have officially confirmed that the prestigious Maybach is set to make a comeback, though this time it will be branded under the Mercedes moniker and not as a separate entity.

According to the German premium carmakers “the Mercedes-Maybach embodies “the best” in its most exclusive form.”

Although the previous run of Maybachs may not have been as successful as they would have hoped, Mercedes are now trying a new line of attack on the luxury car market,  with rivals such as Bentley and Rolls Royce firmly in their sights.

“In the same way as it did with the sporty positioning of Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Benz has now therefore established a new offering in the exclusive top segment by introducing a sub-brand with the name Mercedes-Maybach.”

The new flagship model – based on their current S-Class – will be badged as the Mercedes-Maybach S600 and it’s official unveiling is set to take place at next week’s LA Motor Show.

Powering this costly car will be a 6.0-litre V12 with 530hp and 830nm of torque. Also joining the range will be an S500 V8 Maybach and an S400 4Matic.

Set to be 200mm longer than a long wheelbase S-Class, the car will also offer more legroom than the previous Maybach. It can be differentiated from the regular S-Class by its super-luxurious interior – exactly what you might expect in a Maybach. The cabin is awash with premium diamond quartered leather, rich wood and brushed aluminium – every panel has been treated to the finest materials available.

Expected to go on sale in spring 2015, an estimated 600 models are due to make their way to the UK.

So what can you expect to pay for a slice of this exclusivity? The price is said to be £10k to £15k more than a long-wheelbase S-Class, putting the S600 version around the £130,000 mark.

Herd of Lambos tear up Imola

Aventadors tearing up the track at Imola

If you have a spare couple of minutes, like supercars and love the sound of a good V12 then this video could be right up your street. Filmed at a private Lamborghini track event, the footage – taken by renowned supercar spotter Marchettino, captures a herd of raging Aventadors that have been unleashed at the infamous Imola track, as they fill the air with the aurally pleasing note of their V12 engines.

For most of us, stumbling across an Aventador is like spotting a unicorn, and even if you are lucky enough to see one, their owners are usually cruising around a wealthy metropolitan area, so seeing a fleet of them being thrashed around Imola together really is pretty special in itself.

I’d recommend sitting back in your seat, switching to full screen and turning up your speakers for maximum enjoyment levels.

Classic Schumacher F1 car to be auctioned

Bennetton-Ford B191B

Michael Schumacher’s first podium-position Formula One car is to be sold at auction later this month.

The car, a Benetton-Ford B191B, enabled the legendary German F1 driver to reach third place in the race in 1992, in what would turn out to be the last Mexican Grand Prix to date.

This was only the eighth race of Schumacher’s career, and this impressive finishing position was a sign of things to come.

Schumacher went on to take to the podium in Formula One racing a further 154 times, 91 of those on the top step, in the process winning the world championship a record seven times.

This car also took three-time Formula One World Champion driver, Brazil’s Nelson Piquet, through his last Grand Prix on the beautiful Adelaide street and parkland circuit in the 1991 season.

James Knight, Bonhams’ Head of Motoring said:

“we are delighted to be able to offer this running-order Formula 1 car which starred in landmark performances not by just one World Champion Driver, but by two – one of them Nelson Piquet, the other the great Michael Schumacher – outstanding Grand Prix racing stars who share between them no fewer than an incredible ten Formula 1 World Championship titles…

“This car really has enjoyed a fantastic career, and now more than two decades after it’s debut, it can make an exciting addition to any enthusiasts motoring collection.”

Schumacher’s first Benetton will be offered for sale during the Bonhams Bond Street Sale at the company’s London headquarters on November 30. It is expected to sell in the region of between £240,000 and £300,000.

Bennetton-Ford B191:191B on track

Michael Schumacher takes the podium after piloting the Bennetton-Ford B191:191B

Bennetton-Ford B191:191B Side View

Bennetton-Ford B191:191B Rear view

Bennetton-Ford B191:191B

Bennetton-Ford B191:191B