Renault Teases More Potent version of Megane RS

One of Europe’s finest hot hatches is about to get better as Renault is readying a new edition of the Megane RS that will be unveiled to the world on June 17, 2011. The French carmaker released a teaser video of the car from the test runs at the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany.

However, that’s about all Renault is willing to reveal for now so we’ll have to wait and see what kind of upgrades the car will feature and if a power boost and / or a weight reduction and chassis enhancements are part of the package.

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Aston Martin V12 Zagato: Italian Elegance Meets British Brute Force

Some companies really know how to celebrate. Take AstonMartin and Zagato, for example. The iconic British sports car maker and the legendary Italian coachbuilder will mark the 50th anniversary of their first collaboration with a brand new study.

To honor their first joint project, the 1961 DB4GT Zagato, the two companies developed the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, a race car study that will be unveiled on May 21 at the Villa D'Este Concorsod'Eleganza in Italy, where it will compete against the Ferrari Superamerica 45. But this elegant and dramatic coupe was not built for classy Concours d'Elegance events alone, as it will actually race at the Nurburgring 24 Hour event on June 25-26.

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SCOOP: Audi’s Über R8 GT Spyder Hits the ‘Ring

There’s a new Audi model coming to town. We’re talking about the 2012 R8 GT Spyder that will make its global premiere at the upcoming 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and which we caught testing in and around the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany. Even though Audi recently teased us with a set of renderings, these are some of the first real life photos of the R8 GT Spyder, which is seen here in prototype guise.

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SCOOP: 2012 Bentley Continental GTC Convertible Facelift Spotted Testing at the Nurburgring

We knew that Bentley was working on a revised version of its Continental GTC drop-top model after the introduction of the facelifted Continental GT coupe, and these fresh-from-the-Nurburgring spy shots are here to prove it.

Following the example of its coupe sibling that was unveiled in facelifted form at last year’s Paris Motor Show, the 2012 Conti convertible receives a styling makeover. The changes include newly shaped body panels all around and a more prominent front end with Mulsanne-inspired quad headlamps featuring inner lamps powered by xenon on low beam and LED on high beam.

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Lexus CT200h Race Car to Debut at the Nurburgring

The Lexus CT200h compact hybrid will debut in racing car guise at an endurance race this weekend at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit. Entered by Gazoo Racing, the same organization that races the Lexus LFA, the CT200h will compete in the Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy. Around 200 cars will line up at the start of the six hour-race. Read more »

Opel Corsa OPC Nurburgring Edition Photographed at its Natural Habitat

Last month we wrote about the Opel Corsa OPC Nurburgring Edition, a 210HP version of which only 500 units will be built. Opel had initially released three photos of the new car but now, the German carmaker returns with a bevy of new pictures of its pocket rocket. Naturally, all shots are taken at the Nurburgring racetrack, on the old Nordschleife section as well as on the modern Grand Prix circuit.

Opel didn't offer any new information on the car aside from announcing that the average fuel consumption is 7.6 liters/100 km (30.95 mpg) with corresponding CO2 emissions of 178 grams per kilometer.

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Video: Peugeot EX-1’s Record Breaking Run on the Nurburgring

On April 27, 2011, for the first time in the Peugeot’s history, the French car maker set an official lap record on the Nordschleife race track in Germany. And this was no ordinary feat as Peugeot established an electric speed record with a concept model, the EX1 design study, which we first laid eyes upon at last year’s Paris Motor Show.

With Stéphane Caillet, driver and tuner-technician from Peugeot’s Research & Development Centre, behind the wheel, the futuristic looking EX1 completed a lap around the Nurburgring in 9 minutes and 1.338 seconds (9:01.338) at an average speed of 138.324 km/h (85.951 mph).

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SCOOP: New Audi RS4 Avant Snagged Testing on the Nurburgring

It looks like Audi has set its mind to fill all the performance niches in the premium category. Following news on the development of a hot S6 based on the latest iteration of Ingolstadt’s executive mid-size model, our man with the long lens has caught a prototype version of the upcoming RS4 Avant testing around the Nurburgring race track.

Even though the prototype is a test mule based on the S4 Avant, there are certain elements that tell us there’s something different about this model. These include the heavily blistered front and rear wheel arches housing the same dark 20-inch alloy rims found on the RS5 Coupe, as well as a modified front bumper with different air vents to supply additional cooling to the engine.

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VIDEO: What the Deuce? A Camper Van Running Alongside Sports Cars at the ‘Ring!

Now here’s something you definitely don’t see every day; a camper van put through its paces at the Nurburgring race track in Germany. Mind you, we’re not talking about a VW Bus Camper Van here, but a full-size, six-wheeler recreational vehicle… Follow the break to see it in action for yourself. Read more »

VIDEO: James Glickenhaus’ Ferrari P4/5 Competizione Hits the Nurburgring Track

After commissioning a one-off Enzo-based Ferrari P4/5 from Pininfarina, American millionaire James Glickenhaus wanted a similar car for racing, and that’s how the P4/5 Competizione was born. Similar in shape to the road-going Pininfarina model but different mechanically, the racing version shares many components with the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and the 430 GT2. The P4/5 Competizione features a 4.0-liter V8 engine pushing out 450HP and 600 Nm of torque (442.5 lb-ft), and a carbon-fiber body that helps keep the weight down to 1,230 kg (2,712 lbs).

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VIDEO: 2012MY Nissan GT-R Trims Nurburgring Lap Time to 7:24.22, Plus Split-Screen with ZR1

At last November’s LA Auto Show, Nissan lifted the sheets off the revised GT-R that recently went on sale as a 2012MY in North America and as a 2011MY in the rest of the world. Key changes over the previous model include a 45HP bump in output to 530HP, plus a series of aero and chassis tweaks.

For those of you wondering how these modifications affected the GT-R’s performance on the notorious Nordschleife, Nissan’s team managed to shave more than two seconds off the 2011MYs time of 7:26.4, dropping it to 7:24.22, allegedly in less than ideal conditions. You’ll have to skip to about 3:20 into the clip for the driving to begin.

We also found a edited film on Youtube that compares the 2012 GT-R and Corvette ZR-1 on the 'Ring in a split format, which was created by synchronizing the two videos at the pit exit. Watch both videos after the jump.

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Porsche to Tackle 24h of Nürburgring with 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0

Porsche will mark its return to this year’s edition of the Nürburgring 24 hour race on June 25 with a newer version of its 911 GT3 R Hybrid that is more powerful yet lighter and more fuel efficient than its predecessor.

The 2011 edition of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid carries the geeky ‘Version 2.0’ moniker, and keeps the general layout of the 2010 model. The racer’s hybrid powertrain comprises of a 470HP 4.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engine at the rear and two electric motors driving the front wheels.

In the Version 2.0, the output of both electric motors has increased from 60kW (80HP) to 75 kilowatts (100HP) each, meaning that seconds at a time, pilots will now have an additional 200HP at their disposal.

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Volkswagen Unwraps Monster Golf24 with 440HP Five-Cylinder Turbo for 2011 Nürburgring 24-hour Race

Volkswagen has announced that it will compete at this year's 24-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring with an all-new challenger, the freshly developed Golf24. The dramatic racing version of the Golf borrows the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine from sister company Audi's TT RS and RS3 models, modified to deliver 440-ponies and a maximum torque of 540Nm or 398 lb-ft. Power is transmitted to the permanent four-wheel drive by a sequential six-speed gearbox with paddle shift operation.

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BMW 1-Series M Coupe Allegedly Laps the Nürburgring in 8:12" Making it Faster than E46 M3

The BMW 1-Series M Coupe is pretty fast on paper. Reaching the 60 mph (96 km/h) mark in just 4.7 seconds is no small feat, but nowadays, it seems that performance cars need to have a respectable “Ring” time under there belt to command respect. Now, a forum member of the 1Addicts fan site who calls himself "SteveD" claims that the Ring time for the 335-horsepower strong M model is 8 minutes and 12 seconds.

If true (and according to the Nürburgring lap times list posted on Wikipedia), this means the entry-level M model is 10 seconds faster than the E46 M3, on par with the E86 Z4 M Coupe, but 7 seconds slower than the E92 M3 .

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Back to the Future: Formula One Racecar Lapping the Nürburgring Circuit in 1967

The Nürburgring circuit is called “The Green Hell” for a good reason. Measuring 24.4 km (15.2 miles) in today’s combined version that uses a part of the Formula 1 track, it’s not an easy circuit to master. Complete a fast lap was even more difficult in the late ’60, when Formula 1 was nowhere near the high-tech parade it represents now. Back then, fearless drivers raced cars with skinny tires that had very few, if any safety features and weren't exactly easy to drive.

Check out the video after the break to see 1967 Formula 1 car running the Green Hell. At the time, the Nordschleife measured 22.8 km (14.2 miles) and had 174 turns.

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Real Life Red Bull X1 to be Shown at GT5 Launch Party in Madrid

We were quite impressed with the virtual Red Bull X1 Prototype, the fastest car in the upcoming fifth installment of the Gran Turismo series. This time, Evo Magazine reveals that Red Bull has decided to build a scale model, which will be shown at the GT5 launch party in Madrid, in a few weeks time.

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VIDEO: Red Bull X1 is the Fastest Car in Gran Turismo 5

The Red Bull X1 will be the fastest car in Sony's forthcoming Gran Turismo 5 - that is, if the game ever comes out… To prove this, Sebastian Vettel was asked to do a lap of the Nürburgring race track. As you'd expect, it was done in record time and you can witness it by watching the video after the break.

This is all fine and dandy, but the X1 doesn't exist in real life. However, the science behind it is very real, so, if it were to be built, it would be the fastest vehicle on Earth. Let's check out some [virtual] facts and numbers.

On paper, the X1 measures 0.98 m (38.58 inches) tall, 2.18 m (85.82 inches) wide and 4.75m (187 inches) long - or about the same length as an average family sedan.

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VIDEO: 1970 Dodge Challenger Taken to Triple-Digit Speeds on the Autobahn

Now here's a dream come true: taking an old-school muscle car - in this case, a black 1970 Dodge Challenger - out on the Autobahn and winding it out. This bad-to-the-bone vintage ride appears to have been lightly modified or restored so as to not rattle to pieces, although there's no way of knowing for sure until the owner drops us a line (do it, 66PaleRider).

Whoever the driver is, there's no denying that the long-haired fiend has got a pair; pushing old muscle up to 130+ mph in any instance has been known to get a little shaky. The last time yours truly tried such a feat in the old Stang, I recall a trail of white smoke about a mile long and desperately seeking an off ramp (but man was it fun).

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG Spied on and about the 'Ring

The next-gen Mercedes SL63 AMG has officially been caught testing, aaaaaaaannnd...there it is. Much like the SLS and recently-revealed CLS, the front end of Merc's new hardtop roadster will sport a more in-your-grille fascia (punny, I know). It's so blunt and brutish, I'd say the German firm's stylists could have been helping Dodge with the 2011 Charger.

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SPY VIDEO: 2011 Nissan GT-R SpecM Testing on the 'Ring

Nissan appears to be preparing a new SpecM version of the upgraded for the 2011 model year, GT-R sports car, as several lightly camouflaged prototypes were spied testing at the Nurburgring race track. The SpecM model was rumored to debut at last year's Tokyo Motor Show, but that never happened.

The prototype GT-Rs seen in this video look like they are equipped with the same aero kit and forged alloy wheels as the more hardcore SpecV model, but with a different design for the quad-exhaust tips.

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