The team will instead resurrect its Sauber name for the 2024 season, officially calling itself the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, after signing a sponsorship deal with the streaming platform Kick.com. The car will be called the Kick Sauber C44. The Sauber name might not stick around for long as the team will become the new factory Audi endeavor for the 2026 season.

Audi’s arrival on the grid will coincide with substantial changes planned for F1’s engine and chassis regulations. Sauber will continue to use Ferrari engines until 2026, when Audi arrives with its own power unit. The German automaker’s new CEO, Gernot Dollner, recently reaffirmed the company’s commitment to join F1 in two years.

Sauber first entered F1 in 1993, operating under its own name until 2006 when it became BMW Sauber. The pair split in 2009, but the team competed under the name for the 2010 season. In 2011, it dropped BMW, competing with the Sauber name until partnering with Alfa Romeo in 2018, running under the name Alfa Romeo Sauber. In 2019 it dropped the Sauber name altogether, becoming Alfa Romeo Racing.

While Alfa Romeo won’t return to the grid next year, its drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, will. Every team is entering the new season with the same driver lineup. Bottas ended the 2023 season in 15th with 10 points, while Zhou finished with 6 points in 18th place. Alfa came in 9th in the Constructors’ Championship ahead of last-place Hass.

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While the Internet is filled with drag races between pickups, we’ve rarely seen cab chassis trucks dueling on a track. Indeed, these two flavors of the Land Cruiser 70 lack a bed and represent the V8 diesel version and the new-for-2024 four-pot model. The workhorses were taken to the Sandown Raceway in Australia for an acceleration duel to determine the performance gap between the two engines.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser J70

It’s worth noting the V8 was a single cab that weighed 5,046 pounds (2,289 kilograms). As for the four-cylinder model, it came in the double cab body style and originally tipped the scales at 4,797 lbs (2,176 kg). To even the odds, the latter received about 243 lbs (110 kg) of ballast, so the truck weighed 5,039 lbs (2,286 kg) to virtually match its opponent.

As for the engines, the downsized unit has 201 horsepower and 369 lb-ft (500 Newton-meters) of torque while the V8 packs 202 hp and 331 lb-ft (450 Nm). Both deliver their peak horsepower at 3,400 rpm but the V8’s torque arrives sooner, at 1,200 rpm instead of 1,600 rpm. However, the four-cylinder has an extra 37 lb-ft (50 Nm) at its disposal. In addition, the eight-cylinder engine is hooked up to an ancient five-speed manual whereas the other engine is linked to a six-speed automatic.

The drag race shows there really is a replacement for displacement, especially when you’re considering the generational gap between the engines. That 4.5-liter V8 codenamed “1VD-FTV” has been around since 2007 while Toyota launched the 2.8-liter four-cylinder dubbed “1GD-FTV” in 2015. Factor in the differences between the gearboxes, and we’re not surprised by the drag race’s outcome.

It’s refreshing to see such a back-to-basics truck still exists in 2023, although in only a few parts of the world. Australia is among the most important markets for the Land Cruiser 70 Series, but the utilitarian vehicle is also returning to Japan as a five-door SUV. In the Middle East, you can even get the short-wheelbase, three-door SUV variant.

They’re obviously not meant to go anywhere near a track, let alone compete in a drag race. Understandably, these are not the springiest vehicles, but they’ll take you to the end of the world and back while offering bulletproof reliability.

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Yeah, she didn’t.

A new Hoonigan video tells the story of Ken Block’s daughter finishing the climb to the clouds he started in 2022, and we’ll say this right up front: don’t be surprised if someone starts cutting onions while you watch. This 48-minute mini-documentary tugs at some heartstrings, and you don’t have to be a Block fan to partake in the feels. Seeing everyone so emotional when Lia crosses the finish line is, well, emotional. But you didn’t click this post for waterworks. You want to see this young woman kick ass in a seriously overpowered Porsche.

Gallery: Porsche Hoonipigasus

There’s plenty of that, and not just at Pikes Peak. The video opens with her introduction to the car – a whopping two days before making her first practice run up the hill. At an undisclosed track in Colorado, she leaves the pit, rolls onto a drag strip, and promptly rips through the gears under full throttle, hitting 130 mph in the process. Everyone on-site seemed thrilled with her can-do approach, and in the video, she sums it up very succinctly: “Give me a fast car, I’m going to go fast in it.”

The next day saw a few more practice laps at another track, and from there, it was on to Pikes Peak for two more practice runs on the hill. So in four days, Block went from complete newbie status in the Hoonipigasus and at Pikes Peak to making a televised tribute run up the 12.4-mile stage. Keep that in mind when you watch her pass from the bottom to the top, featured at the end of the video.

We’re treated to a plethora of on-board footage, including first-person shots from behind the wheel. One particular sprint between corners shows the digital speedometer reaching 109 mph, and at risk of sounding like a meme, one doesn’t simply go 100 mph on Pikes Peak without some skill. It was an untimed pass and she wasn’t pushing hard, but still, that’s a hell of a run for someone’s first experience in both the car and the location. No wonder she’s the 2023 American Rally Association O2WD national champion.

“Being in that car, everything else goes away,” said Block in the video. “You don’t think about, ‘oh I could drive off this cliff at any moment.’ It’s dangerous, but every form of motorsport is dangerous. That’s half the fun.”

We can’t wait to see what’s next in Lia’s wheelhouse.

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The folks over at Garage Whifbitz, a tuning shop in the United Kingdom that is modifying mostly Toyota cars, has a new turbo kit for both the GR Yaris and GR Corolla. Depending on the turbocharger’s boost, it can squeeze out up to about 600 horsepower from the three-cylinder mill. One of the first cars to get the kit fitted is featured in the video at the top of this page.

Gallery: 2020 Toyota GR Yaris

The dyno run filmed here shows a GR Yaris running at 1.8 bar boost, which is enough for the engine to generate 364 wheel horsepower. Doing the math, this is an estimated 435 hp at the flywheel. The tuners also promise “an amazing response from the engine outperforming the hybrid turbo that was fitted to this car originally.”

The most powerful kit available from Garage Whifbitz is the G25-660, which makes about 510 hp on pump fuel and up to 600 hp on E85. The tuning specialists say it is slightly laggier than the smaller G25-550 kit but, obviously, the output is higher. We are yet to see a GR Yaris fitted with the 600-hp version of the kit, though.

If you like to keep things stock but still want more power from the hot hatch, Toyota is reportedly going to answer your needs with an even hotter version of the model. Word on the street is the 1.6-liter engine under the hood will be massaged to deliver 300 hp from the factory. Even more importantly, an eight-speed automatic transmission is reportedly going to sit next to the three-cylinder engine. Revised suspension and brakes, as well as greater body rigidity are also said to be part of the upgrade, which is likely to arrive at some point next year.

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Sam CarLegion on YouTube gives us a direct drag race between the new Mustang and the reborn Fairlady. This is a traditional quarter-mile drag race (there’s also a rolling-start race) and the two sports car achieve their mission using different powertrains. The Mustang in GT trim uses a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8, which is good for 480 horsepower and 418 pound-feet of torque. This particular yellow Mustang GT doesn’t have the performance package and channels the power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. 

Gallery: 2024 Ford Mustang GT First Drive

The transmission is one of the few things the two cars have in common. The Nissan Z also uses a three-pedal setup with six gears but it is mated to a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine. The sports coupe from Japan is driven by its rear wheels only, too. It is lighter, smaller, and nimbler than the Mustang but is also slightly underpowered at 400 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. 

It turns out that, despite the completely different concepts, these two sports cars have very similar performance on the road. Eventually, it all comes down to traction and in most cases, the Mustang struggles to find enough grip for its rear wheels. But once it gets them to channel all the power to the ground without spinning, the Nissan starts to lag behind. See more in the video attached at the top of this page.

Gallery: 2023 Nissan Z Review

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The first part of the video puts the Starlet on the dyno. It has a raw sound at startup, which isn’t surprising given that the exhaust exits straight out the side of the hood, and there’s no muffler on the pipe. The sound grows to a scream at high revs. The microphone can barely capture the sound.

The Starlet’s whole front end comes off, and it gets onto the dyno. According to the YouTube clip’s description, the first run is in a low-boost setting. Still, the engine pumps out an impressive 975 hp at the rear wheels. The second run appears to be with more boost because the pull nets an output of 1,072 hp.

The next step is taking the rotary-powered Starlet to the drag strip for some tuning. There’s an issue with a clutch causing it to creep forward at the starting line and limiting the ability to launch the car. This means we get to see several runs, including how the Toyota shoots flames just before launching. It’s an impressive sight, especially at night.

Unfortunately, the various issues mean we don’t see a complete quarter-mile run from the Starlet. In addition to the clutch problem, the traction control setting is too aggressive, which cuts power off the line. The wheelie bar and parachute on the back suggest this car can put down seriously quick times when everything is working right.

The next step is to reduce the Toyota’s output when it launches. With over 1,000 hp at the wheels, the tires can’t handle the power. They spin off the line, which limits how quickly the Starlet can get down the quarter mile.

The Starlet was only available in the United States from the 1981 through the 1984 model years. Unlike many small hatchbacks, it was rear-wheel drive rather than the more common front-drive layout. They had a 1.3-liter engine, rather than this one’s rotary powerplant and big turbo.

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By PH Staff / Thursday, 19 October 2023 / Loading comments

Few one-make racing championships rank alongside the gentleman-pleasing Ferrari Challenge. Now in its 30th year, the competition encompasses four official series around the globe (including one in the UK) and represents a pleasingly significant line on Ferrari’s balance sheet. Accordingly, the launch of a new Challenge car is an important event – and not just because there have been eight Challenge derivatives before it, stretching all the way back to the original 348. 

No, this year is particularly noteworthy because the latest 296 Challenge car is the first to be powered by a V6. Its predecessor, the 488 Challenge (and, indeed, every version before it) earned a breathed-on version of whatever Ferrari-built V8 the road-going equivalent got. Now the manufacturer has turned to a hybridised 120-degree, 3.0-litre V6 in its mid-engined mainstay, so the racing car must inevitably follow suit. 

However, purists need not fret: much like the 296 GT3 that Ferrari revealed last year, the Challenge car does without the electric components, making it helpfully lighter than the showroom model. It is unlikely to miss the battery-powered assistance either – thanks to ‘substantial modifications’ that Ferrari hasn’t yet divulged, the Challenge-grade engine is said to develop 700hp with torque peaking at 546lb ft. Its maker reckons that sets a new power record for the segment (whatever that means) at 234hp per litre. Which is an impressively chunky amount any way you slice it. 

Doubtless Ferrari is saving the full details for next week, when the 296 Challenge is due to be presented at the Finali Mondiali at Mugello, but suffice it to say that the new car is set to deliver ‘downforce figures unprecedented in the single-make series’ history’ –  in excess of 870kg at 250 km/h, in fact – and benefits from the debut of the ABS EVO Track system as well newly developed 19-inch Pirelli tyres. It absolutely looks the part, too. The car is due to make its racing debut next year, but expect to learn more about it by the end of next week. 

• Ferrari 296 GT3 replaces 488 racer
• 2022 Ferrari 296 GTB | PH Review

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Sheldon ventured to the Alaska Raceway Park with one goal in mind – to make first runs with his prized possession, a 2022 Dodge Super Stock Challenger SRT. In a new video by the 1320video channel on YouTube, Sheldon takes the driver’s seat for two adrenaline-pumping passes down the drag strip. His first attempt is thwarted by a minor issue with the car’s traction control, but that doesn’t deter him. On his second pass, he delivers an inspiring performance, completing the quarter-mile in just 11.5 seconds at a speed of 123.18 miles per hour. To put this feat into perspective, Sheldon outpaces his sighted friend.

Sheldon’s remarkable achievement is not limited to just this run. His all-time record is 10.8 seconds on the quarter-mile, a time that likely solidifies his position as the fastest vision-impaired drag racer on the planet. 

Sheldon’s story serves as a powerful reminder that individuals with disabilities have untapped potential waiting to be explored. It highlights the importance of inclusivity, equal opportunities, and the belief that anyone, regardless of their physical limitations, can achieve their dreams. In the world of motorsports, where speed and precision are paramount, Sheldon’s achievements stand as a beacon of hope and inspiration for all.

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The GT’s 5.0-liter V8 engine makes 480 horsepower and 418 pound-feet of twist. The Dark Horse makes 500 hp with its Coyote V8. Ford added forged piston connecting rods from the GT500 and unique software tuning to increase the Dark Horse’s output beyond the GT’s. Both Mustang models channel all their power to the rear wheels through the Blue Oval’s 10-speed automatic transmission.

Gallery: 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse First Drive Review

The GT comes to this race with the GT Performance Package, which adds the hand-operated electric parking brake, Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels, a Torsen differential, a larger rear sway bar, unique chassis tuning, and more.

The Dark Horse also has an upgraded chassis for improved cornering. Its Handling Package adds staggered Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires, stiffer springs, larger anti-roll bars, and an integrated Gurney flap on the rear wing.

The Dark Horse has a clear advantage in this showdown and trounces the GT in the first drag race. But the first rolling race caught the Dark Horse flat-footed. The driver failed to get a jump on the GT and was unable to close the gap for another win. The GT won by half a car length.

The final rolling race was the best representation of performance from the the two cars. The Dark Horse got a much better start, using its extra horsepower and torque to pull away from the GT. This test is just the beginning of the Mustang’s new aftermarket life.

The Dark Horse won’t have to worry about the GT with Hennessey’s H850 package for the new Mustang. The aftermarket specialist’s upgrade kit includes a supercharger and a high-flow air induction system. Upgraded fuel injectors, a new fuel pump, and new HPE Engine Management software crank the car’s output to 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque.

On the outside, the Hennessey-tuned Mustang gets a new front splitter, side skirts, and rear spoiler made from carbon fiber and forged aluminum alloy wheels. Inside, the car receives embroidered headrests.

Hennessey didn’t announce that package’s price and the website still doesn’t list it. The upgrade will cost a premium over the Dark Horse, which starts at $60,865 (the price includes the $1,595 destination charge).

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In the new short clip attached at the top of this page, you can see the Leaf racing a jet aircraft. While we won’t reveal the winner, we can tell you that it is a close battle with a minimal difference at the finish line that focuses on the Leaf’s brisk acceleration from a standstill. Don’t mistake that for the model’s uninitiated acceleration after exiting cruise control, though.

Gallery: 2023 Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf, a symbol of the automaker’s early efforts at sustainable mobility, has come a long way since its inception. Produced at plants in Japan, the US, and the UK, this zero-emission hatch has made its mark in 59 markets around the world. From its pioneering debut in 2010 to the more recent iterations, owners of the EV have driven their cars more than 10 billion miles cumulative worldwide, according to the manufacturer, preventing more than 2.5 billion kilograms of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere. 

On the US market, Nissan unveiled the 2023 Leaf in April this year. As mentioned above, there are two battery options and according to the EPA, the base Leaf S with a 40-kilowatt-hour package offers a combined range of 149 miles. The more expensive SV Plus with a larger 60-kWh battery has an EPA combined range of 212 miles. The two models feature two different electric motors mounted on the front axle – a 147-horsepower one for the entry-level version and a more powerful 214-hp one for the SV Plus.

Sadly, the 2023 Leaf is no longer eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit, which puts it in a very challenging position against the competition in the US. Without the discount, the Leaf SV Plus price is only marginally lower than the effective price of the Tesla Model 3 RWD, which has more power and a longer range between two charges.

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