Along with the unveiling of the GT street R Flyweight (meaning flyweight) supercar, Techart will also be showcasing its new Techart Flyweight performance division at the Bangkok International Motor Show, featuring comprehensive upgrades for circuit-happy Porsche owners.

Limited to 19 units, the new development based on the Porsche 911 Turbo S is derived from the flyweight athletes competing in the lightest weight classes in sports competitions, who excel in precision, speed and agility as well as endurance.

Aerodynamics, lightweight construction and chassis

The GT street R Flyweight's new technical solutions in the areas of aerodynamics, lightweight construction and chassis are particularly striking. Aerodynamic highlights include the pronounced, fixed carbon fiber front splitter, which generates additional downforce. Side air fins with integrated canards and a molded carbon fiber underbody complete the front splitter. The carbon fiber fender with wheel arch extensions has been equipped with even more efficient air outlets. The carbon rear wing with adjustable angle of attack is also a key aero element.

Racing seat weighs just 4.9 kilograms

The eye-catcher in the interior is the Recaro podium performance seat customized by Techart. It weighs just 4.9 kilograms per seat shell. It is handcrafted in the Techart factory as a unique piece with specific embroidery and embossing. The Techart Flyweight Club Sport package also includes the roll bar and 6-point harnesses with FIA homologation and hand fire extinguisher.

Just 2.5 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h

For a track-day appearance, Techart developed an upgrade package with optimized turbochargers, sports air filters and specially tuned engine and transmission control. With 950 Nm and 800 hp, the torquey engine accelerates the car from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds and gives it a top speed of more than 350 km/h.

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The two youngsters will be competing for points for Huber Racing from Bavaria and Fach Auto Tech from Sattel, respectively, and will each receive a sponsorship package worth more than 35,000 Swiss francs from the sponsorship partnership between Porsche Schweiz AG and the organizer Porsche Motorsport Club Suisse (PSCS).

Predecessor Jasin Ferati (gallery below right) from Winterthur moves up to the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. He leaves the Swiss series as reigning champion.

Support for each junior

Michael Glinski, CEO Porsche Schweiz AG (gallery below center) "We extend a warm welcome to Johannes and Jocelyn in the Swiss Porsche paddock and keep our fingers crossed for a successful season. With the 20-year-old Kapfinger and the 22-year-old Langer, the promotion of young talent in the PSCS is entering its fifth year."

In addition to a sponsorship amount, PSCS juniors receive support in the form of gartis tire sets, driver equipment, personal coaching sessions and reduced participation fees.

From simracing into the Porsche cockpit

With Kapfinger (gallery on the left) and Langer (gallery on the right), the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse is promoting for the first time two youngsters who were active in simracing for several years before each made the leap into analog motorsport as part of private test drives. Kapfinger from Passau made his competitive debut in the 2021/2022 international GT Winter Series. With Huber Racing, the apprentice carpenter won six of ten sprint races in the Open GT Class 40 for modified 911 GT3 Cup.

Langer also made his debut in GT racing in a 911 GT3 Cup. The Ludwigsburg native contested this year's Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe in Valencia, Portimão and Barcelona. With Fach Auto Tech, the trained industrial clerk was entered in the Club Division.

Three champions will compete in 2023

Richard Feller (center gallery), President of Porsche Motorsport Club Suisse, comments: "We are proud that the talent development in the Sports Cup has been so successful. For Johannes and Jocelyn, we hope they settle in quickly and learn as much as possible."

The Sports Cup champions of the past three years will both start for Fach Auto Tech in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in the 2023 season. With Jasin Ferati (gallery below right), the reigning champion moves up to the renowned series in the neighboring country. Alexander Fach (gallery below left) won the GT3 Cup title in both 2020 and 2021, and for him it will be his second year in the German one-make cup. Ferati and Fach already drove for the renowned Schwyz-based Porsche team in the PSCS.

The opening round of the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse 2023 will be held at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, from April 20 to 22.

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The opening race of the eagerly awaited 2023 WEC season at Sebring ended with a Toyota one-two. At the 1000-mile race in Florida, the two Toyota cars proved to be clearly too strong for the competition. In qualifying, the Japanese still had to concede to the new Ferrari, which finished third in the end. At the finish, they were two laps ahead of the competition.

Strong performance at the start of the season

Sébastien Buemi, in second place two seconds behind the sister car in the #8: "I'm obviously very happy for the team. The fact that we started the season with a one-two and such a strong performance is super and makes me proud. Every driver wants to win, but there are two cars in the team and there can only be one winner."

Nico Müller not in the classification

For the second hypercar Swiss Nico Müller the weekend did not go as he had imagined. His Peugeot 9X8 with the #94 was in the pits for almost three hours. With almost a hundred laps behind, Müller saw the chequered flag but was not classified.

Fabio Scherer is best Swiss

Best Swiss in LMP2, the second highest class, was Fabio Scherer. The man from Engelberg narrowly missed the podium in fourth place but beat Louis Delétraz (5th). The best Swiss in LMGTE was Thomas Flohr in fifth place.

Rahel Frey, who had started from the class pole position with her Iron Dames team, had to settle for eighth place. The driver from Solothurn lost the hood after a slip, which resulted in a longer stop.

Louis Delétraz finished in 5th place

Directly after the 1000 miles, the 12-hour race also took place in Sebring. Only one Swiss driver, Acura works driver Louis Delétraz, competed in this IMSA race. He finished 4th in the GTP class.

Ralph Boschung also finished 4th in the second Formula 2 meeting in Saudi Arabia. In the second race, Boschung finished outside the points. Nevertheless, the man from Valais is ahead in the overall standings.

The second race of the WEC takes place on April 16 in Portimao, Portugal.

Source: motorsport.ch
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Following the special A110 Tour de Corse 75 model last year, Alpine is now commemorating another of the brand's great successes with the A110 San Remo 73 variant, limited to 200 units. 50 years ago, the lightweight rear-engined car won the San Remo Rally and secured the 1973 World Championship constructors' title.

Optics of the rally winner at the time

With bodywork in the original Caddy Blue color and a red carbon roof with black roof arches, the A110 San Remo 73 reinterprets the legendary look of the rally winner of the time.

The "San Remo 73" emblems on the hood, doors and rear bumper complement black and white graphic elements on the doors. Added to this are white 18-inch wheels, anthracite brake calipers, black surrounds on the front headlights and Alpine monograms in gloss black.

Sport suspension and power of 300 hp

In the interior, the microfiber upholstery with contrasting gray stitching and the Sabelt bucket seats embroidered with the words "World Champion 73" stand out. The sporty look is complemented by the sports pedals, aluminum passenger footrest and Alpine-logoed carpets. The A110 San Remo 73 comes with an individually numbered badge.

The special series also features extensive equipment including a high-performance braking system, sports exhaust, folding exterior mirrors, as well as parking assistance, a rearview camera and the Focal audio system. In addition to the special design, the exclusive San Remo 73 small series includes the familiar 300-horsepower four-cylinder engine and sport suspension. The model can be ordered now at a price of 93,000 Swiss francs.

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The Corolla is still one of the most important models in the Toyota range. It has undergone continuous development over more than 50 years. The new edition is a facelift of the twelfth generation. The new models are equipped with the latest multimedia system with faster response time and greater functionality, as well as fully digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster. There are also important innovations in the Toyota Safety Sense safety and driver assistance systems.

The optimized functions support the driver in recognizing dangers in road traffic even better. The safety and multimedia functions are future-proof, as software updates can be imported wirelessly via the data communication module.

Two displacement variants to choose from

The self-charging hybrid drive is at the heart of the new Corolla. New features include modified power control of the transaxle drive, optimized responsiveness and a more powerful lithium-ion battery. A total output of 140 hp is available with the 1.8-liter unit, and the version with a 2-liter engine provides a total of 196 hp. Despite better acceleration, fuel consumption and emissions are lower.

Variant GR Sport from Gazoo Racing

The Corolla model range also includes new GR Sport versions of the sedan and Touring Sports station wagon. The GR Sport variant, launched in 2020, features sporty design elements inspired by the championship successes of Toyota Gazoo Racing.

These models are distinguished from the rest of the range by newly designed 18-inch alloy wheels and a special design of the rear bumper and underride guard. Inside, the heated front seats are upholstered in black fabric with light gray contrasting surfaces and leatherette bolsters.

The new Corolla will be launched in Europe in the next few weeks. Prices and equipment have not yet been determined.

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The new Abt model is the first camper from the Allgäu company. Together with renowned partners in the industry, a total of 500 VW T6.1 are being extensively converted. The Abt XNH (means Explore New Horizon) stands out due to its special aero kit. After all, Abt Sportsline already has a lot of experience with the VW Multivan, which is one of the bestsellers in the tuning program. In the case of the XNH, the range includes a front grille, front and rear apron, as well as side moldings and distinctive foiling with contour lines.

Specially designed 18-inch XNH rims

The Abt XNH stands out with its special aero kit. After all, Abt Sportsline already has a lot of experience with the VW Multivan, which is one of the bestsellers in the tuning program. In the case of the XNH, the range includes front grille, front and rear apron along with side moldings and distinctive foiling with vertical meter lines. Also eye-catching are the 18-inch XNH rims in glossy black specially designed for the vehicle and fitted with Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.

Power supply via photovoltaic modules

The interior of the camper, which is powered by a 150-horsepower diesel engine, was designed by the renowned company Vaning GmbH. The vehicle scores with a noble design furnishing, which has a high-quality finish even in the non-visible areas. For the surfaces, easy-care HPL meets real wood panels, and the wall cladding consists of lightweight GRP moldings made especially for the project. The assembly of all components is being carried out by Volkswagen Group Services GmbH.

The XNH offers an important space advantage thanks to the 40-centimeter longer wheelbase. Five seats meet a generous kitchen with induction hob, refrigerator and table. There is also a pull-out outdoor kitchen with gas stove. The company is particularly proud of the self-sufficient power supply, which is ensured by photovoltaic modules.

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Almost 40 percent of the vehicles are offered without a minimum price, so bargains are possible especially in the lower price range. And for once it's not Porsche or BMW that are most strongly represented, but Mercedes-Benz and MG. Ten cars each come from these two manufacturers, followed by Fiat with five, Citroën with four and Daimler, Opel, Peugeot and VW with three cars each.

Convertibles also for small budgets

As soon as the temperatures rise, some people wish for a convertible. This wish can be fulfilled in Toffen perhaps cheaper than expected, after all, a good handful of convertibles are valued in the four-digit range and eight open cars will come under the hammer without minimum bid.

Whether an MG F from 1997 and 1998 or a Mazda MX-5 1.6 GT from 1999 says more to you than a Chrysler Le Baron from 1994 or a Bertone Ritmo Cabriolet from 1985 is a matter of taste, but all these convertibles will almost certainly find new owners for less than 10,000 francs.

Youngtimer with a future as an oldie

On average, the vehicles called up are 48.8 years old. Only two cars date from the pre-war period, namely a Rolls-Royce Phantom I from 1926 and a Mercedes-Benz 230 Cabriolet B from 1937. 13 vehicles come from the post-war period up to 1950, 18 from the sixties. The proportion of cars and motorcycles from the seventies is even greater, here there are a total of 20 lots.

Nine youngtimers and five even younger cars represent the classic cars of the future. The Audi R8 Spyder from 2011 in particular, with its eight-cylinder engine and manual transmission, can certainly be seen as a neoclassic. The same applies to the Ferrari 612 from 2002, the Cadillac XLR Roadster from 2004 or the Bentley Continental Supersports as a convertible from 2010.

Transmission again via livestream

More Information and many photos of the auction can be found on the Website of the Oldtimer Gallery Toffen. The auction catalog can also be browsed online. The auction (start 13.30 clock) will be via Livestream via Invaluable Transfer

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As expected, not a single car achieved the standard range specified by the manufacturer in winter, as heating and other cold effects cost additional energy. The ranges of the cars were well below the WLTP laboratory values at temperatures below freezing and partly snow-covered roads.

Range are still sufficient

The range test conducted together with the NAF automobile club is a good complement to the WLTP values, the emissions measurements in TCS driving tests and the values from the Green NCAP program. While the test conducted last summer showed average ranges five percent lower than the standard values, the ranges achieved on the same route in winter conditions were around 25 percent lower than the WLTP values.

This loss is due to the fact that part of the battery charge is used for heating the vehicle. Low temperatures also lead to increased resistances and limit the electrochemical processes in the battery. However, the ranges are well above the average daily driving distance even in cold conditions and show that travel with electric cars is perfectly possible even in winter.

Models of well-known brands compared

Twenty-eight electric cars were used for the test. In addition to Tesla from the USA, the Europeans Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Škoda and Renault, the South Koreans Kia and Hyundai and the Japanese Toyota and Nissan, the Chinese manufacturers Nio, BYD, Voyah, Maxus, MG, Hongqi and JAC, which are already available in the pilot market Norway, were also represented. Norway is considered a pioneer in electromobility due to the high proportion of electric vehicles in new cars and in the vehicle population.

In the test, the Tesla Model S Dual Motor with a battery capacity of 95 kWh and a real range of 530 kilometers performed best. It was followed by the Tesla Model X Plaid and the BMW i4 eDrive40. The bottom five in the test managed around 300 kilometers. The Tesla Model Y also won in terms of consumption with 16.6 kWh per 100 kilometers. The ranking of the ratio between the achieved range and the new price, on the other hand, is led by Chinese vehicles.

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Today, e-fuel is still about three times more expensive than conventional fuel. But MADmotors is primarily concerned with supporting the research and development of alternative fuels.

New technology for classics

Martin Rudolf, founder and owner of MADmotors: "We maintain and restore classic cars of British and French provenance - and they all have internal combustion engines. We want to show in practical operation that synthetic fuel works, whether in a young or a classic car. It's important for us to show that we can combine old vehicles and new technology."

Experts inform interested parties

Anyone wishing to test the new technology can pick up E-Fuel by appointment and receive personal advice at the Older Classics classic car meeting in Kemptthal. The experts from MADmotors and Schmohl Exclusive Classic Cars look forward to discussing the topic with interested guests.

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In mid-October, we'll be hitting the rally trails again. But not to Jordan, as in previous years, but to Marrakech. Morocco, because the original rally destination can currently no longer be reached on a low budget due to the war in Syria and the high ferry prices.

Basic rules for participation

Schengen in Luxembourg was chosen as the starting point - the "cradle of open borders". The rally is a friendship and international understanding event. The basic rules of the former Allgäu-Orient Rally, remain largely intact.

It starts cars that cost less than 1000 euros or are 20 years old, and motorcycles that cost less than 99 cents per cm³ cost or are 20 years old. Overnight stays are only allowed in cars, tents or hotels, where the overnight stay costs a maximum of 9.99 euros. Freeways and toll roads remain off-limits.

GPS and other navigation systems

However, there are changes in the navigation and the teams. GPS and other navigation systems are now permitted. Teams of two and mixed teams with car and motorcycle are also allowed. The race will start on October 15 as part of the Schengen Hunnefest. The destination in Morocco will be reached at the end of October, and of course Tangier, Fes, the Sahara and the High Atlas are on the rally schedule. Before that, the route goes via Saarland to Paris, Bordeaux, Madrid and Gibraltar.

Adventurous spirit and willingness to take risks

As was once the case at the beginning, the 2023 Europe-Orient Rally will not be perfectly and 100 percent organized. Improvisation, a spirit of adventure and a willingness to take risks are therefore called for. Fully comprehensive thinkers and those who do not know the rights of travel are not in the right place. Up-to-date information is available on Facebook at Europa-Orient-Rallye.

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