World’s Largest Car Dealership Has Rooftop Racetrack

From: http://jalopnik.com/

Featuring a roof-mounted racetrack outside and 56 separate bars inside, the 708,661 square-foot Autopia Europia in Istanbul, Turkey will be the largest car dealership in the world. It's currently under construction, but here's a peek at the automotive wonder.

As you can expect, its designers don't envision Autopia Europia as a car dealership, but rather a car mall featuring 200 individual showrooms, 48 service stations, 42 insurance companies and 24 banks. Over 400 brands (we didn't realize there were that many), will be represented with 2,426 models. All areas of the mall will be accessible by car.

Rather than racing, the rooftop track is expected to be used for new car test drives, free from the traffic the 6 million annual visitors are expected to create on the surrounding roads. (Hat tip to Tom!)

[GAD Architecture via DVice]

Send an email to Wes Siler, the author of this post, at wes@jalopnik.com.

LMC Super Cuda races Enzo Ferrari over 200 mph

By Mark Kleis

Legendary Motorcar Company decided to create a twin-turbo V10 1,000+ horsepower monster of a 1970 Chrysler Barracuda – a project that has taken over 5,000 man hours over the course of nearly two years. Just days after completion, LMC took the ‘Cuda to Chrysler’s Proving Grounds to race it against a Ferrari Enzo supercar.

LMC started with a rusted out shell of a 1970 Barracuda and a salvaged red Dodge Viper. Then they spent two years combining the two together in the process of creating a supercar-rivaling beast of a classic. When it was all said and done the folks at LMC said they invested 5-6,000 hours creating this metallic green ‘Cuda, and their hard work paid off as they broke 200 mph at Chrysler’s Proving Grounds in Michigan.

Photos and video compliments of LMC, via Muscle Car Blog

When F1 2009 won't do, try the $191K Cruden Hexatech simulator

by Jonathon Ramsey

From: http://www.autoblog.com/

We give thumbs up to Cruden's reason for building a $191,500 F1 simulator: "Snooker rooms, swimming pools, gyms and cinemas have been done." So there. If you're over waiting for Codemasters to release F1 2009 on a real platform, or waiting for GT5 to ever show up and you have enough money to buy an SLS AMG and several weeks of track time, the Hexatech is waiting for you.

The fully-suspended system can be tailored to provide feedback based on the chassis setup, wheelbase and track, tire and suspension settings, drive train (engine, gearbox, differentials), aero loading, aero draft (slip streaming), steering, brakes and driver aids such as traction control, ABS, and more. It even has seat belt tensioners. And it isn't just for F1: the sim does NASCAR, WRC, and 24-Hour racing, too. Three 42-inch screens, or a projector and a room with at least a 10-foot ceiling will keep you in the action.

If you want one but you don't have that kind of dosh, there's still time to make a wish and be extra nice before Santa makes his final decision. Or you could ask Ferrari if you can borrow theirs...

[Source: F1 Fanatic]

GreenGT’s 400-hp Electric Racer Ready For Le Mans

Written by Jerry James Stone

The GreenGT was designed specifically for kicking butt at the 24 hours of Le Mans.

With 400 hp and a top speed of 171 mph, the electric race car concept pushes 1,475 lb-ft of torque up to 100 mph then drops it to 590 lb-ft for high-speed traction. All this and it’s powered by two 30kW lithium-ion batteries charged by flexcell photovoltaic solar panels.

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GreenGT’s head engineer Christophe Schwartz says that, “The GreenGT Twenty-4 design study could become our 2011 Le Mans Prototype electric racer or it could even become an electric road going supercar. There is a possibility to do both!”

It has an FIA-spec carbon chassis with a fiberglass body, and it weighs in at 1,895-pounds. The twin 100kW electric motors are water-cooled and mated to a differential gearbox patented byGreenGT.

Some say it is one of the most powerful electric race cars ever built. The thing gets up to 62 mph in just under 4 seconds. Sounds like a fun ride to me!

Designed by five students from the CCi du Valenciennois school, they hope to bring two GreenGTs to the 2011 Le Mans and to produce 22 road-going models within the next three years.

Source: StyleCrave Gallery: AutoBlog