MOTOR Magazine/Castrol Hot Tuner Callenge 2010 - 2 Day Event @ Eastern Creek

[jdm_b16a]

Today I went out to MOTOR Magazine & Castrol's Hot Tuner Challenge for 2010 at Eastern Creek International Raceway (otherwise known as EC). This is an annual happening in which various performance-enhanced cars are put through their paces in a variety of semi-competitive events. The results will be published in an upcoming edition of MOTOR Magazine.

Cars are divided into groups based on RRP and modifications performed.

Group 1: Under $75K
Group 2: $75-150K

As you would expect for those prices you would expect to see some very exotic machinery, and this was the case for 2010. Here's a quick run down of cars to whet your appetite -

Group 1

VW Golf R, Golf GTI, Scirocco R, Golf TSI, Golf R32
BMW 135i
Holden SS V Wagon, RS400 Sedan, Commodore SS
Ford XR6 Turbo, FPV Super Pursuit, Falcon XR8
Subaru Liberty GT, Impreza STi
Mitsubishi EVO X
Audi S3

Group 2

Mercedes Benz C63 AMG, CLK Black
Porsche Cayman S Turbo, 911 997 GT3, GT2
Lotus Elise
HSV GTS
Chevrolet Camaro
BMW M3 SC
Ford Mustang

The four categories of competition were:

Acceleration (at Sydney Dragway)
Dyno (at Eastern Creek courtesy of Dyno Dynamics who had rear wheel and all wheel dynos setup)
Hot laps
Skidpan/Motorkhana

Drivers were the same as last year - Warren Luff, David Morley, and others. It was a requirement that all vehicles be road-registered and that all modifications were to be a percentage of the manufacturer's list price. For cars under $75K it was 20% and 15% for cars over $75K but under $150K. From what I saw at the dragway they were using one of those accelerometer devices to test the following, usually over 2-3 runs:

0-100Kph (in secs)
0-400m (in secs)
100-0Kph (in metres)
V-max 400m (in Kph)

I visited the four wheel dyno tests at the Subaru facility at Turn 1, the rear wheel drive dyno tests in Garage 3, and the dragway runs.

This event was invitation only and I'll like to thank OzHonda for giving me the opportunity to go out on a beautiful Sydney winter's day and enjoy some of the sights and sounds. Unfortunately I don't think I'll ever be able to afford to drive anything as expensive as most of these cars. But I did enjoy a nice lunch!

Photos to follow.

Peter

[jdm_b16a]

Lotus Elise (Group 2)

http://i35.tinypic.com/rcqc04.jpg

Hankook-sponsored Cayman S Turbo

http://i36.tinypic.com/oaq1bk.jpg

http://i37.tinypic.com/spg553.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/2s7fj4p.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/8x0neq.jpg

and this is how to fill your guards ...

http://i33.tinypic.com/2w70rxk.jpg

I noted also that most cars were entered on semi-slicks; only a few were on street tyres.

Lots of Volkswagens on show, from small to large(r):

This pair were beautifully presented, and kitted up -

http://i34.tinypic.com/2hxu9lw.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/2rm6rfm.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/t87sas.jpg

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http://i34.tinypic.com/25jzjp3.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/117fb85.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/i5bvcj.jpg

I spoke at length with the guy that owns this (it is actually his wife's car!) - it is supercharged AND turbocharged. We gave him heaps about the MILO tin canister that formed part of his induction system.

http://i37.tinypic.com/ehhfrk.jpg

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http://i33.tinypic.com/dvlrad.jpg

The FWD/4WD Dyno at the Subaru Test Facility:

http://i33.tinypic.com/3343ynn.jpg

Peter

[jdm_b16a]

Brett Middleton had a number of cars entered in conjunction with Whiteline Suspension. Spoke to Brett about his cars and he said he always likes the exposure he gets from these events. Most of the performance work is done inhouse but all his fabrication is outsourced eg, his intercoolers.

http://i35.tinypic.com/15cbv6f.jpg

http://i37.tinypic.com/1256dzk.jpg

This VW Carrado is a unique car - you don't see too many of these on the road. Black paint and original polished BBS wheels.

http://i34.tinypic.com/x6fyb9.jpg

This widebody VW had a wicked exhaust note. We heard it coming off the dragway as we were walking back to EC. I think its the new Scirocco that is the only one in the country at the moment, being imported from New Zealand where they are being sold. It only has a one year Factory International warranty.

http://i38.tinypic.com/mi031t.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/29nw3d3.jpg

The VW and its two stabelmates - MB/AMG. All of these cars, and many others, sported massive caliper/disc combinations behind 19" and 20" wheels. The Mustang we saw later had 21" wheels!

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http://i38.tinypic.com/2ldx1qd.jpg

This was fitted to the silver blue VW, probably to record the lap dashes. A suction mounted camera. Also saw a few Go-Pros as well.

http://i37.tinypic.com/saulc1.jpg

For the tests all the cars were filled with BP Ultimate and then sealed with tamperproof stickers.

http://i38.tinypic.com/9qfq51.jpg

Peter

[jdm_b16a]

MRT and Rennenhaus cars at the Subaru Dyno:

http://i37.tinypic.com/ear4vr.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/10e3abr.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/2ql4pae.jpg

MRT car with Peak Performance Audi S3

http://i37.tinypic.com/fmunpg.jpg

And I spotted this in the carpark, "oldschool" SiR Civic

http://i35.tinypic.com/2myxlw3.jpg

http://i37.tinypic.com/ifwpxs.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/2a5dpv5.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/xc21as.jpg

MMMmmm, lunch!

http://i37.tinypic.com/fk62jo.jpg

Peter

[jdm_b16a]

OK. I hope you enjoyed those photos from Day 1 of the MOTOR Magazine/Castrol Hot Tuner Challenge for 2010. Here are some more photos, taken by my son. Unfortunately my camera's battery gave up the ghost after the photos above so luckily my son was with me with his new camera and he captured a lot of the cars and action that I would otherwise have missed.

The back of the Lotus Elise:

http://i34.tinypic.com/5b7ngn.jpg

The interior of one of the VW Golfs. Not sure that I like this style, and the seats aren't my cup of tea either. But they are beaut cars.

http://i35.tinypic.com/21afwon.jpg

AMG Mercedes from the front - very aggressive and with the big black wheels and large brake package, a very inspiring car:

http://i33.tinypic.com/b71l5t.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/2znob9z.jpg

Scuderia Scirocco R:

http://i37.tinypic.com/2ut6wz8.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/2gvr8n6.jpg

Peter

[jdm_b16a]

I haven't been to Eastern Creek for a few years (since I retired from competitive motorsport) and it was an eye-opener to see just how much good work the Australian Racing Driver's Club have done there, to lift the quality of the facility and bring in motorsport-related companies. One of these is the Radical racecar manufacturer. Talking to the guys, and their cars are now manufactured here with two powerplants - a V8 motorcycle engine as well as the original Hayabusa engine. Some of the quality of workmanship is outstanding.

http://i38.tinypic.com/x6k1vn.jpg

Inside the cockpit:

http://i38.tinypic.com/2edctqp.jpg

Wheel and brakes:

http://i33.tinypic.com/wus5n4.jpg

The Dyno Dynamics rear wheel drive dyno was used to test the Ford and Holden special vehicles:

http://i33.tinypic.com/8x7a8j.jpg

Another bonus of the day was that HRT had booked the circuit to do hot laps for their corporate sponsors. That doesn't overly excite me as I'm not a fan of the V8 circus but they set up two of their race simulators in the garage and it was free! I'd love to have one of these in my house, but instead of the V8 program I'd swap in either the World Touring Car Championship or the British Touring Car Championship.

http://i38.tinypic.com/27y0arl.jpg

Peter

[jdm_b16a]

Eastern Creek is often maligned as a spectator-hostile facility but I think the ARDC have done a lot of work to make it better. It's greener, more comfortable and the main straight is one of the most exhilarating pieces of tarmac I've ever had the pleasure to drive on or visit. On a beautiful Winter's day it looks very appealing:

http://i35.tinypic.com/2zovo9k.jpg

The RWD dyno in the pit garages:

http://i35.tinypic.com/j8o96b.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/b4xg5g.jpg

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The guy with the glasses at the computer is Alan Evans. You might remember him from TV as he's the ex-head of the NRMA. I was talking to him about how he came to be involved with Dyno Dynamics, and it turns out he and two other guys resurrected the company after the original owners let it run down. All their dynos are manufactured in Australia, and they have their head office down in Melbourne. A very nice guy, friendly and forthcoming.

Peter

[wynode]

Great work Peter and nice coverage!

[jdm_b16a]

MRT Subaru with aftermarket intercooler:

http://i36.tinypic.com/2hmfo5w.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/v5iadz.jpg

Peter Fitzgerald tuned Porsche GT3:

http://i38.tinypic.com/2h5s3g7.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/2djq5ae.jpg

Another view of the Cayman S Turbo:

http://i33.tinypic.com/1215ysw.jpg

Subaru Sti interior:

http://i35.tinypic.com/xlmseo.jpg

http://i37.tinypic.com/2eyvqxx.jpg

Engine bay:

http://i36.tinypic.com/2ikt6ag.jpg

Over at WSID:

http://i35.tinypic.com/ip32me.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/25sylvk.jpg

A ute returns from one of its runs at the hands of Warren Luff, who was one of two official testers for the day:

http://i35.tinypic.com/2illzwh.jpg

Another run:

http://i34.tinypic.com/9kavwl.jpg

This is a new Jaguar XJ3. How did I know?

http://i35.tinypic.com/2wehx5w.jpg

The Lotus Elise waiting for its turn on the quarter mile strip. These cars are really built for racing out of the factory, with their alloy passenger footrest and racecar interior trim:

http://i35.tinypic.com/m8gw7a.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/s3zk3p.jpg

Cockpit:

http://i35.tinypic.com/hrlg69.jpg

Wheels:

http://i34.tinypic.com/2iu8b3n.jpg

We spotted this all white VW R32 in the WSID carpark:

http://i33.tinypic.com/a23eco.jpg

Wheels:

http://i37.tinypic.com/293y4u8.jpg

The rear wheels of that Golf had a massive offset courtesy of some spacers and you couldn't put a finger between the lip and the tyre, so much so that the inner lip (which had obviously been rolled) was rubbing on the outer edge of the tyre:

This Subaru STi WRX from Tunehouse sounded fantastic and was real eye-candy, impressing a lot of the onlookers who watched it do its three runs:

http://i37.tinypic.com/161cpcj.jpg

Don't look now but its big, its yellow and its from the US. Did I hear you say "Transformers"?

http://i34.tinypic.com/6tcwfl.jpg

http://i37.tinypic.com/2qxuy61.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/52dix5.jpg

21" anybody?

http://i33.tinypic.com/iylqjb.jpg

Peter

[jdm_b16a]

And finally, another of the AMG cars but this one is white:

http://i34.tinypic.com/t7ba53.jpg

Beaut driver's view, leather and all:

http://i36.tinypic.com/et5pih.jpg

Well, that's it for Day 1. Unfortunately I couldn't get time off work for tomorrow but I will drop back out to Eastern Creek after work and hopefully get some more photos of Day 2 events.

Thanks for looking and reading.

Peter

[MR_LATE]

Awesome!!!!!

[namtaro]

nice pics, well presented cars ofcourse!

[Bulbasaur]

never seen a carrado before but thats pretty sexy

[neni]

beautiful event and magnificent cars

[fasthonda]

Great photos.
That Scirocco has a very wide butt.
While I was purusing the photos the thought crossed my mind that today's Honda doesn't really offer any hi performance cars anymore.:(
You have VW offering the GTI,the "R" version and albeit not available in OZ ,the Scirocco.Even Renault has the Renault Clio Cup and Trophee versions and soon to follow the Megane RS.
Ford are also bringing in the Focus RS,in limited numbers.
Ah well!....we just have to wait a little longer.

[banzai]

I understand the Cayman broke on day 1 and is out of the competition.

I know the owner of the Elise. Apparently it recorded 11.9 1/4 mile and 3.9 0-100km/h. Fastest on the drag strip was a modded GT2 @ 11.7 ish.
Dyno figure for the Elise was 224rwkw

Haven't heard how they went in today's wet conditions.

VW are stupid for not bringing in the Scirocco. I'd buy one tomorrow if it is sensibly priced.

[mugen_ctr]

nice event... quick question, why didnt they use a nissan gtr? if the porsche 911 997 Gt3 was allowed, surely they shoulda had cars that cost the same amount, since they cost more than 150k! Or was it the fact that it would own the competition, lol

[DaveXR8]

Awesome write up Peter:thumbsup:

I was actually working on the Scirocco and black C63 the day before!

The exhaust on the Scirocco sounded awesome and the one on the C63 was one of the most grizzly sounds I have ever heard!

Also, that white R32 in the car park is a twin turbo which is pumping out around 600hp!

[tseesinngwailo]

Great write up and photos Peter, I am sad that there was no Honda's there, it all seems a bit pointless to me as this is not a real view of the tuner cars that are available in Australia (where's the Skylines or GTR?) , the pricing brackets alone dismiss most of the people in Australia who want a car with some good performance, it's not like we all have the money for a Porsche or AMG Merc, but I suppose we will be seeing a lot more Golfs being wrapped around trees now that they are the hot hatch everyone wants.

It would have been fun if they had a proper "Best Motoring" type of 5 lap supersprint, with all cars driven by professional drivers, it would have shown the real world effects of the modifications.

Would be good to see the Mugen RR, or FD2R on the same track, direct price comparisons would have allowed them in this event, but I guess we will never know haha

in fact, that white Civic would be my take home choice lol

Cheers, Chris

[AusAccord]

nice, is VW Carrado can be road register in AUS?