Archive for the ‘TURN 10’ Category

Announcing the Hyundai Forza Motorsport 3 Championship

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Registration for the Hyundai Forza Motorsport 3 Championship is now open. If you wish to participate you can download the free Championship Registration Pic via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Read below for instructiuons on how to download the Hyundai Championship Gamerpic on Xbox LIVE.

The free Hyundai car pack features 3 blisteringly fast variations of the Hyundai Genesis coupe, and now’s your chance to attack the track with these hot rides in the Hyundai Forza Motorsport 3 Championship! First load up the Xbox 360 Marketplace and download the Rhys Millen Racing, HKS, and Custom Forza 3 Hyundai Genesis coupes as part of the free Hyundai Car Pack. Then get ready to hit the track in each new ride as you compete in our Forza Motorsport 3 Championship! We’re looking for the fastest drivers in the world to see just how far you can push these powerful rides in Forza Motorsport 3. The championship officially begins on January 22nd and with $12,000 in prizing on the line you can bet the competition within our community will be tougher than ever.

Registration to be entered into the Championship runs from January 1st to January 17th. Read below for official rules and dates along with instructions on how to register for the Hyundai Forza Motorsport 3 Championship! We’ll see you on the track.

Official Rules below…

hyundaiphoto

HYUNDAI FORZA MOTORSPORT 3 CHAMPIONSHIP

Official Rules

COMMON TERMS USED IN THESE RULES:

These are the official rules that govern how the Microsoft Xbox LIVE Hyundai Forza Motorsport 3 Championship promotion will operate. This promotion will be simply referred to as the “Tournament” throughout the rest of these rules.

In these rules, “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to Microsoft Corporation, the sponsor of the Tournament. “You,” “yourself,” “I,” “me,” and “my” refers to an eligible Tournament entrant.

1.     TOURNAMENT DESCRIPTION

The Tournament is a live, skill based competition which eligible entrants (“Players”) compete against other Players on the Xbox LIVE gaming platform until a winner is determined. The Tournament consists of four (4) separate Weekly Tournaments.  Each Weekly Tournament will consist of one (1) round of leaderboard-based gameplay.  At the end of each Weekly Tournament, we will determine one (1) Champion and four (4) Runners-Up based on the best race time, as posted on the Official Leaderboard.

2.     ELIGIBILITY

You are eligible to enter this Tournament (a “Player”), if you meet the following requirements at time of entry:

  • You are a legal resident of the 50 United States or Puerto Rico, but not a resident of Vermont, Maryland, or any other U.S. territory or possession; and
  • You are 18 years of age or older; and
  • You have access to a Microsoft Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, the Forza Motorsport 3 video game, and you are valid Xbox LIVE® Gold member with a valid Windows Live ID linked to your Xbox LIVE gamertag; and
  • You are not an employee of Microsoft Corporation, or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, GMR Marketing LLC (“GMR”); and
  • You are not involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Tournament; and
  • You are not an immediate family member (defined for purposes of these Official Rules as husband, wife, mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, or other persons residing in the household) of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Tournament; and
  • You are not entering via automated, programmed, robotic or similar methods; and
  • You download the free Championship Registration Pic from the Xbox Live service during the eligible Registration Period (as defined in Section 3 below); and
  • You are only allowed to win a prize in one (1) of the four (4) Weekly Tournaments.  If you win a prize in a Weekly Tournament, then you are ineligible to participate in any remaining Weekly Tournaments by any means.

THIS TOURNAMENT IS VOID IN MD, VT, AND OTHER U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHEREVER ELSE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

3.     REGISTRATION PERIOD; TOURNAMENT PERIOD

Registration Period.   Tournament registration starts at 12:01 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) on January 1, 2010, and ends at 11:59 P.M. PT on January 17, 2010 (“Registration Period”).

Tournament Period.   Tournament play starts at 12:01 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) on January 22, 2010, and ends at 11:59 P.M. PT on February 18, 2010 (“Tournament Period”).

Weekly Tournaments.   Within the Tournament Period there are four (4) separate weekly tournament periods listed below (each, a “Weekly Tournament”).  During each Weekly Tournament, one (1) Overall Champion and four (4) Runners Ups will be determined from among all eligible Players.

The four (4) Weekly Tournaments are as follows and will take place on the following courses with the following vehicles:

Hyundai Genesis 1 (Weekly Tournament #1) – Tournament play starts at 12:01 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) on January 22, 2010 and ends at 11:59 P.M. PT on January 28, 2010.  Play will occur on the Iberian Full Race Course (1.49 miles) with the Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

Hyundai Genesis 2 (Weekly Tournament #2) – Tournament play starts at 12:01 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) on January 29, 2010 and ends at 11:59 P.M. PT on February 4, 2010.  Play will occur on the Catalunya National Race Course (1.85 miles) with the Hyundai Genesis Coupe HKS.

Hyundai Genesis 3 (Weekly Tournament #3) – Tournament play starts at 12:01 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) on February 5, 2010 and ends at 11:59 P.M. PT on February 11, 2010.  Play will occur on the Bugatti Race Course (2.6 miles) with the Hyundai Rhys Millen Racing Genesis Coupe.

Hyundai Genesis 4 (Weekly Tournament #4) – Tournament play starts at 12:01 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) on February 12, 2010 and ends at 11:59 P.M. PT on February 18, 2010.  Play will occur on the Sedona Full Race Course (4.13 miles) with the Hyundai Forza Motorsport Genesis Coupe.

4.     HOW TO REGISTER

If you wish to participate in the Tournament, you must download the free Championship Registration Pic during the Registration Period (defined in Section 3 above).   You can download the free registration pic via either Xbox LIVE Marketplace or Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web as follows:

To download the free registration gamer pic via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace , you must have access to an Xbox 360 console and be an Xbox LIVE Gold member in good standing. Once you have verified that you meet these system requirements, you will sign in to the Xbox LIVE service via an Xbox 360 console and download the free Championship Registration Pic during the Registration Period as follows:

  1. Sign in to Xbox LIVE and access the Game Marketplace,
  2. Select “Themes & Gamer Pictures,”
  3. Select “Browse,”
  4. Under Title, Select “Hyundai Forza Motorsport 3 Championship Registration”
  5. Select the “Championship Registration Pic” option from the list of available content and select “Confirm Download.”
  6. Upon the successful completion of a Gamer Picture download, Players will see a “Championship Registration Pic downloaded” message.

NOTE: Users may also access the free gamer picture via the banner ads running on the Xbox LIVE dashboard.

To download the free registration gamer pic via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web , you must be an Xbox Gold member and have internet access. Once you have verified that you meet these system requirements, you will navigate to Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web and download the free Championship Registration Pic during the Registration Period as follows:

  2. Select the ” Championship Registration Pic ” option from the list of available content and select “Download to Xbox 360.”
  3. Select “Confirm” on the Confirm Purchase window (even when downloading free materials the language surrounding the download speaks to “purchasing” the content).

Players will see a “Congratulations! This item has been purchased and added to your download queue” message.

You MUST participate in the Tournament using the same Xbox LIVE gamertag that you use to register for the Tournament.  We will use the contact information you provided during Tournament registration to send any official Tournament communication. You are responsible for keeping your Xbox LIVE account information up to date.  You may only compete using a single gamertag. If you are found to have competed under multiple identities or gamertags, you will be automatically disqualified from the Tournament and could be disqualified from participating in future Xbox LIVE competitions.

5.     HOW TO PLAY

This Tournament consists of four (4) separate Weekly Tournaments.  Each Weekly Tournament is a leaderboard-style tournament with   unique start and end dates, track and vehicle requirements, as more fully described below.  During each Weekly Tournament, Players will compete in one (1) round of leader-board based play to determine one (1) Overall Champion and four (4) Runners-Up. Each Weekly Tournament will begin on the Start Date and Start Time listed in Section 3 above, or when the Official Leaderboard for the Weekly Tournament is reset.

During each Weekly Tournament, Players will compete by playing the Forza Motorsport 3 video game on the Course and with the Vehicle specified for the Weekly Tournament (see Section 3 above for full details).   PLEASE NOTE: Modified or tuned vehicles will not be allowed to participate in their modified or tuned state.

For each Weekly Tournament, Players will be ranked based on times recorded and posted to the Official Leaderboard during the Weekly Tournament Period.  Players can access each Weekly Tournament via the Forza Motorsport 3 video game as follows:

  1. Load the Forza Motorsport 3 video game on your Xbox 360 console.
  2. Sign-in with the same gamertag you used to register for the Tournament and then connect to Xbox LIVE.
  3. Press “A” at the main menu and select “Forza Motorsport 3”.
  4. Scroll down to “Leaderboards” and press “A”.
  5. Scroll down to “Time Trial”.
  6. Scroll down to the “Hyundai Week” Leaderboard and press “A”.
  7. Press “A” again to start the time trial. Your fastest overall lap will be recorded.

Players can view their scores as follows:

  1. Load up Forza Motorsport 3 on your Xbox 360 Console.
  2. Sign-in with the gamertag you used to register for the Tournament and then connect to Xbox LIVE.
  3. Press “A” at the main menu and select “Forza Motorsport 3”.
  4. Scroll down to “Leaderboards” and press “A”.
  5. Scroll down to “Time Trial”.
  6. Scroll down to the “Hyundai Week” Leaderboard and press “A”.

Here you will see your current position* at the bottom of the screen.  *PLEASE NOTE: The Official Leaderboard for each Weekly Tournament may list ineligible Players.  Only the top five eligible Players (i.e., one (1) Overall Champion and four (4) Runners Ups), as determined and verified by us, will win prizes.  If zero eligible Players are in the five (5) spots on the Official Leaderboard, we reserve the right not to award any prizes.

In the event of a tie, the Tournament Administrator will break the tie in favor of the Player that posted the highest score first. In the event of a dispute, the decisions of the Tournament Administrator are final and binding.

6.     CODE OF CONDUCT

Any Player competing in an unsportsmanlike manner or in a manner that is not in compliance with these Official Rules or the xbox.com or Xbox LIVE Terms of Use may be immediately disqualified from this Tournament and may be disqualified from competing in future xbox.com or Xbox LIVE events. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following violations:

Unsportsmanlike Conduct (gameplay)

  • Cheating of any sort through various means
  • Using any type of modified or tuned vehicles
  • Any other known or unknown way of tampering with gameplay
  • Using modified Xbox or Xbox 360 systems

7.     PRIZE WINNER NOTIFICATION

If you are a potential prize winner, we will notify you using the Xbox LIVE profile information provided with your Gamertag (e-mail, address, and phone) at time of registration. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we may award the prize to an eligible runner-up. If there is a dispute as to who is the potential winner, we will consider the potential winner to be the authorized account holder of the Xbox LIVE account used to compete in the Tournament.

We will notify potential prize winners within seven (7) days of the end each Weekly Tournament.  We will ship prizes to confirmed winners within approximately 3-4 weeks following the last Tournament end date (February 18, 2010).

If you are a potential Grand Prize winner, we may require you to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability / Publicity Release and W-9 tax form. If you are otherwise eligible to participate in the Tournament, but are a minor in the state in which you reside, we will award the prize to your parent or legal guardian on your behalf, who must sign all documents required under these Official Rules.  If you do not complete the required forms as instructed and/or return the required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you and select an alternate winner.

8.     PRIZES

Prizing for each Weekly Tournament is as follows:

Weekly Tournament 1

  • One (1) Grand Prize: A racing arcade game (ARV $2,000)
  • One (1) First Prize: A leather gaming chair (ARV $400)
  • One (1) Second Prize: An Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel and (5) Xbox 360 video games (ARV $350)
  • One (1) Third Prize: Xbox 360 Hard Drive & Xbox 360 Wireless Headset (ARV $200)
  • One (1) Forth Prize: 4,000 Microsoft Points (ARV $50)

 

Weekly Tournament 2

  • One (1) Grand Prize: 46” LCD TV & Home Theater System (ARV $2,000)
  • One (1) First Prize: Leather Gaming Chair (ARV $400)
  • One (1) Second Prize: Racing Wheel & (5) Xbox Games (ARV $350)
  • One (1) Third Prize: Xbox 360 Hard Drive & Wireless Headset (ARV $200)
  • One (1) Forth Prize: 4,000 MS Points (ARV $50)

 

Weekly Tournament 3

  • One (1) Grand Prize: Leather Sofa Set (couch, loveseat, chair) (ARV $2,000)
  • One (1) First Prize: Leather Gaming Chair (ARV $400)
  • One (1) Second Prize: Racing Wheel & (5) Xbox Games (ARV $350)
  • One (1) Third Prize: Xbox 360 Hard Drive & Wireless Headset (ARV $200)
  • One (1) Forth Prize: 4,000 MS Points (ARV $50)

 

Weekly Tournament 4

  • One (1) Grand Prize: Adult Racing Go Kart – (ARV $2,000)
  • One (1) First Prize: Leather Gaming Chair (ARV $400)
  • One (1) Second Prize: Racing Wheel & (5) Xbox Games (ARV $350)
  • One (1) Third Prize: Xbox 360 Hard Drive & Wireless Headset (ARV $200)
  • One (1) Forth Prize: 4,000 MS Points (ARV $50)

 

TOTAL ARV OF ALL PRIZING: $12,000

9.     WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS ARE YOU AGREEING TO BY ENTERING THIS TOURNAMENT?

By entering this Tournament you agree:

  • To abide by these Official Rules; and
  • To release and hold harmless Microsoft, GMR, and its respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Tournament, and any prize won; and
  • That Microsoft’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Tournament; and
  • That by accepting a prize, Microsoft may use of your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Tournament, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

This Tournament will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Tournament.

10. WHAT IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS AND THE TOURNAMENT CAN’T RUN AS PLANNED?

If someone cheats, or a virus, bug, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Tournament, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Tournament. This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Tournament, we reserve the right to select winners based on results posted to the Leaderboard before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Tournament.

If you attempt to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Tournament by hacking or by cheating or committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may ban you from participating in any of our future Tournaments, so please play fairly.

Microsoft, GMR, and each of their respective affiliates, partners and promotion and advertising agencies are not responsible for technical, hardware, software, telephone or other communications malfunctions, errors or failures of any kind, including typographical errors, lost or unavailable network connections, web site, Internet, or ISP availability, unauthorized human intervention, traffic congestion, incomplete or inaccurate capture of entry information (regardless of cause) or failed, incomplete, garbled, jumbled or delayed computer transmissions which may limit one’s ability to enter the Tournament, including any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from participating in this Tournament or downloading any materials, including the Gamer Pictures, in this Tournament.

11. Winners List/Official Rules

The names of the winners will be posted online on or around March 18, 2010, at forzamotorsport.net/Hyundai . 

12. Sponsor
This Tournament is sponsored by Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052.

13. Fulfillment Administrator
GMR Marketing LLC, 5000 South Towne Drive, New Berlin, WI 53151.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Competitions, News, Races, TURN 10 | No Comments »

The Turn 10 Studios Blog

Friday, November 27th, 2009

The Turn 10 Studios Blog

The home of Turn 10 Studios, creators of Forza Motorsport 2 on Xbox 360.

Happy Thanksgiving from Turn 10 Studios!

Comin’ at you with a quick studio update before we take off to enjoy the Thanksgiving long weekend. We’ve been moving quickly to get a few things wrapped up this week, and I’ve been busy working on a new video for our Hot Holidays car pack. Che’s hinted at our next installment of Downloadable Content (DLC). Every car is a heavy hitter folks! The Hot Holidays car pack will be available for download on December 8th, but check back soon for the official video and car list.

The rest of us here at Turn 10 have been crunching away on our second title update that will hit an Xbox 360 near you later this evening. Besides what you see below we’ve also patched a few holes to maintain equilibrium in our online economy…something we take very seriously.

This new title update contains:

  • Fixes to all known glitches.
  • The addition of cockpit view driver shift animations.

  

New title update aside we’ve also updated our Matchmaking list with some new additions you’ll want to check out this long weekend. The major addition you’ll notice is our all-new “Playground” category that will be used to host alternative game types like tag, and more restrictive racing such as our “A Class Expert” hopper that is currently live. For tag we’ve added an A Class “Keep the IT” game type where the winner is the person who’s been “IT” the longest after 5 minutes. Expect to see this section in flux more often than our other general categories. Have a look!

Our lucky LCE owners got another special treat as we’ve sent out the latest VIP car earlier today. Check the in-game message center to receive your copy of the Halo Waypoint Lambo (shown above), painted by community MVP “m0dus”!

And finally…Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Turn 10 Studios!

Peace

Landin

Fixes for all known Time Trial and Leaderboard exploits/bugs.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in News, TURN 10 | No Comments »

The new Lexus LFA (News from Turn 10)

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

Auto week from Turn 10
The new Lexus LFA
is one beautiful screamer.  

 

In the same way that you don’t want to bring a knife to a gunfight, you don’t want to show up at the Nürburgring with some floppy old commuter car. There are parts of this storied circuit that can and should scare the bejesus out of almost any sane human behind a wheel. And when we say Nürburgring, we don’t mean the new, safe, runoff-happy GP ‘Ring, the one where you could go straight at the end of the straight and the worst thing that would happen is embarrassment as you slowly dug deeper into the gravel trap or slid around on the plentiful grass like a drunken frat boy piloting a golf cart on the links with his bros. No, we are talking about the old, original ‘Ring, the Nordschliefe, the one made in the 1920s with skinny pavement, almost no runoff area and parts so remote they won’t necessarily ever even find you when you commit your last big screwup. This ‘Ring was built when men were men and death–much more so than in modern times–was a part of everyday life, certainly a part of racing.

So when we showed up at the ‘Ring, all suited up in Nomex from head to toe and all the way out to the fingertips, we came prepared–with a Lexus LFA. Yes the LFA, the car that has been shown in one “concept” form or another for what seems like forever. It was first shown at Detroit in 2005 and has been trotted out in various guises at car shows since. They even raced LFAs twice, at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2008 and 2009. So everybody knows it works well and can get around this track fairly quickly.

But Lexus has never let just any average driving schmo like us behind the wheel, certainly not here at the Nordschliefe. Until now. Fast and predictable. What was it like to drive? It is fast, for sure, quick off the line and quick in passing. But it also is remarkably stable and predictable. You can’t say that about all supercars.  Let’s start with the basics. Its 3,256 pounds of curb weight are rocketed off the line by a 554-hp dry-sump V10 that’ll take it from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.7 seconds. Top speed is a hearty and wailful 204 mph. Yes, 204 mph! We were on our way to that speed earlier in the day on the autobahn but ran out of room. Instead of 204, we topped out at “only” 172 mph. The remarkable thing about piloting the LFA at that speed was its stability. The engine is longitudinally mounted in front and it drives the rear wheels through a torque tube, rear-mounted six-speed ASG automated sequential gearbox and a limited-slip differential. While the balance is 48/52, putting the weight out on the ends of the structure as opposed to gathering it all in the middle gives it a lower polar moment. It will tend, in general, to not spin around as quickly as a rear-engine Porsche or a mid-engine Spyker, Ferrari or Audi R8 5.2 V10.

 ”In our religious philosophy we say, ‘As long as you are in the hand of the Buddha you are safe,’” is how chief engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi described putting the weight out at the ends of the car for better inherent stability. “You can have the best pleasure, but you are safe.” We hear ya on that religious experience. If you lift off too quickly in a turn, the stability control will catch you first, but it does not do so intrusively. At speed on the track, it gently reduces throttle, so gently you usually don’t notice it. Or maybe we were just being smoothly cautious. More-confident drivers can turn stability all the way off for a more fluid drive. But you are always in the hand of the Buddha. The power of lightness. The LFA performs so well in part because of its unique body structure, which consists of a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque with aluminum extrusions front and rear. Combined with an aluminum engine, it is what engineers call “light.”

The rear-drive LFA is almost 600 pounds lighter than the AWD Nissan GT-R and also is lighter than the Porsche 911 Turbo, the Audi R8 V10 and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Thus the brakes don’t have to work as hard. But they work hard nonetheless. On our autobahn top-speed runs earlier in the day, the LFA was so safe and stable that we never felt threatened by anything, not even the pinhead in the Škoda who wandered into our lane to leisurely pass a truck–this was when we were doing about one Euro 50. The 390-millimeter front and 360-millimeter rear ceramic disc brakes barely warmed up as they brought the whole LFA down to the lumbering rate of the moronic Škoda driver. Getting back up to speed, the column-mounted paddles click up through the six-speed ASG gearbox remarkably fast. Shifts can come as quickly as 0.2 second in Sport mode, about as fast as any gearbox made, but they aren’t at all brutal. Auto, Normal and Wet modes make up your other shift choices. Each mode has its own programming. You can even select shift speeds, ranging from the 0.2-second blasts to shifts that take a full and leisurely 1 second. The lightweight chassis is connected to the wheels by double wishbones in front and a rear multilink. Tires are Bridgestone 265/35ZR-20s in front and 305/30ZR-20s in the rear. The suspension was not just developed at the Nürburgring, as seemingly everything is nowadays, but during the Nürburgring 24-hour race. The shocks on the production car are the same ones used in the race. When engineers and drivers noticed some slight chassis flex in the races, Tanahashi-san added front and rear crossbraces connected by a latticelike central brace and two more carbon-fiber braces in the front structure. Emphasis on handling.

All of this worked splendidly on the ‘Ring. We had three laps of the thing. Normally, three laps of a racetrack is pitifully few. But normal racetracks are maybe two or three miles long. The Nordschliefe is 13 miles long and has 73 turns. If you do a lap in less than eight minutes, you are hailed as a hero. If you get around it in the same afternoon and don’t fly off into the spruce forest, you get respect. We accomplished the latter with dignity and a fair amount of speed. The biggest thing you learn about a car on the Nordschliefe is its transitional handling characteristics–how it feels shifting its weight from one side to the other. In several instances we determined that, with a lesser car, we would have been flying backwards over the skinny guardrail and into the trees. We were able to go fast enough to make this determination because we were following some European hot shoe who apparently was born at this place. On blind corners–and let’s face it, they’re all blind–he would hammer the throttle, knowing as we assumed that he did that the track didn’t end around this or that corner. The stability that Tanahashi described was in evidence at every one of these flingingly fast turns. Only a couple of times did we feel that it was the electronic stability control that saved us from infamy; in the vast majority of the corners; it was that hand-of-the-Buddha thing that kept us out of the weeds. And our own skill, a little. Lap time? We were not timing it, so let’s estimate 6:38. Ha ha, just kidding. In skilled hands, we’d estimate that an LFA could get around the Nordschliefe in less than eight minutes. Tanahashi-san said he did not have a time, that he told his engineers to concentrate on driving enjoyment, not lap times. But can’t you enjoy a good lap time? The LFA is not as lively to drive at the limit as any of the above mentioned cars, the Ferrari, the Audi R8, the Ford GT, the Porsche 911 and the 911 Turbo, etc. Roll, jounce and rebound are firmly controlled without being harsh. The LFA feels like a shorter, greatly refined and much, much lighter Corvette. Or a lighter, rear-drive GT-R. The LFA isolates only the feel you need and transmits it to you through the wheel and through the seat. Apparently you don’t need too much feeling to drive fast and safe. It is an amazing car considering the things it can do and the speeds it can go with more safety and stability than perhaps any road car ever made.

You are not taking your life in your hands when you drive this car at the limit. You are in the hand of the Buddha, remember. $300,000 for 1 of 500. But at least one of your hands will have to be on your wallet, since these things are going to cost “in the high 300s,” according to Toyota. Lexus will settle on a price closer to when LFA production begins in December 2010. Since each model is custom-made, don’t look for these in showrooms. And since the U.S. market will only get between 100 and 200 of the 500 total LFAs ever to be made, don’t look for one in every driveway. The 500 cars will be made in the 2011 and 2012 model years. The good news is that the cars are not all sold, far from it, which was at least part of the reason Lexus let us drive one as fast as we did. Chief engineer Tanahashi figures that the LFA has taken up a third of his career–10 years. Lexus says the project began in 2000. What took so long? The official reason is that Tanahashi-san–seeking better a power-to-weight ratio–decided a few years into the project to switch from an aluminum body to that carbon-fiber tub with aluminum extrusions pointing out of it front and rear. But we’re guessing the reason might also have had more to do with Toyota/Lexus trying to grapple with the ROI from a $300,000-plus, limited-production car. Plus there’s that whole notion of Lexusness.

For a division known best for impeccable service and ride isolation, should there really be something in the lineup that can go 204 mph and feel like a wheeled dart? What is the LFA, anyway, the spiritual successor to the SC400? Of course not. You could say it’s sort of like a Supra injected with kryptonite. Or you could go farther back and say it’s the modern iteration of the 2000GT. But each of those would be a stretch. The LFA is an anomaly in the Lexus lineup, but the fastest, most thrilling anomaly you will ever drive. Whatever it is and wherever it came from–and we’re guessing its extraterrestrial–the LFA stands on its own merits as a fully capable supercar in this age brimming with them.

2011 Lexus LFA

On Sale: Early 2011

Base Price: Less than $400,000

Drivetrain: 4.8-liter, 554-hp, 354-lb-ft, normally aspirated V10; RWD, six-speed automatic

Curb Weight: 3,256 lb 0-62 mph: 3.7 sec

 

LINK

Fuel Economy: N/A

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in News, TURN 10 | No Comments »

2010 Saleen 435S

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

The next potent Mustang from famous speed shop.

Saleen Performance Vehicles is staging a bit of a comeback. It’s debatable whether the company synonymous with custom Mustangs actually ever went anywhere, but it’s undeniable that most of the recent news out of the speed shop has hardly been positive. There have been two sales in recent years, lawsuits, a warranty spat and a brush with liquidation. Oh, and the company’s founder and namesake, Steve Saleen, is now a competitor.

Set against that backdrop, Saleen Performance is now moving forward with new products and hopes to change the conversation back to sheetmetal. A new powerful S-line, to be revealed next month at SEMA, the company is promising will conjure images of the Saleen cars of old with “American exotic” mojo. Until then, Saleen has rolled out an entry-level model, the 435S, that upgrades the 2010 Mustang GT with more power, a tighter, sportier chassis and some subtle styling modifications.

We had seat time in coupe and convertible versions of the 435S on Tuesday in the backwoods of Michigan. And for enthusiasts, this go-fast Mustang is worth putting on the radar. It’s actually a minimalistic approach, but it’s obvious that the car is a Saleen at first glance, with the chevrons, optional rear spoiler, blacked-out “Saleen” insert in back and modified front fascia. And, of course, there’s plenty of badging. But the whole package is not overdone, and the 435S would not look tacky as a daily driver. Behind the wheel, it’s quiet agreeable.

The car is fitted with a Racecraft suspension, and ride height is lowered about an inch and a quarter. It feels fast in corners and the body is composed–there’s definitely a sporty vibe when you push it, but at the same time, it’s not punishing on gravel roads or choppy pavement. An enthusiast who had to, say, sell insurance to pay for his or her rear spoilers could comfortably and satisfyingly take the entry-level Saleen into the office every day and be no worse for the wear. The heart of the 435S is the supercharger, and blowers happen to be a specialty of the new owners of Saleen, a Michigan-based group of auto-parts companies led by businessman Michael Shields. The superchargers are powerful, but in a sane manner. Punch the throttle and acceleration is brisk. And when the blower kicks on, hold on. The revs build and the pull is strong. Still, at slower speeds, it’s a normal albeit powerful motor. It makes 435 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque, and the boost is the heart of what you are paying for over the 315-hp Mustang GT. Saleen pairs it with a five-speed manual gearbox, and the short throws are pleasing and easy to get the hang of. Inside, you get some stitching on the headrests, more badging and slightly modified gauges. Otherwise, it’s a stock ‘Stang, which is completely fine. Ford has worked a minor bit of magic with its interiors in recent years, and the pony car has not been left out. There’s a nice drive position and comfortable seats–Saleen was smart not to mess with a good thing here. Some engine noise is noticeable in the cabin, and in the convertible there’s a bit of ambient sound. Still, carrying on conversations is easy, and most enthusiasts will savor the exhaust note.

Our time in the new 435S was brief but satisfying. There are a lot of custom Mustangs out there, and this one is a nice addition to the stable. Is it a harbinger of things to come from a performance-oriented company? Stay tuned for SEMA.

 

LINK

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in News, TURN 10 | No Comments »

From The Turn 10 Studios Blog.

Friday, October 16th, 2009

The Turn 10 Studios Blog

The home of Turn 10 Studios, creators of Forza Motorsport 2 on Xbox 360.

Forza Motorsport 3 Pre-Order Car Giveaway!


The first of three cars that can be yours is this ODST Beemer courtesy of NeoGaf’s Ayo Jube. Hot!

Have you pre-ordered your copy of Forza Motorsport 3? If so…you’re awesome and we appreciate your support! If not then you have some work to do if you want to participate in our latest Forza 3 free car giveaway. We’re doings things a little differently this time around to reward everyone who’s picked up a pre-order for Forza 3. How so you ask? Here’s the low down. 

To celebrate the launch of Forza 3 and to thank our dedicated fans we’ve decided to host yet another free car giveaway, only this time we’re sending out a pack of slick designs courtesy of our community MVP’s. Basically we want you to e-mail us proof that you have indeed placed a pre-order on Forza Motorsport 3. Below is a step by step on how to do it.


Second is this Crackdown 2 inspired Camaro created by community MVP m0dus. 

Official Contest Rules and Submission Instructions

  • You must be an Xbox LIVE gold member to participate.
  • Download the Forza Motorsport 3 demo and finish one race (vs. the AI) with the gamertag you want to register by 12:00am PST on Monday October 26th 2009.
  • Pre-order Forza Motorsport 3 before Monday October 26th 2009 and be sure to have a receipt which shows the date of your pre-order.
  • Write your gamertag legibly in print letters onto the receipt and take a clear photo of said receipt with all printed information visible.
  • Email the photo to forzafb@microsoft.com with the subject header “Forza Motorsport 3 Pre-order Car Giveaway”. Include the photo as an attachment to the email, and also include your gamertag in the body of the email. Your e-mail must be received no later than 12:00am PST on Monday October 26th 2009.
  • Do not change your gamertag before you have received your in-game cars from within the game.
  • Purchase Forza Motorsport 3.
  • You will receive the gift cars on or around 11/4/09 once you have booted up Forza Motorsport 3 while logged into Xbox LIVE. Press the Left trigger to access your inbox and download the cars!


Finally you will be gifted this sleek FM3 style Audi R8 V10 Courtesy of Turn 10’s Fred Howell! 

There you have it! Get out your digital cameras and e-mail a high quality picture of your pre-order receipt to Forzafb@microsoft.com by following the steps noted above. From everyone here at Turn 10, thank you for your support of Forza Motorsport 3!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in TURN 10 | No Comments »

Nissan marks Z car’s 40 years with special edition

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

With a special paint color, a red leather interior and a Sport package.

Forty years ago, America was introduced to the Z car. It gave Datsun–now Nissan–a performance pedigree in the United States. And it elevated to revered status Yutaka “Mr. K” Katayama, the man who fought his bosses in Japan to replace the Fairlady name with 240Z. Katayama celebrated his 100th birthday on Sept. 15 in Japan.

Nissan is commemorating the Z car’s arrival in the States with a 40th-anniversary model that goes on sale next spring.

The anniversary Z is a 370Z Touring coupe with the six-speed manual transmission and the Sport package–which adds automatic rev-matching to the shift system, a limited-slip differential, bigger brakes and 19-inch Rays forged wheels. Added to that are red leather covered seats and door inserts, red stitching throughout the cabin and a handful of commemorative badges inside and out. Each anniversary Z is painted in “40th Quartz” and comes with a red satin car cover.

The engine is the Z car’s standard issue 332-hp, 3.7-liter V6.

The price? Nissan says we’ll find out next spring.

Oct. 22, 1969: The Datsun 240Z (Nissan Fairlady Z in Japan) goes on sale in the United States.

1974: The inline six-cylinder engine grows to 2.6 liters and the name changes to 260Z. A 2+2 model is added.

1975: The engine grows to 2.8 liters and the name changes to 280Z.

1979: Second-generation 280ZX is introduced.

1981: 280ZX Turbo joins the lineup.

1984: Nissan launches third-generation 300ZX with 3.0-liter V6.

1990: Fourth-generation 300ZX arrives, with 222 hp. 300ZX Turbo follows with 300 hp.

1996: Nissan drops Z car from U.S. market.

1999: Nissan shows a 240Z concept at the Detroit auto show. But it is rejected for production.

2001: Nissan shows a reworked Z Concept at the Detroit auto show. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says the car will go into production.

2003: Fifth-generation 350Z goes on sale with 3.5-liter V6.

2008: Sixth-generation 370Z unveiled at Los Angeles auto show.

2009: A convertible version of the 370Z goes on sale.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in News, TURN 10 | No Comments »