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146-613: The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is a line of grand tourers which was produced by German automaker Mercedes-Benz , produced from 1992 to 2014. The name CL stands for the German C oupé L uxusklasse (Coupé-Luxury). It is considered by Mercedes as their premier model. In 2015 Mercedes officially ceased using the CL-Class designation, returning the vehicle's name back to the S-Class Coupe/Convertible, replacing it with

292-694: A pilota da corsa at the 1949 Mille Miglia . The A6 1500 was the first road going production car to be offered by the Maserati factory, featuring a tubular chassis with independent front suspension and coil springs , the 1500 cc six-cylinder being derived from the Maserati brothers pre-war voiturette racing engines. The body of the A6 1500 was an elegant two-door fast-back coupé body, also by Pinin Farina. Enzo Ferrari , whose Scuderia Ferrari had been

438-458: A "safety car" period, which would see marshals wave yellow flags and hold "SC" boards, pending the car in question entering the track. From 2007, all Formula One cars must have LEDs and/or displays fitted to the steering wheel or cockpit, which inform the driver which flags are being waved. A yellow LED is illuminated when the safety car is deployed. The safety car is driven by a professional driver (since 2000, by Bernd Mayländer ), accompanied by

584-617: A 100 mph car. Lancia chose the Gran Turismo name for its new model and the suggestion could only have come from Vittorio Jano himself, for had he not been responsible for the original 1750 Alfa Romeo of the same name back in 1929? Four semi-ufficiali works B20 GTs, together with a number of privateer entrants, were sent to the Mille Miglia in April 1951, where the factory Bracco / Maglioli car finished second overall, behind only

730-593: A 30G crash involving Max Verstappen . The system saw its first extended deployment at the 2015 British Grand Prix after Carlos Sainz Jr. 's power unit failed at Club Corner of the Silverstone Circuit . The Full Course Yellow condition is the Formula E version of the Virtual Safety Car. In this condition, all marshal posts will wave yellow flags, accompanied by a sign that says "FCY" with

876-572: A 6C Alfa Romeo and Maserati in 1948, along with the Fiat 1100 S coupé with its rear accommodation for children. The original Aurelia had been under-powered and, in 1951, the V6 was enlarged to 1991 cc, which was also extended to the coupé, though in 75 rather than 70 bhp form as the B20 was developed as a sporting model in its own right. In addition the B20 had a shorter wheelbase and a higher rear axle ratio, making it

1022-463: A Ferrari sports racer of twice the engine capacity. Lancia Aurelias swept the GT 2.0 Liter division. In June 1951, Bracco was partnered with the "father of GT racing" himself, Johnny Lurani , to race a B20 GT at Le Mans, where they were victorious in the 2.0 liter sportscar division, placing a very creditable 12th overall. A 1–2 finish at the famous Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti, among other victories including

1168-548: A GT car", was winner of the Vetture Chiuse category at the 1931 Mille Miglia. An improved and supercharged version, the 6C 1750 GTC Gran Turismo Compressore , won the Vetture a Guida Interna category of the 1932 Mille Miglia. The Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 was designed by Vittorio Jano, who would later be instrumental in the design of the 1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT. From the basic Fiat 508 Balilla touring chassis came

1314-401: A car during the parade laps. Depending on the driver's skill, some drivers are allowed to pace the field right up to the dropping of the green flag. Some famous drivers have been Jay Leno , Richard Hammond , Luke Wilson , Rob Gronkowski , Guy Fieri and many others. The beneficiary rule (informally known as the "lucky dog" rule) states once the safety car is deployed, the first car not on

1460-399: A co-driver to assist with operations and communications. The safety car has both orange and green lights mounted on its roof in the form of a light bar . The green lights are used to signal that it is possible to overtake the safety car; this is only done until the race leader is immediately behind the safety car and at the head of the queue of race cars following. From 2015, the safety car

1606-438: A controversial start when the pace car did not return to the pits when the green lights came on. The front running LMPs slowed down but some of the GT cars could not react fast enough, resulting in collisions and heavy damage to all three GTE Pro class Porsches which caused them to retire. The GTE Am class IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche and GTE Pro JOTA Aston Martin were also caught up in the carnage. An accident occurred during

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1752-440: A leading driver may have had over the remaining field of competitors. This effect can make racing more competitive upon full race resumption; conversely, it has also contributed to faster leading drivers being negated just rewards for their efforts prior to the caution period. Subject to the racing regulations in force, it is not uncommon for drivers to be allowed to make pitstops during safety car periods. This situation may provide

1898-794: A name change several times. The V8 and V12 coupés were called the 500 SEC and 600 SEC, respectively, in 1992 and 1993. The 600 SEC was the first V12 coupé ever offered by Mercedes-Benz. For 1994, the model names were changed to the S500 Coupé and the S600 Coupé. The name CL-Class was adopted in June 1996 (1997 for MY1998 North American models), and the W140 coupés were called the CL500 and CL600. Production ended in August 1998. The M119 5.0 L V8 engine

2044-510: A new direct injection, 5.5-litre V8 engine (a larger displacement version of the CL 550's) mated to a 7-speed MCT dual-clutch transmission with a total output of 525 PS (386 kW; 518 hp) and 800 N⋅m (590 lb⋅ft) of torque. The CL 65 AMG's V12 engine has been tweaked to deliver 630 PS (463 kW; 621 hp) and 1,000 N⋅m (738 lb⋅ft) of torque, mated to a 5-speed automatic with AMG speedshift. The last generation of

2190-406: A new seven speed automatic transmission, which accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. The CL 600 retains the twin-turbo 5.5 L V12 engine and five-speed automatic with a total output of 517 PS (380 kW; 510 hp) and 830 N⋅m (612 lb⋅ft) of torque. It sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. Both vehicles are limited to 250 km/h. The CL 63 AMG is powered by

2336-653: A peak of 457 at 4,400 rpm. The V12-powered CL63 AMG was only sold in Europe and Asia. Mercedes-Benz never offered the C215 CL63 for sale; all were sold exclusively through AMG. Only 55 examples of thee 2000 CL55 AMG F1 were manufactured, as a tribute to the modified Safety Car version used in Formula One during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. The engine was a naturally-aspirated 5.4-liter V8 delivering 354 bhp at 5,500 rpm, and 391 ft lbs torque at 4,100 rpm. This

2482-678: A position similar to the Bugatti 57SC of 1939. In 1962 the GTO Ferrari coupés had a remarkable season of successes in G.T. racing and have become the standard by which any competition coupé is measured, and by steady development [the Ferrari 250GT] has become one of the world's greatest cars. 1953 saw the first serious attempt to series produce the Ferrari motor car, two models of the Type 250 Europa being produced. The cars were an evolution of

2628-412: A reasonable speed so as to ensure that the competitors' tyres are as close as possible to operating temperature and their engines do not overheat. For incidents during the first three laps, the safety car also has an advantage over the traditional red flag; with a red flag, it would take a minimum of fifteen minutes to restart the race, and the two-hour limit would not start until the cars were ready for

2774-526: A second formation lap. With regards to the time limit, the race is being scored and the time is also counting while the safety car is on the track, and the race resumes. The first use of a safety car in Formula One is reported to have taken place at the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix , where a yellow Porsche 914 was called for duty following various incidents under treacherous weather conditions. Controversially, on that occasion, it took several hours after

2920-554: A serious head injury which led to his death, the FIA established an "accident panel" to investigate the dynamics of the accident and ways to minimize the risk of a crash during similar circumstances that do not warrant the deployment of a safety car and cannot be simply managed with yellow flags . The accident panel recommended the implementation of a "virtual safety car", based on the " slow zone " system used in Le Mans racing. Compared to

3066-422: A strategic advantage since any scheduled refueling, tire change or maintenance may be carried out while other competitors are lapping at lower speed, and the drivers who pit then simply rejoin a queue of cars all running together. During normal racing conditions, such interventions would typically involve losing significant terrain over those drivers that remain on-track. Another notable effect of safety car periods

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3212-423: A team of prototype cars of extremely advanced and interesting design. By 1954 these had undergone sufficient development to be placed on the market as the "300SL" , one of the costliest and most desirable cars of our time. The conventional chassis has been abandoned in favor of a complex structure of welded tubes , although the coil spring suspension is retained, and exceptionally large brakes are fitted, inboard at

3358-682: A two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement. Grand tourers are often the coupé derivative of luxury saloons or sedans. Some models, such as the Ferrari 250 GT , Jaguar E-Type , and Aston Martin DB5 , are considered classic examples of gran turismo cars. The term is a near- calque from the Italian language phrase gran turismo , which became popular in the English language in the 1950s, evolving from fast touring cars and streamlined closed sports cars during

3504-530: A yellow background. This condition is often decided by the Race Director whether it is appropriate to implement it or not. The fans (if they are watching the race on TV) and drivers can hear the Race Director declare the FCY on the radio. Once the FCY is implemented, all drivers must activate the FCY limiter, which, similar to the pit speed limiter, keeps the car under FCY speeds despite the throttle being flat to

3650-464: Is able to bring the car to a complete stop, and accelerate again to the pre-set speed, to keep a pre-set distance away from the car ahead of it. This Mercedes-Benz CL has also debuted with the new Active NightVision program that enables drivers to view the conditions in front of the car despite the dark surroundings. In 2007, 40 C216 CL 65 AMG units have been sold as 40th Anniversary Edition, to celebrate AMG's founding 40 years earlier. Performance wise,

3796-423: Is not required to wait until all backmarkers have caught back up to the queue. When the safety car is ready to leave the circuit, it will turn off its orange lights to indicate that it will enter the pit lane at the end of the lap. Drivers must continue in formation until they cross the first safety car line, where circuit green lights and flags will indicate they are free to race again. The safety car must maintain

3942-450: Is not unlike two Mercedes six-cylinder series engines mated to a common crank with appropriate engine monitoring systems. Exclusive “Designo” packages featured custom color metallic paint, custom color Nappa leather interior and exotic wood trims, in three variants: Designo Cashmere, Designo Espresso and Designo Silver. Additional variants can be found on rarer models. An optional granite trim could be specified in lieu of wood trim. In 2003

4088-434: Is of a car with the ability to cross a continent at speed and in comfort yet provide driving thrills when demanded" and it should exhibit the following: Grand tourers emphasize comfort and handling over straight-out high performance or ascetic , spartan accommodations. In comparison, sports cars (also a "much abused and confused term") are typically more "crude" compared to "sophisticated Grand Touring machinery". However,

4234-451: Is recognized as the first Ferrari gran turismo . After that race, the national governing body of Italian motorsport, CSAI ( Commissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana), officially introduced a new class, called Gran Turismo Internazionale , for cars with production over thirty units per year, thereby ruling out Ferrari's hand-built berlinettas . Ferrari's response for the new Italian Gran Turismo Internazionale championship in 1951

4380-466: Is sold as the CL 550 in some markets (including the U.S.). The class is based on the chassis of the W221 S-Class , which shares the same powertrains, although there are V6 and hybrid engines for the S not available for the CL. The two-door coupé weighs 2,045 kg (4,508 lb), being heavier than the equivalent S saloon, and rides on a full-size 116.3-inch wheelbase (albeit 8.2 inches less than

4526-409: Is that racing cars consume less fuel until full race resumption, which can allow competitors to run longer distances on a tank of fuel than would otherwise have been possible and/or reduce the number of pitstops required for the duration of the race. In Formula One if an accident or inclement weather (typically, heavy rain) prevents normal racing from continuing safely, the Race Director will call for

Mercedes-Benz CL-Class - Misplaced Pages Continue

4672-675: Is the C215-chassis four passenger coupé of 1998–2006, with development 1993 to 1999 and final design approved in 1996. It is based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220) (which was launched in late 1998 in Europe), though it rides on an 8-inch (203 mm) shorter wheelbase. The CL's front fascia of four oval headlights is similar to that of the W210 and W211 E-Class. The CL model variants included the: The CL coupés introduced

4818-614: Is used in a race, extra time will be added in order to compensate for the missed racing time due to the safety car. The first use of a pace car in automobile racing was at the inaugural Indy 500 in 1911. The officials at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been selecting a pace car and its driver for the Indy 500 each year since that first race. The first pace car was a Stoddard-Dayton driven by Carl G. Fisher . In recent years Chevrolet models have been chosen as

4964-399: The 159 and 166 models, including the 1949 Ferrari 166 Inter , a road-going berlinetta coupé with coachwork by Carrozzeria Touring and other coachbuilders. The Ferrari 166 'Inter' S coupé model won the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa motor race. Regulations stipulated body form and dimensions but did not at this time specify a minimum production quantity. The car was driven by Bruno Sterzi, and

5110-471: The 2009 FIA WTCC Race of France in Pau , France . A succession of first-lap accidents caused the safety car to be placed on standby, with yellow flags waving on the start-finish section of the track. The safety car driver - a local politician - then proceeded to drive onto the track at slow speed, without official approval, moving across the pit exit line immediately after exiting the pits, instead of confining to

5256-431: The 250 GTO . A full Testa Rossa engine was employed (albeit with black crinkle-finish engine covers) with six twin-choke Webers. Power was up to 300 b.h.p. at 7,400 r.p.m. and with a lightweight 2000 lb body and chassis: the car was an immediate winner. Remarkable as it might be on the circuit, it is also a remarkable machine on the road. One American Ferrarist, who owned and raced many G.T. Ferraris, commented that

5402-485: The Active Body Control fully active suspension system and Bi-Xenon HID lights ). Active Body Control uses four hydraulic suspension rams that use three pressure regulators connected to a combination power steering and suspension pump, pushing fluid at a pressure of 2,960 psi (20,400 kPa) through the system that, along with several intermediate computers and master CPU, keeps this car flat through

5548-601: The Alboreto corner of the Monza Circuit on the Thursday of the 2024 Italian Grand Prix . Both the passenger and the driver, Bernd Mayländer , were safe, and no interruptions were reported as there was another safety car at the site if needed. The race itself went on without any safety car deployments, extending a streak of such that started after the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix . The high amount of caution laps during

5694-710: The C217 S-Class Coupé . The equipment of the luxury class coupé corresponds to its position at the top of the Mercedes-Benz model programme, which is built at the Sindelfingen plant on its own line The CL-Class is the coupé derivative of the S-Class full-size luxury saloon , upon which it shares the same platform. Formerly known as the SEC ( S onderklasse- E inspritzmotor- C oupé) and later S-Coupé , it

5840-455: The Fiat -based 1100 cc four-cylinder Cisitalia was no match on the race track for Ferrari's new hand-built 2000 cc V12 , and Ferrari dominated, taking the first three places. An 1100 cc class was hurriedly created, but not in time to save Cisitalia's business fortunes—the company's bankrupt owner Piero Dusio had already decamped to Argentina. The Cisitalia 202 SC gained considerable fame for

5986-663: The Fiat 8V "Otto Vu" was unveiled at the Geneva Salon in March 1952 to international acclaim. Although not raced by the factory, the Otto Vu was raced by a number of private owners. Vincenzo Auricchio and Piero Bozzinio raced to fifth in the gran turismo category of the 1952 Mille Miglia, and Ovidio Capelli placed third in the GT 2000 cc class at the Coppa della Toscana in June, with a special race-spec lightweight Zagato coupe;

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6132-596: The Toyota Tundra , but prefer marketing the Camry Hybrid. However, Ford and Toyota manufacturer sponsored tracks will prefer the Mustang and Camry, respectively, instead of a truck, and occasionally, pickup trucks have been used as pace vehicles for Cup Series and Xfinity races. Since NASCAR does not allow speedometers or electronic speed limiting devices, the pace car circles the track at pit road speed during

6278-475: The post-war United States, manufacturers were less inclined to adopt the "ethos of the GT car", preferring to build cars "suited to their long, straight, smooth roads and labor-saving lifestyles " with wide availability of powerful straight-six and V8 engines in all price-ranges like the 1955-1965 Chrysler 300 . Despite this, the United States, enjoying early post-war economic expansion , became

6424-593: The warm-up laps . This allows each driver to note the RPM at which pit road speed is maintained. Drivers exceeding that speed on pit road will be penalized, typically a "drive-through" or "stop and go" penalty, costing them valuable track position. Since mid-2004, NASCAR official Brett Bodine has driven the vehicle during official race functions during Cup Series races. Other famous NASCAR pace car drivers include Robert "Buster" Auton and Elmo Langley . At many races, NASCAR has an honorary pace car driver that actually drives

6570-607: The "V12" emblems at the base of each C pillar, placed immediately behind the passenger windows. An entry-level model, the CL420, was available with a 4.2 L V8 engine (with the same architecture as the M119 5.0 L V8 engine) and since it was not available at all markets, it had very low sales compared to its larger-engined siblings. Production ended September 1998 with 26,022 Coupés produced. Specifications for European model. * All are electronically limited The second generation CL

6716-452: The '40th Anniversary Edition' was a custom CL 65 AMG. Changes to the car included a 'ONE OUT OF 40' badge near the COMAND controller, special upholstery and rooflining, and a special 'AMG Alubeam' paint finish. Apart from the CL 65 AMG 40th Anniversary Edition, only a small selection of showcars got an Alubeam finish, a special paint designed to gleam like liquid metal. The facelift version of

6862-669: The 1930s. The grand touring car concept originated in Europe in the early 1950s, especially with the 1951 introduction of the Lancia Aurelia B20 GT , and features notable luminaries of Italian automotive history such as Vittorio Jano , Enzo Ferrari and Johnny Lurani . Motorsports became important in the evolution of the grand touring concept, and grand touring entries are important in endurance sports-car racing . The grand touring definition implies material differences in performance, speed, comfort, and amenities between elite cars and those of ordinary motorists. In

7008-515: The 1950s, driving a Zagato-bodied Fiat 8V, Elio emerged as the consummate gentleman racer in Italian GT championship events. Zagato, his father's firm, provided the lithe, lightweight aluminium bodies for many of the Lancias, Alfa Romeos, Abarths and Maseratis that dominated these meetings. Elio won 82 races out of the 150 he entered, and won four of the five championships he entered. Working with

7154-543: The 2023 IndyCar Monterey Grand Prix resulted in extended use of the Honda Civic pace car. This eventually led to the pace car almost running out of fuel. The Civic was then shown being refuelled by hand. During the opening pace laps of the 2018 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix IndyCar race (the second race of a doubleheader weekend at the Belle Isle street circuit), a 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car leading

7300-596: The 250 chassis was employed for improved handling and road-holding in corners, and top speed was up to 157 m.p.h. In 1957 Gendebien finished third overall in the Mille Miglia, and won the "index of performance". Alfonso de Portago won the Tour de France and GT races at Montlhéry and Castelfusano in a lightweight Carrozzeria Scaglietti 250 GT. Gendebien became a gran turismo specialist in 250 GTs when he wasn't driving sports racing Ferrari Testa Rossas ("Red Heads" for their red engine covers), achieving success in both

7446-602: The 6 Ore di Pescara, rounded out an astonishing debut racing season for this ground-breaking car, winning its division in the Italian GT Championship for Umberto Castiglioni in 1951 . Lancia B20 GTs would go on to win the over 2.0 liter Italian GT Championship in 1953, 1954 and 1955 with the B20-2500 . A surprise to the international press, who were not expecting a gran turismo berlinetta from Italy's largest manufacturer of everyday standard touring models,

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7592-519: The AMG CL 65. As with all major German manufacturers (except Porsche ), Mercedes electronically limits most of its cars to 250 km/h (155 mph). * All are electronically limited After 6 years of development, the new model was officially unveiled at the end of June 2006 and was presented at the 2006 Paris Motor Show . Like its predecessors, the C216 has no B-pillar interrupting the sleek curve of

7738-476: The April 1951 Coppa Inter-Europa, driven by Luigi Villoresi, and in June (chassis no. 0092E) was first in the gran turismo category at the Coppa della Toscana driven by Milanese Ferrari concessionaire and proprietor of Scuderia Guastalla, Franco Cornacchia. The 212 Export continued to serve Ferrari well in the Sports and GT categories until replaced by the 225 S, and although it would later be overshadowed by

7884-502: The BMW into a number of rolls. The safety car was sent off the track into the Armco safety barrier at great speed. In the chaos, a Marcos LM600 coming around turn 11 locked up its brakes and spun into the wet grass on the inside of the track. Sliding back onto the track, it was hit from the side by a BMW Z3 . Furthermore, two E46 BMW M3 GTRs were damaged: one on the outside line hit the rear of

8030-665: The CL-Class, C216, was available in five models: CL 500 (CL 550 in some markets, with standard 4MATIC in Canada and the USA), CL 600, CL 63 AMG, CL 63 AMG (S) and CL 65 AMG. The CL 65 AMG was the most powerful model of the CL and the most expensive Mercedes-branded vehicle, slightly edging out its S-Class equivalent S 65 AMG and the SLS . CL sales are the third-lowest of Mercedes-Benz in North America with under 1400 units sold in 2006, as only

8176-456: The CSAI were raced with the original chassis and engine layout as specified in the factory catalog and available for customers to buy; engines could be tuned and bored out, but the bodywork had to conform to regulations. The CSAI were concerned that FIA (known as AIACR at the time) ' Annexe C ' Sports cars were becoming little more than thinly-disguised two-seat Grand Prix racers, far removed from

8322-503: The G-Class four-wheel drive and two-seat SLS AMG sell smaller numbers; annual CL sales equalled Ford truck sales for one day. However, this degree of distinction was considered attractive to CL buyers. Grand tourer A grand tourer ( GT ) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving with performance and luxury. The most common format is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door coupé with either

8468-405: The G.T.O. is an even more pleasant car on the road! He maintains that it is most tractable and overheating in traffic congestions is no problem. In its short lifetime the 250GTO has established an enviable record. It is also one of the most sought after competition cars as evidenced by recent European suggestions that "black market" G.T.O.s bring higher prices than new ones. The demand is greater than

8614-473: The GT category overall at this event was won by Franco Cornacchia's Ferrari 212 Export (refer above). Capelli and the 8V Zagato topped this accomplishment by winning the GT category of the Pescara 12 Hours in August, ahead of two Lancias. The new Fiat 8V garnered sufficient competition points over the season to become the national two-liter GT Champion (a feat it repeated every year until 1959). Elio Zagato ,

8760-602: The Giro Sicilia and Tour de France. In 1958, sports racing Testa Rossas swept the Manufacturer's Championship , and in 1959 the T.R. engine was adapted to the 250 GT. The spark plugs were relocated and each cylinder now had a separate intake port . Larger Weber twin-choke carburetors were employed in a triple configuration (sports racing T.R.s employed six) and some special customer cars had three four-choke Webers (one choke per cylinder). Dry-sump lubrication

8906-543: The Marcos, and the other, on the inside line, slightly damaged its front right. The second M3 continued around the track, while the first slid into the grass before turn 12. The race was stopped, and there were no serious injuries to any of the drivers. On lap 57, ARCA driver Joe Cooksey ran into the back of the Pontiac Grand Prix pace car driven by Jack Wallace totaling the pace car, to quote Cooksey: "It might be

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9052-646: The Mercedes CL-Class made its world debut in July 2010 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The new CL-Class comes with an improved exterior and interior, but the biggest changes are found under the hood. The exterior gets a new grille, bi-xenon headlights with LED technology, LED fog lamps, revised fenders and hood, and new exhaust pipes. For the interior the biggest change is the addition of a new wood trim. The new CL-Class will also be offered with all

9198-553: The Mille Miglia was an epoch-making event, which told a wonderful story. The Mille Miglia created our cars and the Italian car industry. The Mille Miglia permitted the birth of GT, or grand touring cars, which are now sold all over the world. The Mille Miglia proved that by racing over open roads for 1,000 miles, there were great technical lessons to be learned by the petrol and oil companies and by brake, clutch, transmission, electrical and lighting component manufacturers, fully justifying

9344-414: The Opel Vectra was criticized as it had a low top speed, which was insufficient to keep the competitors' tyre temperatures high, and the Vectra's brakes faded on the first lap causing its driver to go slowly. Since 1996 , in order to standardize the safety car type/performance and also as part of promotional arrangements, the main supplier of safety cars has been Mercedes-Benz , with Aston Martin sharing

9490-435: The SIATA and Fiat aerodynamic gran turismo -style Berlinetta Mille Miglias of 1933 and 1935. Siata was a Turin, Italy-based Fiat tuner, typical of a popular class of Italian artisan manufacturers of small gran turismo , sports and racing cars—usually Fiat based—that came to be known in the 1970s as Etceterini , such as Nardi , Abarth , Ermini and, in 1946, Cisitalia . The Fiat and SIATA berlinettas , influenced by

9636-419: The cars ordinary motorists could purchase from the manufacturers' catalogs. Safety Car#Formula One During a caution period, the safety car (which generally consists of an aptly modified high-performance production car) enters the track ahead of the leader. Depending on the regulations in effect, competitors are not normally allowed to pass the safety car or other competitors during a caution period, and

9782-440: The case on Sunday, the original scheduled start time of the race. The entire incident took about two hours to clean up before the last 40 (later extended to 42 due to a Green-white-checkered finish ) laps were able to be completed. NASCAR subsequently added the use of the second safety car (used during race start situations) to protect the last jet dryer in other safety car situations. The 2011 6 Hours of Castellet got off to

9928-444: The chief stylist Ercole Spada , Zagato produced some of the most beautiful GT designs of the era; spare and muscular cars such as the Aston Martin DB4GTZ , the Alfa Romeo Junior TZ and SZ , and the Lancia Flaminia Sport . These were minimalist shapes bereft of superfluous trim that introduced phrases such as "double bubble" roof to the car body design language: twin shallow domes, devised by Elio, to give extra head room and strengthen

10074-436: The coachbuilder's son, was successful in competition with the Otto Vu in 1954 and 1955, attracting further customer interest and leading Zagato to eventually develop two different GT racing versions. Upon his passing in 2009, Elio Zagato was described as a leading figure of Italian GT racing and design: Elio Zagato, who has died aged 88, was one of the leading figures of Italian Gran Turismo (GT) racing and car-body design. In

10220-553: The corners. Standard equipment includes climate control, ABC (hydraulic) suspension, all-leather interior, designer wood trim, trip computer , CD, navigation system, front heated seats, power moonroof, as well as power door and trunk closing assist. Optional features include a heated steering wheel and voice-activated telephone, as well as, front fan-cooled and heated seats. The CL63 AMG was produced only in November 2001 and just 26 examples were sold. The engine produced 438 bhp and 390 lb-ft torque between 2,500 - 5,800 rpm, with

10366-399: The course on parade laps prior to the start of the race. These increase in speed, allowing for a flying start of the race. Furthermore, two other rule changes have been implemented. Since 2000, with one lap to go before going back to green, the pace car pulls off the track in turn one rather than in turn four. The current leader of the race is then assigned the task of pacing the field back to

10512-461: The crash causing a puncture (though no damage to his car or tires was done). Approximately 20 minutes after the crash, the cars that were still on the track had their engines re-fired and were directed to drive to pit road in order to reset the starting grid for the race start. An identical back-up pace car of the same make and model was brought out to pace the field, this time driven by former IndyCar driver and official Oriol Servià who regularly drove

10658-535: The current speed limit) on their dashboard display, and must keep their delta times positive, meaning they must be slower than the reference time. The system was similar to the Electro-PACER lights used in the Indianapolis 500 races from 1972 until 1978 , except that engine control units (ECU) were involved and could enforce speed limits under the current system. The VSC was tested over the course of

10804-437: The drivers behind it are on the start/finish straight, there is a red light at the exit of the pit lane. Drivers who go past the red light are disqualified from the race. This has happened to several drivers during the years, such as Juan Pablo Montoya at the 2005 Canadian Grand Prix and Giancarlo Fisichella and Felipe Massa in the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix . At the same race a year later , Lewis Hamilton failed to notice

10950-407: The drivers will be subtracted, giving more energy saving tactics to the drivers and teams alike. Like Formula One, Formula E also has a safety car condition. From 2014 to 2021, a BMW i8 plug-in hybrid was used. Starting with the 2021 Rome ePrix , a Mini Electric was used, and a Porsche Taycan has been used since 2022. Formula E also includes a rule from 2022 which states that if the safety car

11096-509: The duties with them from 2021 onward. From 2007 , new procedures were applied for the first time during the Bahrain Grand Prix . The pit lane was closed immediately upon the deployment of the safety car. No car could enter the pits until all cars on the track had formed up in a line behind the safety car, they passed the pit entrance, and the message "pit lane open" was given. A ten-second stop/go penalty (which must be taken when

11242-487: The engine options changed. The CL 55 AMG became supercharged allowing the car to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.27 sec according to Motor Trend and the V12 CL 600 had 2 turbochargers added and a slight engine reduction, from 5980 cc to 5513 cc. Both cars produced 500 PS (368 kW; 493 hp) the distinction, again, was the ghost like quietness of the CL 600 as compared to rather noisy CL 55 AMG. The CL 600

11388-460: The fastest category of sports car racing from 1994 to 2001. The inclusion of "grand tourer", " gran turismo ", "GT" or similar in the model name does not necessarily mean that the car is a grand tourer since several manufacturers have used the terms for the marketing of cars that are not grand tourers. Grand touring car design evolved from vintage and pre-World War II fast touring cars and streamlined closed sports cars . Italy developed

11534-403: The field and being driven by General Motors executive Mark Reuss lost control and crashed head-on into the left-hand retaining wall coming out of the exit of turn two of the track, shortly after leaving pit road. Neither Reuss nor Mark Sandy, an IndyCar official who was a passenger in the car, were injured in the crash and were able to exit the vehicle after the crash. The cars participating in

11680-507: The final three races of the 2014 season, during parts of free practice sessions. The system was evolved taking into account drivers' feedback and was officially introduced for the 2015 season following ratification by the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC). The VSC was officially used for the first time, and for a brief period prior to the deployment of the actual safety car, at the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix , following

11826-433: The first gran turismo cars. The small, light-weight, and aerodynamic coupés , named the " Berlinetta ", originated in the 1930s. A contemporary French concept, known as " grande routière ", emphasized style, elegance, luxury, and gentlemanly transcontinental touring; the grande routières were often larger cars than the Italian gran turismos . Italian designers saw that compared to traditional open two-seat sports car ,

11972-552: The first of the lightweight grand touring coupés, driven by Gendebien , battled with the Mercedes 300SL of Metternich and Einsendel to come in fifth overall and first in G.T. over 2,000 c.c. The G.T. Ferrari had arrived! Motor Sport , March 1963. After its 1956 debut, the 250 GT "went from strength to strength". Powered by the Colombo 250 engine, output was up to 240 b.h.p. at 7,000 r.p.m. A short-wheelbase (SWB) version of

12118-460: The first time in history the pace car has been wiped out." After Footwork Arrows driver Taki Inoue retired due to an engine failure, he attempted to assist the marshals in extinguishing the engine fire, but he was hit by the Tatra 623 safety car. The incident injured his leg, though he would recover in time for the following Belgian Grand Prix. Before the start of the race, a drunken fan stole

12264-509: The flagman will display the yellow caution flag and the pace car will pull out of the pits and turn on the yellow strobes on top and/or behind the car. When race officials are ready to open pit lane, a green light will come on in the rear window of the safety car. One lap before a green flag, the pace car will shut off its lights to signal drivers to line up double file. Unlike most series in motorsport, owing to NASCAR's short-track roots, each track usually offers its own safety car, typically from

12410-444: The floor. Overtaking is not allowed under FCY conditions, but if a driver does overtake another driver, like when Jean-Éric Vergne overtook António Félix da Costa at the 2019 Rome ePrix , the driver who overtook the other driver can be penalised. For season 6 of Formula E , when there is an FCY period, everyone is no longer allowed to activate Attack Mode. For every minute spent under FCY conditions, 1kWh of energy kept in reserve by

12556-414: The former, the safety car does not actually appear on the track. On top of not being allowed to overtake under yellow flag conditions in the affected sector, a "VSC" icon would appear trackside and on the drivers' steering displays, obliging drivers to not exceed the posted speed limit, thus resulting in a 35% speed reduction. All drivers are informed of their delta time (the difference between their speed and

12702-405: The green flag. After much consideration, this rule was added to prevent a situation much like the one that happened in the 1995 Indianapolis 500 , when Scott Goodyear passed the pace car going back to green. In 2002, a "wave-around" rule was added, where the pace car waves by all competitors (if there are any) between the pace car and the actual leader of the race. This allows the leader to control

12848-545: The increase in weight and frontal area of an enclosed cabin for the driver and mechanic could be offset by the benefits of streamlining to reduce drag . Independent carrozzeria ( coachbuilders ) provided light and flexible fabric coachwork for powerful short-wheelbase fast-touring chassis by manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo . Later, Carrozzeria Touring of Milan pioneered sophisticated superleggera (super light-weight) aluminum bodywork, allowing for even more aerodynamic forms. The additional comfort of an enclosed cabin

12994-481: The inside of it until the line ended. Race leader Franz Engstler came through the kink on the start-finish straight and was unable to avoid hitting the side of the pace car. Engstler commented "I saw the safety car coming out from the right and realized that I had no chance to brake... I really do not understand why he was going out of the pits". After this incident, the Portuguese Bruno Correia

13140-570: The internationally famous 250 GT , the 212 Export was an important model in the successful line of Colombo-engined V12 GT cars that made Ferrari legendary. 1951 was the stunning debut of Lancia's Aurelia B20 GT. Lancia had begun production in 1950 of their technically advanced Aurelia saloon; the design had been overseen by Vittorio Jano. At the 1951 Turin Motor Show , the Pinin Farina-bodied gran turismo B20 coupé version

13286-524: The jet dryer trailer and left driver's side of the truck. Montoya was treated at the infield care center and released unhurt. The driver of the Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab, Duane Barnes, was taken to a local hospital for observation and was resting comfortably. He was an employee at Michigan International Speedway , a sister track of Daytona . The tracks often share jet dryer equipment on race weekends to help in case of rain such as

13432-589: The largest market for European grand-touring cars, supplying transportation for movie stars, celebrities and the jet set ; notably the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (imported by Max Hoffman ), the Jaguar XK120 , and the Ferrari berlinettas (imported by Luigi Chinetti ). Classic grand-touring cars from the post-war era especially, have since become valuable cars among wealthy collectors. Within ten years, grand touring cars found success penetrating

13578-591: The last lapped car to unlap itself, the safety car will now be withdrawn one lap after the instruction to unlap is received. Since 2021 , F1 has featured two official safety cars, both the Aston Martin Vantage and the Mercedes-AMG GT R that was already used in previous seasons. Since 2022 , Mercedes provides a Black Series variant of the GT. Following an accident at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix , which saw driver Jules Bianchi suffer

13724-448: The latest technologies including: Active Blind Spot Assist, Attention Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Night View Assist Plus, and Active Body Control. The model line-up starts with the entry-level CL 500 (550 in the US) powered by the new 4.7 L (4,663cc) V8 direct-injected engine that delivers 435 PS (320 kW; 429 hp) and 700 N⋅m (516 lb⋅ft) of torque, paired to

13870-509: The lead lap will regain a lap. The Beneficiary will regain his lap once pit road opens. Bodine will signal that car to pass him through radio contact between NASCAR and that team. The free pass car must pit with the lapped cars. After previous being trialed at the NASCAR All-Star Race, at the 2009 Pocono 500 , NASCAR introduced a new "Double-file restart" rule that lines the field two cars on each row on every restart, similar to

14016-526: The long wheelbase S-Class, which is the only S-Class sold in the U.S.). Despite its large size, rear seat legroom is limited in keeping in the tradition of 2+2 luxury coupés, though CL has more rear passenger space than its rivals. The CL's trunk is as large as that of the Audi A8 flagship saloon. The C216 makes use of the Distronic Plus cruise control, which debuted on the 2007 S-Class. This system

14162-401: The manufacturer, but in recent years, it has been a local dealer or association of regional dealerships-provided Safety car. Tracks that use Toyota safety cars will use a Toyota Camry Hybrid, while Ford tracks will use a Ford Mustang , while Chevrolet tracks use a Chevrolet Camaro and most Dodge tracks use a Dodge Challenger . If a manufacturer is promoting a new vehicle, they will often use

14308-405: The model name are not actually grand touring cars. Among the many variations of GT are: Several past and present motor racing series have used "GT" in their name. These include: There have also been several classes of racing cars called GT. The Group GT3 regulations for modified road cars have been used for various racing series worldwide since 2006. The Group GT1 regulations were used for

14454-432: The new American personal luxury car market. The terms grand tourer , gran turismo , grande routière , and GT are among the most misused terms in motoring. The grand touring designation generally "means motoring at speed, in style, safety, and comfort". "Purists define gran turismo as the enjoyment, excitement and comfort of open-road touring." According to Sam Dawson, news editor of Classic Cars , "the ideal

14600-551: The new car instead of the standard-specification safety car. For the Truck Series , which races pickup trucks instead of cars, the safety "car" is often a pickup. Tracks affiliated with a local or regional Chevrolet dealership will use a Chevrolet Silverado , while Chrysler dealership-affiliated tracks will use a Ram 1500 . Ford-affiliated tracks will often use the F-Series, but Toyota-affiliated tracks are less likely to use

14746-449: The normal drivers of the IRL pace car for all events. The pace car is deployed for debris , collision , or weather reasons. Since 1993, upon the waving of the yellow flag, pit road is closed until the pace car picks up the leader and passes the pit entrance the first time, unless track blockage forces the field to drive through pit lane. Another duty of the pace car is to lead the field around

14892-466: The official pace car, owing to the ability for them to be used at both major automobile races at the Speedway (typically Corvette at the 500 and Impala at the 400). The pace car is selected two months before the race runs, allowing the manufacturer of the selected pace car to produce replicas of that year's car, which sell at a marked premium to collectors and race fans. Pace car replicas are often seen on

15038-459: The old adage that motor racing improves the breed. The Mille Miglia is still celebrated today as one of the world's premier historic racing events. A closed sports coupé almost prevailed at Le Mans in 1938, when a carrozzeria touring-bodied Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B , driven by Raymond Sommer and Clemente Biondetti , led the famous 24-hour race from the third lap until early Sunday afternoon, retiring only due to engine problems. Johnny Lurani

15184-615: The outstanding design of its Pinin Farina coachwork , and is credited with greatly influencing the style of subsequent berlinetta or fastback gran turismo coupés. A Cisitalia 202 "GT" is exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City . The Maserati A6 1500 won the 1500 cc class at the 1949 Coppa-Europa. It was driven by Franco Bordoni , former fighter ace of the Regia Aeronautica who had debuted as

15330-412: The pace car and drove a lap around Talladega Superspeedway . Local police quickly pursued the fan around the track, setting up a roadblock at the exit of Turn 4 that led to his arrest. The pace car of the 1971 Indianapolis 500 , an orange Dodge Challenger driven by local auto dealer Eldon Palmer, crashed at the start of the race. As Palmer drove the car off into the pit lane to let the race cars begin

15476-546: The pace car during caution periods. The incident delayed the start of the race by over 30 minutes from its scheduled start time of 3:50pm local time. The race eventually went green sometime past 4:20pm. Before the start of the final segment of the Sprint Cup Series ' Sprint Unlimited exhibition race at Daytona , the Chevrolet SS pace car caught fire and stopped off the track, delaying the restart. The fire

15622-570: The popularity of using GT for marketing purposes has meant that it has become a "much misused term, eventually signifying no more than a slightly tuned version of a family car with trendy wheels and a go-faster stripe on the side". Historically, most GTs have been front-engined with rear-wheel drive , offering more cabin space than mid-mounted engine layouts. Softer suspensions, greater storage, and more luxurious appointments add to their appeal. The GT abbreviation—and variations thereof—are often used as model names. However, some cars with GT in

15768-467: The previous models, available with either the Colombo or Lampredi versions of the 250 V12 engine, coil spring front suspension, an improved sports gearbox (four speeds) with Porsche synchromesh , large drum brakes and luxurious outfitting. A few appeared in motorsports but did not initially threaten the international Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and Porsche 356 competition. In the Mille Miglia of 1956

15914-414: The race is resumed) was imposed on any driver who entered the pit lane before the pit lane open message is given. However, any car which was in the pit entry or pit lane when the safety car was deployed would not incur a penalty. This was infamously exploited during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix when Nelson Piquet, Jr. wrecked his Renault shortly after teammate Fernando Alonso had exited the pits in what

16060-493: The race to figure out the winner and final results since the safety car driver had placed his car in front of the wrong competitor thus causing part of the field to be one lap down incorrectly. Formula One officially introduced safety cars in 1993 , after trials were conducted at both the French and British Grands Prix during the preceding 1992 season. From 1993 through 1995 , this saw cars of different brands being used as

16206-464: The race, except one driven by Alexander Rossi , stopped on the track behind the wrecked car as safety crews and track workers cleaned up debris from the accident and removed the damaged vehicle. Rossi, who was to start the race from the pole position and was directly behind the pace car when the incident occurred, was the only driver to drive past the crash and returned to pit road afterwards, causing concern to his crew that he may have run over debris from

16352-654: The racing division of Alfa Romeo from 1929 until 1938, parted ways from Alfa Romeo in 1939: Enzo Ferrari's first car (itself an Etceterini) the Fiat-based Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 racing sports car , debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia. Two were produced. The first car constructed in Ferrari's name, the V12 125 S , also a racing sports car, debuted in 1947 at the Piacenza racing circuit. Again, only two were produced, but they rapidly evolved into

16498-417: The rear. The engine is sharply inclined to the near-side in the interests of a low bonnet-line, and with Bosch fuel injection produces 240 b.h.p. at 6,000 r.p.m. Claimed maximum speed is in excess of 160 m.p.h. and although the car is by no means small, dry weight has been kept to 23 cwt . The depth of the multi-tubular frame prevents the use of conventional side-hinged doors and these cars are fitted with

16644-436: The red light and slammed into the back of the car of Kimi Räikkönen , who was waiting at the end of the pit lane alongside Robert Kubica . From 2010 , once cars were lined up behind the safety car, lapped cars were no longer allowed to unlap themselves before the race was restarted. This rule was abandoned from the 2012 season onwards, with cars now allowed to unlap themselves before the race resumes. However, since 2015 ,

16790-431: The restart without any lapped cars in front of them. It also creates a strategy for cars to gain laps back, loosely resembling NASCAR's " Lucky dog " rule. However, the cars who get waved around are not allowed to pit until the green flag restarts the race (so they do not get the advantage of getting their lap back AND a free pit stop). In all NASCAR series, if the caution is out for debris, accident, or inclement weather,

16936-458: The roof engineering required to compensate for the lack of a central B-pillar . The first generation CL-Class was the sleek but hard-lined and redesigned W140-chassis (internally known as C140) coupé of 1992–1999. Designed by Bruno Sacco , the C140's final design was approved between late 1987 and early 1988. Though the coupé's physical appearance changed little over these years, the class underwent

17082-508: The roof-hinged "gull-wing" doors which characterize an exceedingly handsome and practical car. An open touring version is available. In competition the "300SL" has become a powerful contender, and abetted by the success of the Grand Prix cars [and " 300 SLR "] has captured a substantial portion of the export market." The 250GT Ferrari must surely represent the ultimate in modern high-speed sporting travel, or GT competition, and holds today

17228-409: The roof. For lightness, Zagato pioneered the use of Perspex and of aerodynamics, with trademark forms such as the split or stub tail. Indeed, Elio would take prototypes out on the autostrada covered in wool tufts in order to test air flow over the body. The 8V Otto Vu earned its name courtesy of its high-performance V8 engine (Ford having already trademarked "V8"). The German automotive industry

17374-452: The safety car before the race was red flagged on lap 3 and not restarted thereafter with results taken from the end of lap 1 with Max Verstappen declared the winner of the event and half points awarded to the top 10 classified drivers. In response to the controversial safety car restart at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix , the FIA reworked the safety car restart procedure: instead of waiting for

17520-525: The safety car does not need to wait for the backmarkers to catch up with the leading pack before returning to the pits. The 2021 Belgian Grand Prix infamously became the shortest race in Formula One World Championship history and the first (and so far only) World Championship Grand Prix in history to be run entirely behind the safety car with no running taking place under green flag conditions, with two full laps completed behind

17666-475: The safety car leads the field at a predetermined safe speed, which may vary by series and circuit. At the end of the caution period, the safety car leaves the track and the competitors resume normal racing. The first reliance on this safety measure occurred with the deployment of a pace car during the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911. The use of a safety car has the effect of bunching competitors together, such as to eliminate any time and distance advantage that

17812-644: The safety car throughout the season and depending on the track visited; for example, they included the exotic Lamborghini Countach for the Monaco Grand Prix in the 1980s, or the Lamborghini Diablo for the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix to the more mundane Fiat Tempra used at the rain-affected 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix , and the high performance version of the Opel Vectra used at the infamous 1994 San Marino Grand Prix . In particular,

17958-455: The safety car was instructed to slow down and let the entire field pass. As the safety car was exiting turn 11, an approaching Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 drastically reduced its speed in response to the unusually slow safety car. However, a BMW a few seconds behind came around the blind turn at speed, colliding with the Gallardo and safety car. The collision destroyed the Gallardo and sent

18104-425: The side windows. The W216 is offered in four models, each with its own engine and transmission, the 5.5L V8-powered CL 550 (available with 4MATIC all-wheel drive, which is standard in Canada and the USA), the high-performance 6.2L V8-powered CL 63 AMG (with optional performance package variant) and the ultra-luxury twin-turbo 5.5L V12-powered CL 600 and, lastly, the CL 65 AMG with a twin-turbo 6.0L V12 engine. The CL 500

18250-475: The start of the race, instead of lead-lap cars on the outside and lapped cars on the inside. Also, the "wave-around" rule, similar to what is enforced in racing series sanctioned by IndyCar , was adopted to ensure the first car on the restart is the leader, and ensure there are no lapped cars ahead of the leader. During a reconnaissance lap, a 2024 Aston Martin Vantage safety car spun out and crashed heavily at

18396-582: The streets of Indianapolis weeks before the race is actually held, and a celebrity driver is usually used for the start of the race only. In the last 50 years, the Pontiac Trans Am , Chevrolet Camaro , Chevrolet Corvette , Oldsmobile Cutlass , and Ford Mustang are the only models that have been selected as pace cars three or more times. During the IndyCar Series season, however, Johnny Rutherford , Sarah Fisher , and Oriol Servià are

18542-453: The successful Alfa Romeo 6C GT/GTC coupés , competed in the Mille Miglia endurance race and were significant among Weymann and Superleggera enclosed sporting cars appearing in the 1930s. They featured tuned Fiat engine and chassis, and bespoke carrozzeria , in common with the landmark post-war Cisitalia 202 SC , and are among the first small-displacement gran turismos . The first recognised motor race specifically for gran turismo cars

18688-504: The supply. In November 2016, it was reported that a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO was being offered for public sale—normally brokers negotiate deals between extremely wealthy collectors "behind closed doors". GTOs had previously been auctioned in 1990 and 2014. The 2017 sale was expected to reach US$ 56,000,000.00, the particular GTO concerned (the second of just thirty-six ever made) thus set to become the world's most expensive car. The Italian Mille Miglia thousand-mile race, held from 1927 to 1957,

18834-609: Was 170 bhp from the 2600cc Gioacchino Colombo-designed 'short-block' V12 engine , evolved from the earlier Ferrari 166 (2000cc) and 195 (2300cc). All versions came with the standard Ferrari five-speed non-synchromesh gearbox and hydraulic drum brakes. All 1951 Ferraris shared a double tube frame chassis design evolved from the 166. Double-wishbone front suspension with transverse leaf spring , and live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs and radius rods were employed. The Ferrari 212 Export (212 MM) gran turismo berlinetta (chassis No. 0070M) debuted in first-place overall at

18980-461: Was appointed as the official safety car driver. A safety car caused a crash during the 2008 Dutch Supercar Challenge race at Spa Francorchamps . The Seat Leon was released too late, allowing the leading Marcos LM600 to pass while erroneously identifying the Audi TT DTM in 2nd and Mosler MT900R GT3 in 3rd as 'the leading pack.' Race officials immediately realized their mistake, and

19126-447: Was believed to have started in a trunk-mounted battery pack powering the lights. During a safety car situation on Lap 160 of the 2012 Daytona 500 , Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver Juan Pablo Montoya 's car had a suspension part failure, and it lost control on turn 3, sharply veering into a safety truck and jet dryer trailer and causing a giant fireball. Sparks were seen emanating from Montoya's car right before its hard collision with

19272-567: Was beneficial for the Mille Miglia road race held in Italy's often wintry north. The first car to be named " gran turismo " was the 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Turismo , a sporting dual-purpose road/race chassis and engine specification that was available with a wide variety of body styles or carrozzeria . The influential Weymann fabric-bodied berlinetta version by Carrozzeria Touring, "an early example of what we generally perceive to be

19418-412: Was central to the evolution of the gran turismo concept. The event was one of the most important on the Italian motor-sport calendar and could attract up to five million spectators. Winning drivers such as Tazio Nuvolari , Rudolf Caracciola , and Stirling Moss ; and manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, BMW , Ferrari and Porsche would become household names. According to Enzo Ferrari: In my opinion,

19564-425: Was conservatively rated by Mercedes-Benz as not to take sales away from the AMG CL 55. A dyno tested stock CL 600 was closer to 540 hp. Car & Driver's acceleration test delivered a 0-60 time of 4.3 seconds. The more powerful CL 65 (2004-2006) produced 612 PS (450 kW; 604 hp). The top speed of the CL 65 was limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). These numbers are the stock performance ratings for

19710-407: Was devastated by the second World War, but in the post-war period a small number of firms brought it to prominence again. The emergence of the classic Porsche 356 is covered in the accompanying sports car article. In 1957 author John Stanford wrote: "The post-war Mercedes sports cars are in a way even more remarkable than those of Porsche . The firm was particularly badly hit by the war and it

19856-409: Was employed, and the camshaft valve timing was only slightly less than the full-race Testa Rossas . G.T. power was up to 267 b.h.p. at 7,000 r.p.m. (240 b.h.p at 6,800 rpm for road versions). Experiments were conducted with Dunlop disc brakes, which were adopted in 1960, along with an even shorter wheelbase for competizione versions. In 1962, the definitive competition gran turismo was unveiled,

20002-485: Was impressed by the dominant performance at the Mille Miglia in 1940, by a carrozzeria touring-bodied BMW 328 coupé, winning the event at over 100 mph average speed, driven by Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Walter Bäumer : The BMW team included a splendid aerodynamic Berlinetta , wind tunnel designed by German specialists, that was extremely fast at 135 mph... I couldn't believe the speeds these BMWs were capable of. Italy's national governing body of motorsport

20148-415: Was later discovered to be an intentional crash designed to trigger a safety car and subsequent closure of the pit lane. From 2009 , however, this procedure has been dropped, and replaced by software that calculates where a car is on the track and a minimum lap time it should take the car to get to the pits. Cars that enter the pits before this time limit has expired are penalised. When the safety car and

20294-618: Was regarded as one of the best engines ever produced by the German manufacturer (according to various journalists from automobile magazines such as Car and Auto Motor Und Sport ). Being much lighter at the front, the CL500 tended to have better handling characteristics than the heavier V12 flagship. The CL600 powered by the M120 48-valve twelve cylinder engine, developed 394 PS (290 kW; 389 hp) and 570 N⋅m (420 lb⋅ft) of torque. Twelve cylinder variants are easily identified by

20440-426: Was several years before anything but a nominal production of cars could be undertaken. In 1951 appeared the "300" , a luxurious and fast touring car with a single-camshaft six-cylinder engine of 2996 c.c. and chassis derived from the pre-war cars with swing-axle rear suspension. The "300S" was a three-carburetor edition, but in 1952 great interest was aroused by the almost invincible performance in sports-car racing of

20586-418: Was spun off into its own, separate name in 1996 and in 1997 for North American markets. The CL continued to follow the same development cycle as the S, though riding on a shorter wheelbase, and sharing the same engines albeit with less choice as only the higher-output powertrains are offered. The last generation of the CL was actually heavier than its corresponding S trim (considering equivalent equipment), due to

20732-604: Was the Commissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana (CSAI). Count Giovanni Lurani Cernuschi (popularly known as Johnny Lurani) was a key commissioner. He was also a senior member of the world governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Lurani was instrumental in designing the regulations for the Italian 1937 Turismo Nazionale championship, whereby production vehicles approved by

20878-472: Was the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa held at Monza . It was initially hoped by Italian motor industry observers that the small and struggling Italian sports and racing car manufacturer, Cisitalia, would find in the 1949 Coppa Inter-Europa regulations (initially called Turismo Veloce or Fast Touring) a category for its Cisitalia Tipo 202 SC —the road-going production coupé version of Cisitalia's single-seat D46 racing car and two-seat 202 open sports car. However,

21024-558: Was the first road car to feature full Ceramic Brembo Vented and Cross Drilled Disc Brakes. From 2000 through 2002, the V12-equipped cars featured a cylinder deactivation system marketed as Active Cylinder Control , subsequently dropped when the 500 PS (368 kW; 493 hp) Bi-Turbo V12 was introduced. The deactivation feature allowed improved fuel economy for the CL 600, comparable CL 500, notably during highway driving where six-cylinder operation could activate. The V12 engine

21170-424: Was the road/race Ferrari 212 . Twenty-seven short-wheelbase competition versions called Export, some with increasingly popular gran turismo -style berlinetta coupé coachwork, were produced for enthusiasts (Ferrari called the first example 212 MM ) while the road version was called Inter . The Ferrari 212 Export featured long-range fuel tanks, high compression pistons and triple Weber 32 DCF carburettors ; power

21316-496: Was unveiled to an enthusiastic motoring public. Here, finally, according to historians Jonathan Wood and Sam Dawson, was a fully realized production GT car, representing the starting point of the definitive grand tourer: This outwardly conventional saloon bristled with innovation and ingenuity, in which the masterly hand of Vittorio Jano is apparent. In the B20 are elements of the Cistalia of 1947, coupés which Pinin undertook on

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