For 2010 season Audi has revised its handsome GT3 race car, the R8 LMS, and presents the Evolution model which is enhanced in many ways.

The new model comes with an upgraded engine cooling system and it also has optimized electronics and exhaust system. Furthermore the chassis and suspension are tweaked and it’s fitted with a newly developed six-speed racing transmission.

Despite its hefty price tag of 298,000 Euros, Audi says that the R8 LMS 2010 is completely sold out. British-based American team United Autosport was the first to pick their car.

“During our evolution project we primarily focused on service life and maintenance-friendliness,” explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “All the experience we gathered last season with the help of our partners has been fed into the evolution-version. We’re convinced that we’re handing over a reliable and easy to handle vehicle to our customers that embodies the high quality standards of the Audi brand.”

Mercedes Benz and its AMG division has officially announced a new type of V8 engine for their high performance models, and the new S63 AMG super saloon is the first to get it.

This 5.5 liter twin-turbo direct-injection V8 comes in two modes. First there’s the standard format in which you get 544 hp and 800 nm of torque, enough for doing 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (limited).

Then we have the optional AMG Performance Package in which the turbo pressure is set on 1.3 bar instead of 1 and therefore it has 571 hp and a staggering 900 nm of torque. This model does 0 to 100 in 4.4 seconds and its top speed is limited to 300 km/h.

This new V8 unit will replace the current 6.3 liter engines for the sake of efficiency. They have an average fuel consumption of 10.3 liter per 100 Km and they’re also much cleaner than the old engine.

BMW Motorsport has revealed their new Z4 GT3 race car, which is based on the Z4 roadster and is powered by the M3’s four-liter V8 engine. This car will be sold to private teams and has the license to attend GT series such as FIA GT3 European Championship, International GT Open and the ADAC GT Masters, as well as in 24-hour endurance races.

This V8 unit is upgraded for the race car and delivers around 480hp and features ECU 408 and Power400 control unit. It’s mated to a six-speed sequential transmission.

Other racing features include rims with locking and safety clips, as well as racing ABS and an optional air conditioning! This is probaly the first time you get luxury stuff on a racing machine. It also looks pretty cool, so it’s the perfect car for the rich folks who just race for the fun of it.

BMW Z4 GT3 will be available from the second quarter of 2010. So if you are interested, set aside 298,000 Euros and contact BMW at: Z4GT3@bmw-motorsport.com

Fiat 500’s Trofeo Abarth 500 one-make racing series arrives in the United Kingdom this April, as part of International Trofeo Cup which had a superb 2009 season at some of the continent’s legendary circuits such as Valencia, Brno and Imola.

The 500 Assetto Corse race cars are set for some great events at Britain’s well-known circuits such as Silverstone and Brandshatch.

These little rockets are powered by 1368cc 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinder engines developing 190 hp and torque of 300Nm. That along with the dry weight of just 970 kg, makes the 500 Assetto Corse an absolute joy to drive. They are also equipped with sporty body kit and 17-inch sports wheels with Michelin 20/61-17 tyres.

“The Assetto Corse has shown on the track what we believed right from the start – that it would make a fabulous race car,” says Ivan Gibson, head of Abarth UK. “And now we have the mouth-watering prospect of seeing these cars battling it out in the UK. “Race fans are going to love this series I am sure, and we are very much looking forward to an exciting first season here.”

GM released details of the new racing Corvette C6R GT2 which will take part in different LeMans, endurance and GT series aroud the world in 2010.

The new model is based on the mighty Corvette ZR1 which means it gets the same supercharged LS9 V8 instead os last year’s Z06 7.0L small-block engine. The car also gets ZR1 body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and other components.

The new Corvette C6.R is built on the same aluminum frame rails that underpin production Corvette Z06 and ZR1 models. Other production chassis structures in the race car include the windshield frame, the hoop around the rear of the passenger compartment, the door hinge pillars, the drivetrain tunnel, the firewall, and the floor pan.

“Corvette sales tracked directly to customer leads at ALMS races have doubled from 2005 to 2009,” says John Fitzpatrick, Chevrolet Performance Cars marketing manager. “This proves what we have heard anecdotally from other Corvette owners: Watching production-based Corvettes win against legendary marques like BMW, Porsche and Ferrari, on legendary tracks like Sebring and Le Mans, makes Corvette all the more desirable.”