Lexus has pulled back the covers on its CT racer that will take part in a six-hour race at the Nürburgring this weekend (14 May).
Developed by Gazoo Racing for Lexus, the CT ditches the usual 1.8-litre petrol engine in favour of a 2.4-litre unit. However, the battery pack in the race car is identical to the road going model's, so the race car can be driven solely on electric power and recharges the batteries as it brakes.
Gazoo Racing reckons that, by using the CT hybrid, it will consume less fuel during the race and require fewer pit stops as a result. While not as quick as some of the competition, the CT should make ground by stopping less, which is a key element of endurance racing.
Driving the CT racer are Kumi Sato, a female racing driver who last competed at the Nürburgring in 2008 in a Lexus IS 250, Masahiko Kageyama and Minoru Takaki. More than 200 cars are expected to line up on the grid for the Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy six-hour event.
Alisdair Suttie - 13 May 2011