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Back in 2006, when Michiel van den Brink revealed his designs for a tribute to the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, Ferraristi were taken by its curvilinear sex appeal. So taken, that some offered their deep pockets in exchange for one in three dimensions. Now, it appears the designer's turned the spec project into a real, coachbuilding exercise. His company, Vandenbrink Design, announced today five of the GTOs will be built, each one based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. The price for the rebody job will start at a stout 993,000 Euros or $1.4 million, which includes interior specialization by Henk van Lith. Two models are in the offing: a 599 GTO with stock 6.0-liter V12 producing 650 hp, and the 630 GTO, which offers some manner of engine tune by EDO Competition to produce 750 hp. Production will start in 2008, the company says, though there's no confirmation that the first buyer will be descended from one of the guys on the Dutch Masters cigar box. [UPDATE: Now, there's video.] [Vandebrink Design]
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Vandenbrink Design to Build Coachworks Homage to the Ferrari 250 GTO
Back in 2006, when Michiel van den Brink revealed his designs for a tribute to the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, Ferraristi were taken by its curvilinear sex appeal. So taken, that some offered their deep pockets in exchange for one in three dimensions. Now, it appears the designer's turned the spec project into a real, coachbuilding exercise. His company, Vandenbrink Design, announced today five of the GTOs will be built, each one based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. The price for the rebody job will start at a stout 993,000 Euros or $1.4 million, which includes interior specialization by Henk van Lith. Two models are in the offing: a 599 GTO with stock 6.0-liter V12 producing 650 hp, and the 630 GTO, which offers some manner of engine tune by EDO Competition to produce 750 hp. Production will start in 2008, the company says, though there's no confirmation that the first buyer will be descended from one of the guys on the Dutch Masters cigar box. [UPDATE: Now, there's video.] [Vandebrink Design]
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detroit auto show
Fisker Coachbuild and Quantum Technologies Team up on Luxury Plug-In Hybrid
What happens when you pair up a design and coachbuilding firm with an alternative-energy startup? We're not sure yet, but a joint venture is on between Quantum Technologies and Fisker Coachbuild, a company founded by former Aston Martin and BMW designer Henrik Fisker. Fisker is most recently known for the Tramanto and Latigo — rebodied examples of the Mercedes SL and BMW 6-Series, respectively. Quantum says its progress in plug-in hybrid technology means the company's ready to team up on a limited-production vehicle to debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. We're not sure exactly what the have in store, only that it'll be luxurious and expensive in a manner befitting a car whose major technology is in the early-adopter stage. Maybe they'll even beat Porsche to the punch. More »
fakes
Eight-Legged Fraud: Zagato 575 GTZ "Spyder" a Fake
Zagato would like to inform you the supposed Zagato 575 GTZ Spyder is a fake. A rep from the venerable Italian design firm says the shot we ran earlier this week — the one that triggered some puzzled stares around the Jalopnik virtual campus — is an "illegally photoshopped" spec of the Zagato 575 GTZ coupe, a one-off coachbuilding project Zagato undertook for Japanese Ferrari collector Yushiyuki Hayashi. The prevailing cover story had Qvale Automotive Group — a US distributorship of exotic cars and entity behind the erstwhile, Ford-powered Qvale Mangusta — as the supposed distributor of the roofless rebody. Although we've always believed where there's smoke, there's fire, we still wouldn't bet on any of this panning out.
coachbuilt for your protection
Callaway Reveals Speedster: Latest Corvette C16
If you're planning a junket to Pebble Beach for the Concours d'Elegance next month, pack your seersucker fedora and don't forget to stop by Callaway's tent. That's where the longtime 'Vette tuning shop and coachbuilding house of late is rolling out the latest and flagship model in its line of reskinned Corvettes. It's the C16 Speedster, a take on the short-windshield roadster construct introduced in 1954 with the Porsche 356 Speedster and a throwback to the 1990 Callaway Speedster. A supercharged, intercooled 6.2-liter V8 produces 700 horsepower and 660lb-ft of torque, and Callaway's touting a v-max number in the 250 mph range. The Speedster also introduces a new, customizable suspension setup that uses Eibach coilovers. But before you hike up your skivvies and start writing a check, make sure you've got at least $305,000 in your piggy bank. More »
custom cars
More Photos: Maserati GS Zagato at Villa d'Este
Zagato's retromodern reskin of the Maserati GranSport Spyder, the Maserati GS Zagato, is getting a once-over by crowds at Italy's Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza this weekend. The car was tailor made for Italian custom-kitchen king Paolo Boffi, a fan of the mad-hot 1954 Maserati A6 G Zagato. Zagato's released new fashion shots of the couture coupe at the Villa, along with early design renderings of the GS. Opinion may be split, but whatever you think of it, we really do need more cars that look like this — not fewer. More »
custom cars
Flying Coach: The Maserati GS Zagato
Another year, another italian motorcar reskinned by Zagato. This time, it's been commissioned by Paolo Boffi, Italian custom-kitchen magnate. He's employed the Zagato team to work up his Maserati GS Spyder. The de rigeur historical antecedent is the Maserati A6 G Zagato of 1954, a car whose period sexiness is likely irreproducible. Still, Zagato is giving its best attempt in the GS, which will debut at the Concours d'Elegance Villa d'Este next week. Will it capture the original magic, or wind up looking like a slick appliance in a Milanese loft building? Stay tuned. More »
custom cars
Custom Concordamino? The DiMora JX Coupe
It started out as a 1999 Chrysler Concorde LXi, which was presumably minding its own business. But the guys at DiMora Designs, part of a larger coachworks company, lured the the four-door, front-wheel-drive, five-passenger family sedan into their machinists's lair and had their way with it. The result is the JX Coupe, a two-passenger, El Camino-like glossmobile with a covered bed and a 260-hp, 3.2 liter V6 built by ATK. They fused the rear passenger doors permanently to the body and chopped the factory roof so the rear glass assembly would fit. But don't bother asking the price. The company's only built this one as a show car. But if you ask nicely and wave your checkbook over your head in an attempt at semafore, maybe they'll build one just for you. More »
custom cars
Geneva Showcase: EDAG LUV
Egad! Ok, that's the last time we use that joke in a post about German engineering and design firm EDAG, and only because it was a request. But the Mercedes GL-based LUV the company's devised is no laughing matter. It takes itself very seriously, what with Brabus-tuned motor and more teak than in a thousand Scandinavian-designed bookshelves owned by bachelors named D rk. The teak is a reference to expensive yachts, which informed the coachbuilt truck's design theme. A Honda Ridgeline appears to have been involved in some capacity as well. More »
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