We wish we knew more — but frankly, we don't speak the language, ya know. Anyone want to translate for us?

UPDATE: Yeah, this thing's been all over since the beginning of the internet, or at least since December, 2007. Oh well, still a sad sight to see, ain't it?
[via Geenstijl]

Some say he has a tattoo of a Saleen S7 on his rear end. Others tell us he was born with a penchant for oil rather than his mum's milk. All we know is he's called the Auto Insider and he's always ready to provide the scoop from the other side of Eight Mile.

Nissan today announced an interim price adjustment on the 2009 Nissan GT-R due to increased raw materials costs. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP)* of $76,840 for the GT-R and $79,090 for the GT-R Premium model are effective immediately. Destination & Handling (D&H) is $1,000. The adjusted prices do not apply to customer orders already in dealer hands prior to September 5. The initial GT-R pricing was established nearly a year ago.

To date, approximately 70 percent of the first year allocation of GT-Rs for the United States market have been sold as part of a pre-sale program that has been underway since February 2008. The first customer deliveries of the limited production Nissan GT-R supercar began on July 7, 2008. The GT-R is available only through officially certified Nissan dealers that have met a number of strict sales, service and facilities commitments, including dedicating a master technician to GT-R service. A searchable listing of the 663 GT-R Certified Nissan dealers is available to consumers on nissanusa.com.

All 2009 Nissan GT-Rs are equipped with a standard 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 producing 480 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque, backed by an all-new, paddle-shifted, dual clutch rear transmission and a world’s first independent rear transaxle ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system.

In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com

[Nissan via MotorWorldHype] (Thanks Andrew!)

“We will be staying on top of everybody else and we will not be producing a smaller, or cheaper car and we will not be moving volumes up. Bugatti customers are very extreme people,”

It may seem like a stupid move to just keep making gas-guzzling ultra-luxury cars, but maybe the people Bugatti plan on selling cars to are the type that benefit from rising oil prices. Either way, we'll also be on the lookout for a Bugatti based loosely on the next Bentley Arnage, which is due in 2012. As for that extreme "Veyron GT?" Top Bugatti engineer, Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, said:

"We can go to 1106 lb-ft of torque and we currently have [922 lb-ft] - and with a turbocharged engine, engineers are always working on getting higher power."

Wow.
[Autocar via Carscoop]

For good measure, that M-Power V10 has been massaged, now making 600 HP in the Veritas. That's a lot of power for any vehicle, but in a car that weighs a mere 2360 pounds, it's downright insane. The launch from 0-62 MPH should take just 3.2 seconds. If you keep on it, you'll hit a top speed of 216 MPH! Even if you were capable of carrying a passenger, they'd likely pass out from the g-forces. With just seven people in the company, Veritas' RS3 will be limited to just 50 units per year, when production starts at the end of 2008. And if a roofless single-seater simply isn't practical enough for you, the company hopes to make closed-top versions as well.
[via CarScoop]

Technical specs are still unconfirmed, but the speculators suggest the new engine will be the thumping 680 HP dry-sump V8 lump from the McLaren Mercedes SLR 722 GT. We're not sure how much sense that makes, what with SLR production winding down, but then the Zonda isn't exactly the sort of car you justify with the left side of your brain. With 0-60 runs likely in the sub-three second range, your right foot will likely be the decision-maker. [AutoExpress]

Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco unveils the prototype of the new ALA 50. The car was built in honour of the 25th anniversary of Monaco's first-ever car brand in May.

To celebrate 25 successful years, Monegasque car manufacturer Monte Carlo Automobile has created a brand-new GT and is dedicating it to Prince Albert II. Company founder Fulvio Maria Ballabio designed the ALA 50, and is building it in conjunction with father-and-son partnership Guglielmo and Roberto Bellasi. The trio have previously worked together on other projects.

The name ALA 50 is a tribute to Prince Albert's 50th birthday in March, and also symbolizes the model's aerodynamic system, styled on those found in wing cars. Made entirely of carbon fibre, the car features a 650-horsepower V8 engine put together by Christian Contzen, the former CEO of Renault Sport, and Daniel Trema, who is currently helping engineering firm Mecachrome prepare for the GP2 series.

Ballabio and Alberto Raffaele Colman are currently planning an ambitious project together with Bartoli de Clarion (the sponsor and a supplier of car accessories) and another partner company - to enter the ALA 50 and a team of three Monegasque drivers into the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours race.

After the official launch of the ALA 50 racing car late this year, a road-going version will be produced, and this will be made to order.

[via supercars.net]

You can forget all about those silly Sang Noir, Pur Sang, or Hermes editon Veyrons. You want a special edition? Have your EB110 GT turned into a Super Sport by Dauer, and you'll up the power of that 3.5-liter V12 from 560 HP up to 650 HP. Sure, you may get 1001 HP from that W16 in a Veyron, but at nearly 4200 pounds, a light car it is not. By comparison, the EB110 SS weighs about 1000 pounds less than that, partially thanks to 330 pounds of weight shed from the GT model. Yet, this still has all the mechanical whiz-bang components like quad-turbos and all-wheel-drive. So while this may be the only unpainted example in existence, if you're lucky enough to get your hands on one of the 30 other units you'll likely be in for an experience much more raw and involving than anything the cocoon of a Veyron can offer.
[via supercars.net]

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

[Andry.it]

Price, plain and simple. If you want to buy this RHD Ford GT from Mustang Motorsport, we hear that it would cost you over $500,000AUD. Our calculator says that's about $452,000USD. But don't raid the retirement fund or rob a bank just yet, because word on the street is that they've already pre-sold the planned run of five cars.
[via Australian Ford Forums]

[via YouTube]

CCXR Flower Power When thinking about supercars, one of the last things that spring to mind are their environmental friendliness.

Even though the very low and exclusive production volume of Koenigsegg can hardly be considered to have a measurable impact on the Co2 problem that global society is facing, it is an impressive statement that even a small and extreme company like Koenigsegg can afford to develop environmentally focussed solutions.

By following conscientious and forward thinking strategies, Koenigsegg has managed to create the Bio Fuel Powered CCXR - environmentally friendly 1200 with even more spectacular performance than the standard CCX.

These two almost conflicting results are made possible due to the simple fact that the ethanol in biofuel has the positive side effect of cooling the combustion chambers, as well as a higher octane value, well over 100 RON, which gives the high power. Due to the fact that the biofuel has higher octane and cooling characteristics, the power has gone up to 1018 hp at 7200 rpm and the torque to 1060 nm at 6100 rpm.

It is natural to expect a substantial gain in power when optimizing the engine for E85(biofuel) instead of Petrol. Still the actual gain obtained even surprised the enthusiastic engineers at Koenigsegg.

Following the long term strategy of Koenigsegg, all previous CCXs will have the possibility to be converted by the factory to accept the biofuel option and reap the performance and environmental benefi ts of this wonderful and eco friendly fuel.

The CCXR Biofuel upgrade has been developed in-house on the factory's engine dyno by the skilled technicians at Koenigsegg, led by Christian Koenigsegg, Marco Garver and Anders Hoglund from the Koenigsegg partner company Cargine Engineering.

Curiously enough the CCXR is the first homologated car currently in production to reach over 1000 BHP.

Day 1 Ford GT
Sure the Ford GT hits peak horsepower at 6,500 rpm, but you haven't lived until you've spent an hour-and-a-half behind the wheel at 600 rpm! Unfortunately for the GT (and my sanity), leaving Manhattan on Saturday evening meant stop and go all the way from Houston Street to the George Washington Bridge. What was most impressive was how much driving could be done without touching the gas pedal.

The GTs relentless low-end torque was plenty happy to get the GT moving at 500 rpm with little hesitation and no sign of stalling. Once it got back up to a 900-rpm idle I could drop in the next gear and repeat, getting up to 30 mph or so before requiring additional throttle input. As congestion eased, the best technique for fuel economy was to borrow what the GM engineers worked out for the Corvette Z06 — give it just a pinch of gas, and skip across the gearbox from first to fourth to sixth. In sixth at 55 mph, the GT's 5.4-liter V8 chugs along at a meager 1,200 rpm. The result? 17 mpg! I was hoping for 20+, but considering that 15 of the 30 miles I covered took 90 minutes, mostly stopped and idling, I have to hand to this American brute for teatotaling. Apparently, I'm not the first to put the Ford GT through a fuel sipping test. On May 14, 2007, during an economy driving contest , Icelandic Ford dealership employee Gísli Jón Bjarnason achieved 20.8 mpg when he took a Ford GT through hilly terrain around Reykjavik.

Tomorrow's the F430, hopefully this prancing horse doesn't have the same appetite for petrol that it's makers have for Chianti! – Zac Moseley

Press Release:

Vector Avtech WX8 at the LA Auto Show

LOS ANGELES CA, The renowned automobile entrepreneur and vehicle designer Gerald Wiegert announced today the introduction of his latest creation - ultra-super-exotic vehicle trade named HPV for the "Vector Avtech WX-8". Gerald Wiegert, Chairman and Founder of Vector Motors Corporation, manufacturer of the Vector Avtech WX-8 ultra-supercar, announced today that the company will exhibit the Vector Avtech WX-8 at the prestigious, internationally acclaimed "Los Angeles Auto Show" from November 15th through November 24th in Los Angeles, CA.

The Los Angeles Auto Show event will be the first-ever debut of the all-American VECTOR WX-8 Hyper-Tech Performance Vehicle, and is regarded as one of the world's foremost showcase for exotic concept automobiles.

Interest in the all-new VECTOR WX8 supercar, as well as the Company's Private Placement stock offering, is intensifying due to the buzz among car enthusiasts. The new Vector Avtech WX8 is expected to establish several new records for a custom and production automobile, including a 0 to 60 in —- 0 to 100 in — Quarter-Mile in —-- Skid Pad —-—- and a top speed of—-—-.

Vector Motors Corporation is based in Wilmington, California near the Port of Los Angeles.


FACT SHEET

The 2008 Vector Avtech WX8 a Hyper-Tech Performance Vehicle (HPV).

AMERICA'S ONLY HYPER-PERFORMANCE VEHICLE (HPV)

Projected performance:

A. 7.0 Liter Race Proven V8, made in the USA.

B. 750 hp (Supercharged)

C. 600 hp (normally aspirated)

D. 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds

E. Quarter mile 11.3 sec. at 138 mph

F. 260-270 mph top speed (Bonneville gearing)

Technical specifications and features:

Transverse, Supercharged, all aluminum, 7.0 Liter (427 cubic inch), port fuel injected, 16 valve high-performance V8 engine, with dual air to air intercoolers and twin sequential flow, side mounted radiators.

15-inch diameter competition brake rotors with 6 piston calipers provide phenomenal braking capabilities. 19-inch aluminum racing wheels are complemented by race engineered tires capable of sustained high speeds.

The all new aerodynamic high down-force WX3 body incorporates both hard edge and soft design features including: huge integrated inlet and exhaust ducts for heat exchangers, an extended tail with a high mounted, low drag symmetrical inverted high down-force airfoil wing spoiler that enhances high speed stability with aeroflaps.

The Aerospace engineered body of the Vector A-WX8 is constructed of ultra-light Carbon fiber/E-Glass structural body panels.

A wraparound glass to glass edge canopy with invisible A pillars differentiates the advanced styled Vector and a custom integrated three across seating system incorporating integrated storage compartments, fold down center bolsters/armrest for lateral support for maximum long distance touring comfort and utility, is a special order option.

All jet aircraft type instrumentation panel machined from billet aluminum. Features include black anodized dash finish, military specification F- 22 Raptor switches, warning lights and reconfigurable electroluminescent 4 mode display panel, spacecraft circuit breakers, audible alarms and warning lights incorporating heads up display interface option.

The Vector's chassis is a DOT crash tested and road proven aluminum honeycomb, semi-monoque aerospace engineered structure with a full chrome-moly race ready roll cage. The Vector's W8 structure attained the highest test results of any automotive structure tested by the DOT laboratory, and was the only auto structure ever to pass front and rear destructive tests with the same chassis.

The Vector A-WX3 leading edge custom engineered sound system is powered by a revolutionary new technology incorporating amplifiers driving the 10 speaker system which consists of subwoofers for extreme bass output and ribbon tweeters for accurate high end sound resolution. The amplifiers are less than half the size and weight of equivalent power units.

Other standard Vector A-WX8 features include:

· High output air conditioning and ventilation
· Custom designer developed all leather interior
· Custom prototype stereo system
· Power steering with an adjustable tilt-telelescopic column
· Cruise control
· Retractable power mirrors
· Aircraft type flush windows
· Airbags
· Fully adjustable 2 abreast seating
· Sequential clutch-less automatic/manual shifting
· Two large storage compartments

Projected production for the 2008 Vector A-WX8 is scheduled at a very limited number of
units per year, with an anticipated sales, price to be determined by the Company and its dealer network.

The Vector A-WX8 represents more horse power, more torque, more features, more substance and superior man/machine environmental comfort than any other supercar ever offered. The A-WX8 is user friendly, easy to maintain and service. This "aerospace engineered" machine establishes a new paradigm in the high-end performance vehicle category.

VECTOR MOTORS CORPORATION has just created the next generation Vector Avtech WX8 Hyper-performance Vehicle (HPV), code named the Vector Avtech WX-8 Its design represents a significant aerodynamic and aesthetic breakthrough and calculated departure from the previous W8 supercar, while still maintaining the Vector character and family identity.

The Vector A-WX8 body and aerodynamic shape, hard trailing edges with softer leading edge contours. The all-new design incorporates numerous NASA type technology transfer features to solidify the Company's and Mr. Wiegerts' philosophy of "aerospace technology for the road".

The Vector A-WX8 features an all-new titanium valve 7.0 liter, 750 + hp engine which is unequaled in displacement and performance. The Supercharged engine has horsepower potential to 1200+hp. The normally aspirated version, is in the range of 600 to 700 hp. Projected speed of the extreme Vector Avtech WX8 HPV at maximum boost is in excess of 270 mph, with 0 to 60 mph times projected in the 3.0 to 3.3 second range.

Press Release: The most extreme

The essence of the marque: just 20 examples of a design masterpiece

Clearly a Lamborghini, but nothing quite like it. A super car without equals: the Lamborghini Reventón is a road vehicle with an extreme specification and, at the same time, a limited edition masterpiece - a coherent style, angular with sharp lines, inspired by the very latest aeronautics.

With just 20 produced, each 1 Million Euro (without taxes) Lamborghini Reventón is a symbol of extreme exclusivity, yet still offering the extraordinary performance that makes the Reventón so unrivalled: under the completely autonomous design, the Reventón possesses the entire technical and dynamic competence of the twelve cylinder Lamborghini.

Lamborghini prides itself on being the extraordinary manufacturer of extreme super sports cars without compromise. Sensuality and provocation characterise every Lamborghini, with an aggressively innovative style. "However, the Reventón is the most extreme of all, a true automotive superlative. Our designers at the Lamborghini Style Centre took the technical base of the Murciélago LP640 and compressed and intensified its DNA, its genetic code," affirms Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

Born in Sant'Agata Bolognese

The Lamborghini Reventón has been entirely designed in Sant'Agata Bolognese, the original birthplace of the Lamborghini and the native home of every super car born under the sign of the bull. The design drawn up in Lamborghini's Centro Stile (Style Centre) is fine-tuned in close collaboration with the Lamborghini Research and Development Department. Thus, the Reventón is not only "haute couture" but it also stands out for its elevated dynamism whilst being entirely suitable for every day use.

The Lamborghini Reventón is not destined to remain a one-off. A total of 20 Lamborghini friends and collectors will be able to own this extraordinary car and, naturally, enjoy the incomparable pleasure of driving it.

The name Reventón has been chosen according to Lamborghini tradition. Reventón was a fighting bull, owned by the Don Rodriguez family. It is included in the list of the most famous bulls ever and is known for killing the famed bullfighter Felix Guzman in 1943.

Inspired by the fastest airplanes

The present day Lamborghini models are distinguished by the clear language of their shape. The coherent proportions of the Murciélago and Gallardo highlight their power and dynamism. Sharp edges, precise lines and clean surfaces: these are ingredients of a style reduced to the essential. Each element is created exactly according to its function; ornaments and decorations are totally foreign to a Lamborghini.

With the Reventón the Centro Stile designers have coherently developed this philosophy, inspired by another sphere where speed and dynamism reign absolute: modern aeronautics, responsible for the fastest and most agile airplanes in the world. This has created an extremely precise, technically striking style with a new vitality: interrupted lines and contorted surfaces create a fascinating play of light, giving the car incredible movement.

Made of carbon fibre and precision

Although it is based on the extraordinarily successful Murciélago LP640, the exterior design of the Reventón is completely new. Just like the base model, the exterior is made of CFC, a composite carbon fibre material, which is as stable as it is light. The exterior components are glued and fixed to the body comprised of CFC and steel.

The front is characterised by the acute angle of the central 'arrow' and by the powerful forward-facing air intakes. Although they do not supply air directly to the turbine like an airplane, bearing in mind the 650 hp, an abundant volume of air is necessary to cool the carbon brake disks and the six cylinder callipers.

Characterised by coherent functions

Naturally, both doors on the Reventón open upwards - since the legendary Countach this has also been a symbol of the V12 Lamborghini product line. With their asymmetric configuration, the large air intakes below the doors provide an example of the extreme coherence with which a Lamborghini fulfils its function: on the driver's side it is large to increase the flow of oil to the radiator. On the passenger's side of the vehicle, the air intake is flat because in this case, it only has to ensure the flow below the floor. The aerodynamically optimised flat floor structure terminates at the rear with a diffuser featuring an accentuated shape. This guarantees excellent road grip and stability even at 340 km per hour.

In spite of the extreme and innovative language of its shape, the Reventón not only maintains all the strong features of the Murciélago LP640, but also offers further amelioration in terms of aerodynamics, the important engine cooling system, the air intake system and brakes. The airflow and the section of the variable geometry air intakes of the engine and the rear spoiler (also adjustable) have been modified.
Owners of the 20 examples will be able to test the performance of his or her Lamborghini in person.

Perfected to the ultimate detail

The engine hood made of glass laminate with open ventilation slits offers a glimpse of the beating heart of the twelve cylinders of the super car. The glass also features the marked arrow angle that characterises the design from the front to the rear spoiler. The Lamborghini designers' love for detail is beautifully illustrated by the fuel tank lid: a small mechanical work of art, achieved by milling a solid aluminium block.

The combination lights transform the incisiveness of the design into light: the front features the most modern light-emitting diodes alongside Bi-Xenon headlights. Seven LEDs ensure continuous daylight while there are a further nine diodes for the indicator and hazard lights. Another technical innovation is found in the rear light LEDs. Because of the high temperature in the rear low part of the car, special heatproof LEDs are used for the indicator and hazard lights, stoplights and rear lights with a triple arrow optical effect.

A new body colour

Naturally, such a refined language of shape also demands an extraordinary colour. For the 20 examples of the Reventón, the designers from Sant'Agata Bolognese have created a totally new hue: Reventón, a mid opaque green/grey without the usual shine. However, thanks to the metallic particles, in the daylight this colour tone features surprising depth.

Opaque and brilliant colours for the wheel rims
This play of opaque and lustre is also featured on the wheel rims, especially created for the Reventón. Opaque carbon fins are screwed onto the black aluminium spokes, not only creating a visual effect with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel, but a turbine effect also ensures optimum cooling for the powerful ceramic brake disks.

TFT display similar to an airplane

The same innovative force applied to the exterior design characterises the cockpit of the Reventón. Designed and created using Alcantara, carbon, aluminium and leather that comply with the top quality standards, the interior is inspired by the next generation cockpits: just like in modern airplanes, the instruments comprise three TFT liquid crystal displays with innovative display modes. At the touch of a button, the driver can choose from two vehicle information display modes. The instruments are housed in a structure milled from a solid aluminium block, protected by a carbon fibre casing.

The G-Force-Meter is also completely new: this display shows the dynamic drive forces, longitudinal acceleration during acceleration and braking, as well as transversal acceleration around bends. These forces are represented by the movement of an indicator on a graduated 3D grid depending on the direction and intensity of the acceleration. A similar instrument can be found in the airplanes. Formula One teams also use a similar device to analyse dynamic forces.

Customisable instruments

The instrument on the left of the speedometer associates the number of revolutions in the form of a luminous column with the display of the selected gear. Finally, every Reventón is equipped with a robotised e.gear controlled by two small levers under the steering wheel.

By simply pressing a button, the driver can switch to the second, quasi-analogical display, where the classic circular instruments, speedometer and engine speed indicator are configured in an equally innovative way and transformed into luminous pilot lamps with varying colours. The G-Force-Meter naturally remains at the centre in this display mode.

Electronic system developed entirely by Lamborghini

All this is possible thanks to the fact that the entire electronic platform of the Reventón, together with all the control devices, has been autonomously developed by the Lamborghini experts.

The same process for integrating the electronic displays in the car was applied to the Lamborghini Engineering Department.

From the conception of the very first radical ideas, the entire Reventón has been developed in Sant'Agata Bolognese thanks to tight teams of remarkably creative experts. An extremely refined and efficient process was employed: CAD design and development, creation of the prototype in the Prototype Department, all carried out under the constant supervision of the Research and Development Department's technicians and testers.

Atelier of creativity and high efficiency

Inaugurated in 2004, the Centro Stile is dedicated to design and characterised by a high degree of efficiency: an "atelier" of creators, designers and prototype constructors, who encapsulate the Lamborghini culture and spirit by using their remarkable skills to create aesthetic innovation.

The Centro Stile is located in a 2,900 square two-storey building. The large pavilion houses two test floors and related production and analysis equipment, while other rooms are set aside for the most advanced computerised workstations for designers and a style-model construction workshop. The Centro Stile is also closely linked to the nearby Engineering Department: the direct line between the Lamborghini development departments guarantees that ideas rapidly become reality.

Creativity and production under the same roof

The Lamborghini Reventón is a practical illustration of the streamlined functionality and efficiency characterising the Centro Stile: it took less than a year to progress from the first ideas to the finished car. The complete design process from the first sketches on paper, to three dimensional computer models with 1:10 or 1:4 scale, right up to the real size prototype is organised around streamlined, fast, efficient work groups. Thanks to the Centro Stile, for the first time in its history, Lamborghini is now able to create its own style philosophy in-house without having to rely on any external collaboration.

The 20 units will be manufactured in Sant'Agata, using a production process characterised by artisan perfection and rigorous quality standards.

A masterpiece with tested technology

The technology found in the Murciélago LP640 has not been modified. The engine in the LP640 forwards is the classic twelve-cylinder engine with 6.5 litre displacement. Only for this car, Lamborghini guarantees, an astounding 650 HP (478 kW) at 8,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). The huge torque, equal to maximum 660 Nm, ensures a powerful switch from any number of revolutions: even the slightest pressure on the accelerator is spontaneously transformed into thrust. The robotised e.gear changes gear faster than even the most expert driver. In addition, the permanent Viscous Traction four-wheel drive system ensures that every force is constantly translated into movement.

As in the original Murciélago LP640, the Reventón accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds, with a maximum speed over 340 km/h.

Born to become a legend

Since its foundation, Lamborghini has been a creator of trends in the world of sports cars and has always manufactured cars with an absolutely unmistakable character. Models such as the Miura or Countach, for example, were veritable forerunners and rapidly acquired the status of timeless classic cars. From the moment they are launched, every new Lamborghini promises to become a legend, destined to become a sought-after and precious possession.

With the Lamborghini Reventón, Lamborghini has done it again; it has created an unequalled super car; the perfect synthesis between the exclusivity and appeal of a limited edition design masterpiece, and the dynamism and driveability of a standard sports car. Thus, the Lamborghini legend is further enhanced by another, stylish future classic.

Uncovered: the McLaren F2 [Autocar via Winding Road]

Related:
Mercedes-Benz McLaren P8 Project Scrapped; Mercedes McLaren Supercar Un-Cancelled; Mid-Engined Mercedes on Hold [internal]

Caparo T1 [World Car Fans]

Related:
Car Hack's Notebook: Top of the Top Marques [internal]

Get Bruce on the horn, stat. Germany's AutomobilWoche reports that Mercedes-Benz and its in-house tweakers at AMG and DTM will produce at least two new models offering DTM performance for the street. If you'll recall, HWA was the motorsport division of AMG before Mercedes took a major stake in AMG; it's been and independent entity ever since. HWA also built the 612-hp supercar CLK-GTR in 1999, which sold for 1.5 million Euros, as well as the too-few-produced CLK-DTM of 2004. The next HWA model will be something like a new SLC (possibly even with that designation), a hi-po coupe slotted between the big-bux SLR and the SL55 AMG. After that, a new road-going sports car with performance similar to the DTM race car will emerge from the werks, according to HWA boss Hans Jürgen Mattheis. Yes, please, with sauerbraten on top. – Mike Spinelli

Mercedes and HWA prepping second sports car [Motor Authority]

Related:
Mercedes and McLaren Splitsvile on New Supercar; Spy Photos: Mercedes SLC Street Fighter? [internal]

The Bugatti Veyron made us question just how far we could go in the pursuit of pure speed, just how much we'd sacrifice in terms of looks, style, and low speed fun for a car that would outrun a cruise missile. As it turned out, the bar went pretty high. But Weber Engineering might have pushed things beyond the rational boundary with its new $1 million super sports car. Now they're hoping for more than 248 mph from their seven-liter bruiser and it is just bristling with technology, unsurprising as they're building it to showcase their engineering skills. There's intelligent four-wheel-drive, a monumentally modified seven-liter engine that looks nothing like the tractor that originally rolled off GM's line and aerodynamics so advanced they have done away with door handles to make it slip unnoticed through the air.

Sounds pretty cool. In fact it should be the start of a eulogy when the car's predicted zero-to-62 mph time lies firmly in superbike territory at 2.5s. But there's a problem, this car is so ugly it should be kept in the cellar and fed through the door.

Now every car, even the lowliest, cheapest hatchback goes into the wind-tunnel and comes out with a smoother bumper, a lower roof, a bigger grille, something. Every car except the Hummer.

But even when faced with the most convincing set of numbers, the stylists still have the power of veto. There is a point where they will simply say no, it doesn't matter how much more effective the car is, how much faster it is, if it looks like it's built from Lego then they have the right to stop it. Car design, all design, is a compromise between form and functionality.

Weber didn't follow that tried and trusted routine, though, they seemingly built a car without referring to a designer. An Etch-a-Sketch? Yes. A designer? No...

The mock-up was at Top Marques in Monaco and they insist this is what the finished car will look like. I just kind of hope they're wrong. Because this thing looks like the surprise toy in a Kinder Egg. Even the Veyron looked a million times better than this purse-lipped, square jawed freak show. A bizarre collection of angles, caved in roof and hunchback, it got worse every time I saw it. Coming in from a heavy night in the local bars, it even threatened breakfast.

This machine will hit the road later in the year, and it will go for the landmark speed right away. And the weird thing is if it hits that record then Weber will sell every one of them. There will always be people with more money than sense and the burning desire to own the fastest car in the world to go with their giant house and trophy girlfriend(s).

But the Weber needs that record like a flower needs the rain. With it, this will become a landmark car, the best at something. It will be faster than the Veyron, therefore it will be better, in some folks' eyes at least. Ignore the fact they'll never do the top end speed, the fact that it's technically there within the car is all that matters.

If it fails to break the landmark and become the fastest car on Earth, though, this car will disappear without a trace. So there is the rational boundary. If it's the fastest car on Earth it could come with a severe skin condition and body odor. If it isn't, it wants to look better than this. – Nick Hall

[Birmingham, UK-based Nick Hall's Car Hack's Notebook column runs whenever he has a free moment between flogging exotic tuners and supercars on European highways and test tracks. Right now, he's between sips of sherry cocktail in his favorite chaise lounge, positioned somewhere in southern Spain.]

Related:
Pagani Zonda: Say Goodbye to an Instant Classic; Uh... Um... Oh, Whatever: 2007 Weber SportsCar [internal]

A few months back at Top Marques Monaco, I heard some slightly distressing news. Not only would there not be a Pagani Zonda F Roadster available to drive for the foreseeable future, but they also had just five left for sale. And that will be the end of the Zonda, one of the few supercar success stories in recent years. Not quite, in fact, as the Zonda F track project has gathered momentum and we can expect a backslapping, $1 million+ Ferrari FXX-style project. But in terms of the road cars then the end is nigh, and the high-rolling Top Marques show might have pushed it over the edge into extinction. They'll need to build the remaining cars, but that will be that until 2008.

I pretty much dealt with the fact I won't ever get the funds to buy a Zonda long ago, but now I can't have one, not a new one anyway, so if those lottery funds drop into my account right now it is still too late. And that's what confirmed it, I would have had one.

Some people say the Zonda is a little fussy, overly ornate and impractical. It managed to beach itself in inner city Paris on a memorable episode of Top Gear and is hardly the kind of machine you could happily drive round town and leave outside Starbucks. But, had the money popped into my hand, a Zonda F would have found its way into my drive.

The 650 bhp Clubsport version of the Zonda F is a magnificent beast, with a 7.3-litre AMG engine at its core. And when I finally got my invite to the Italian factory to drive the Zonda F hard top, it felt like a casual call from Shakira to see if I was free for dinner and sultry Latin adventures. This is the kind of car that defines careers like mine, it's why we turn up for work.

Pagani worked at Lamborghini as a carbon-fiber specialist and also supplied aerospace companies, but he had a vision for a car. And with the help of legendary driver Juan-Manuel Fangio he honed the Zonda concept for more than a decade before it hit the market in 1999. A brief run in the C12 S in England was a tantalizing look into its talents, but then the full bore Zonda F on Italian soil was something else.

The factory tour showed the precision that went in to each and every component. If the carbon-fiber weave isn't lined up perfectly the whole front section is thrown away, and Pagani has settled on a pace of building just 17 cars a year despite initial projections of 35.

In the flesh it is devastating, with the signature Gatling Gun exhaust at the rear and the cab-forward design of a Group C World Sportscar brought storming into the 21st Century. It's a modern design, using modern materials and intricate touches that could keep a real enthusiast poring over the car for hours with its respective nods to the past age.

Leather straps hold the luggage compartments at bay, the vents sit atop carbon-fiber swan's necks and the pedals look like the came from some 25th Century Grand Piano. The interior is easily overdone, and a muted shade of leather works best with the skeletal binnacle, the ornate, wooden flat-bottom wheel, exposed carbon-fibre and deeply crafted seats. With that aircraft-style central console there's enough jewelery inside this thing without the dramatic finishes on offer.

It's like climbing into a cockpit getting into the Zonda F and the olde world styling touches inside the car give it the instant character it needed to have, a USP to compete with the heritage of Ferrari and Lamborghini.

This car comes packed with electronic assistance, ABS brakes and a carbon-fibre monocoque and an Ohlins and Bilstein suspension set-up designed to soak up bumps in the road rather than jump around like an excited drunk on New Year's Eve.

You can't even stall it, as the car can cruise round town in sixth gear from just 500 revs and will blip the throttle for you to prevent embarrassing gaffes in front of 1000 gawping bystanders. It's amongst the easiest of supercars to drive and it weighs just 1230kg despite its slab-like sides and substantial proportions.

Acceleration, then, is predictably explosive, with the 60mph mark passing in 3.6s and the Zonda F will have racked up 125mph by the time you've counted to 10. We weren't allowed to test the top end speed of 216mph, but the way it blasted through the 100mph mark on a broken ribbon of Italian backroad confirmed it was more than up for the task.

Horatio Pagani was allowed to drive fast, and proved the point himself by diving into the driver's seat and setting off like his hair was on fire, mulching internal organs as I sat bewildered in the passenger seat. He braked later, harder and more aggressively than I ever would have with his half-million Euro show car.

There was the sound of traction control battling with Physics underneath, the dash lit up and then this broad inverted wing just took the line anyway. On track it is apparently a laugh riot, but then you'd need to be loaded beyond all of our wildest dreams to be able to bin your Zonda and the guy that does 20,000km a year in his probably has more fun out of his car than the one that uses it purely for track work.

Because he gets to soak up the noise of that charitably liberated 7.3-liter Mercedes engine blasted through a hydroformed sports exhaust built to F1 standards of fit and finish. At low revs it sounds like distant thunder, strangely insulated from the driver at normal speeds. Give the car its full head, though, and that glorious V12 feels like it's moved inside your inner ear as the car tears up the road.

Those that own a Zonda of any vintage now have a piece of rolling history and it is assured of instant classic status. Now we have to wait for 2008 and the new car, which will almost certainly debut at Geneva, but I do feel a pang of regret that I won't be able to call the factory and order my Zonda with a self-satisfied grin.

Like I say, made me realise that, if the funds were there, I genuinely might have. And the Zonda F joins an ever-growing list of cars I should have owned, if only life were different. If you had the money and thought about it, but didn't, you have missed something truly special. – Nick Hall

[Birmingham, UK-based Nick Hall's Car Hack's Notebook column runs whenever he has a free moment between flogging exotic tuners and supercars on European highways and test tracks. Right now, he's between sips of sherry cocktail in his favorite chaise lounge, positioned somewhere in southern Spain.]

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Car Hack's Notebook: Top of the Top Marques [internal]

According to the California Highway Patrol, the total number of accidents involving Aston Martins, Bentleys, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Lotuses and Maseratis rose to 141 last year, an 81% increase from 2002.

Honey I wrecked the Porsche [Wall Street Journal]

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Holy Crap, He Walked Away With Barely a Scratch: Audi RS6 Crash; Most Amazing Porsche Crash To NOT Result In DeathSave the Enzos [internal]

With both the demand and price for oil way the hell up in the stratosphere, it seems that people in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries have a lot of extra money. They also happen to love F1 and hot European cars that can go 200 mph. So, they're buying them in record numbers. Kuwait is now the biggest market for Aston Martin in the world. Because we're pinko bleeding-heart lefty types, we love the fact that Kuwait also features the most women buyers of the famed British marque. And lets not forget that the Kuwaiti concern Investment Dar owns 50% of Aston Martin. Many dealers have seen sales triple in the past year. Ferrari as a brand has expanded 120% in the UAE alone. Lamborghini and Porsche are seeing similar increases. Even BMW and Audi are in on the boom. Not to be left out are the little players, as Alpina and RUF are seeing sales spike. As reported earlier, RUF even went so far as to open a $20 million factory in Bahrain. Why on earth not? – Jonny Lieberman

Supercars selling like hot-cakes in the Middle East [Motor Authority]

Aston Martin Sold To Kuwaiti Investment Company For $925 Million [Internal]

To all you prospective X Prize winners in hybrid land, please continue to come up with outlandish ideas to merge gas-electric drive systems with ultra-high performance. Winning that $25 million and ($500 million in media coverage) will come in handy for marketing the seven cars you'll sell. But c'mon, that's just cynicism talking. If it wasn't for the dangling X Prize carrot we wouldn't have such prospective supercars like the Velozzi micro-turbine or, now, the Palumbo M-80. The product of one Joe Palumbo, the M-80's plans call for an aluminum space frame and Toyota-style full hybrid powertrain. It's aimed squarely at the Ferrari F430, with net horsepower of 350, a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds, and fuel economy of 46 mpg. All he needs is backers and a few friends on the prize committee. – Mike Spinelli

[Autoblog Green via Motor Authority]

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SUPER EFFICIENCY! 200 MPG Velozzi Micro-Turbine Electric Hybrid [internal]

According to Automotive News Europe, there's trouble in supercar paradise. Mercedes and McLaren, once close as kittens in a basket, are reportedly parting ways, putting the kabosh on a successor to the SLR. Word is, Mercedes has opted for the mad motorsports acumen of HWA, partner in Merc's DTM racers. A prototype of Mercedes' next six-fig super-sports car, under the AMG banner, could arrive in time for the Geneva motor show next year. But utter no lamentations for McLaren. All those Formula One bucks have to go somewhere, and word is they're going toward a new F1 supercar. Methinks a supercar grudge match could benefit all. – Mike Spinelli

Updated: More details on Mercedes' super-sports car [Motor Authority]

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Mercedes Drops Top On SLR McLaren Roadster [internal]

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Superveloce [Car]

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Spy Photos: Lamborghini Murcielago Superleggera [internal]

With a consortium headed by Prodrive chief David Richards set to loosen Aston Martin from Ford, the climate is perfect for extrapolating the company's direction from tossed-off statements and unnamed sources. And who says that's a bad thing? The latest is from AutoWeek, which amps up a quiet comment by Richards to the roar of a V12 supercar. Richards said recently the company has room to expand in areas similar to those of its competitors. In the process, he name checked the Audi R8. AW's sources suggest it's a sign that Aston will soon slap the Aston wings on a mid-engine supercar. Although such a model is absent from the five-year plan used to woo investors, Aston CEO Ulrich Bez recently hinted at a future flagship dubbed NPX to be slotted in above the coming Rapide. Of course, such a car — which AW pegs at $500,000 — would be a product of next decade. Many hoons from now. – Mike Spinelli

Beyond Rapide [AutoWeek]

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Aston Martin Sold To Kuwaiti Investment Company For $925 Million; More on Top Gear's Test of the Prodrive P2; Prodrive's P2 Show Car at Autosport International [internal]