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Lamborghini applies to trademark ‘Huracan STJ’ for another limited edition

When Lamborghini showed the 60th anniversary Huracans at Milan Fashion Week last April, automaker CEO Stephan Winkelmann said “The special editions of the Huracán not only celebrate the 60th anniversary of our brand, but also give our customers maybe the last chance to purchase an otherwise sold-out V10-powered Lamborghini.” We wrote at the time that we thought “maybe” was a vital qualifier. The Huracan’s twin-turbo V8 hybrid-powered successor isn’t due until the end of this year; 18 months is a long time for the Sant’ Agata brand to go without a special edition for the growing legion of buyers ready with six or seven figures sight-unseen. CarBuzz might have restored order to the world and proved us right, finding a couple of trademark applications with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for a vehicle called the Huracan STJ.

The J is for “Jota,” the Spanish pronunciation of the letter “J,” representative of the FIA rule book’s Appendix J detailing sports car racing and homologation regulations (a connection that might or might not be true), and of Lamborghini’s most focused road-going models for retail customers going back to the Miura Jota prototype in 1970. Since then, there’s been a Miura SVJ, Diablo SE30 Jota, Aventador J one-off speedster and the Aventador SVJ.

The short money says this is a turned-up version of the Huracan STO, itself the most raucous version of the Huracan that sold out through the end of production more than a year ago. The long money says this could be a track-only coupe, despite every previous J designation being legal for the street. The fans of all things bully at Lamborghini Talk say there will only be ten made, one for each of the automaker’s global regions, and all are sold out. One poster wrote that in December and January, Lamborghini approached prospective buyers with the chance to purchase the sole unit for their region. Our bet is that nary a “No” was heard.

It’s possible the public will get its first and perhaps only look at the Huracan STO — outside of Pebble Beach or an RM Sotheby’s auction — at Lamborghini’s takeover of Italy’s Imola Circuit on April 6 and 7. The festival is called Lamborghini Arena, the automaker calling it “The most extraordinary event in our brand’s history.” Could make a worthy entrance for an extraordinary new J.

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March 6, 2024 / Comments Off

2025 McLaren Artura Spider loses roof, gains power and performance

Hitting the one-year mark for a new McLaren hardtop model means it’s time for a convertible version. The timeline got fudged with the Artura, the hardtop delayed a tad while McLaren worked out some technical issues. But here we are, the Artura Spider not only packing a clear view to the sky, but 19 more horses from its 3.0-liter V6 and a brace of additional performance tweaks. The mid-mounted engine has been tuned from 577 hp to 596 hp, torque unmoved at 431 pound-feet. Working with the electric motor in the transaxle, combined output is now 690 hp and 531 lb-ft.

New engine mapping boosts torque delivery, and the retuned gearbox improves shift speeds. McLaren said the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission now keeps the hydraulic fluid pressurized to near the “kiss point” that activates a gear change. Called “pre-fill” in company parlance, swapping cogs takes 25% less time than before. Using launch control, the Artura blitzes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a claimed 3 seconds, and on to an electronically limited 205-mph top speed. A new feature called Spinning Wheel Pull-Away — which sounds like a Saturday afternoon kung-fu movie move — is the opposite of launch control, allowing the driver to work up a rooster tail of smoke when pulling off the line or out of a car meet.

Eight motors stow or restore the top panel in 11 seconds, at up to 31 mph. The standard panel comes in carbon fiber, while an electrochromic unit can cycle through five stops from opaque to transparent. Curved polycarbonate panels in the buttresses improve three-quarter visibility and help direct air into the revised vent arrangement on the engine cover.

Elsewhere, new mounts provide better restraint for the powertrain, revalved rear dampers provide better responsiveness, and recalibrated ABS provides shorter threshold stopping distances. More valving work done to the stock exhaust, and new conical, upward-facing pipes, are said to create cleaner, richer sound.

Standard equipment grows with the inclusion of lane-departure warning and road-sign recognition, the Bowers and Wilkins audio gains new rear speakers and, just for the Spider, a center speaker between the seats. The lithium-ion battery is more efficient with its 7.4-kWh usable capacity, enough to increase pure-electric range in European testing to 21 miles, but not here, holding at 11 miles. And at the corners, there’s a new silver 15-spoke wheel as standard fit, plus an optional gold finish for the wheel range.

All of the changes made under the skin are new to the 2025 Artura Coupe as well. Even better for Coupe owners making do with lesser output, a visit to the McLaren dealer gets a free engine upgrade to add the 19 horses.

Order books are open, and deliveries commence later this year, the Spider starting at $273,800.

February 27, 2024 / Comments Off

1988 Porsche 959 SC with famous history headed to Amelia Island auctions

Broad Arrow Auctions is taking a 1988 Porsche 959 SC Reimagined by Canepa to this year’s sales at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, this example even more special than the average 959. The first bit of plumage setting this bird apart is documentation that shows it was a benchmark car Nissan bought to develop the all-wheel-drive system in the R32 Skyline GT-R. The second splash of color, literal and otherwise, is a four-year overhaul from Porsche specialists Canepa finished in metallic green. Both of those items contribute to a pre-sale estimate of between $3.25 and $3.75 million.

The Skyline-959 connection is a favored bit of lore in the GT-R’s history. However, the GT-R’s connection to Porsche goes well back before the R32. In 1964, a Porsche 904 beat the factory team of Prince Skyline S54 GT cars fielded by Japan’s Prince Motor Company. Prince engineers, including Dr. Shinichiro Sakurai, returned to their offices to design a new engine and a new car that could beat Porsche. The Prince R380 did that two years later at the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix, its engine becoming the basis for the S20 inline-six that would power the first Nissan Skyline GT-R that debuted in 1969 but only lasted until 1973.

Fast forward to 1984: Nissan, which merged with Prince in 1966, was looking at its tech-heavy but unloved R31 Skyline, at Porsche’s monumental 959, at a trophy cabinet lacking silverware from the top class, and at a corporate bank account filling with Bubble Economy profits. Naganori Ito, said to be Sukurai’s “number one student,” was put in charge of developing the R32 Skyline that returned the GT-R badge to the market.

To help him do that, the engineering team wanted to study a Porsche 959; a Nissan engineer would tell Car magazine at the R32’s debut, “We reckon Porsche makes the best-handling cars. And the 959 is reckoned to be the most advanced supercar ever made. We wanted to beat the 959.”

But Porsche wouldn’t sell Nissan a 959. So a Belgian national bought a 959 Komfort on behalf of the Japanese engineers, Belgian dealer D’Ieteren Brothers shipping the car to Yokohama. The fruit of this subterfuge became the GT-R’s Advanced Total Traction Engineering System (ATTESA ET-S), tuned to dial out understeer and maintain agility with the help of Super HICAS all-wheel steering.

The Porsche 959 harvest continued closer to home as well, the tech in that car previewing what would come for the 911 range like water cooling, AWD, and the twin-turbo setup.

The paperwork shows that this 959 ended up in the hands of one of the GT-R engineers, who never registered it and so barely drove it. After having it for 30 years, he sold it to someone in the U.S. In 2019, that owner sent it to Canepa’s shop for the SC treatment with less than 900 miles on the odometer. The nuts-and-bolts teardown and rebuild took four years and cost $950,000. Canepa rebuilt the twin-turbo 2.8-liter flat-six engine with its Stage III kit, featuring gear like titanium con-rods, ceramic-coated headers, Borg-Warner turbos, and a two-stage titanium and stainless steel exhaust that increases output to more than 800 hp and 650 pound-feet of torque, compared to the original engine’s 444 hp and 369 lb-ft. The Komfort’s adaptive suspension was switched to the lighter, simpler 959 Sport setup riding Penske shocks and titanium springs. The custom 18-inch wheels hide upgraded brakes, a necessary step when the coupe needs just 2.5 seconds to hit 60 miles per hour and top speed is a claimed 230 mph.

Bruce Canepa says he’s only doing 50 of his SC-spec cars, limiting his builds to low-mileage examples. Each owner is asked to choose a unique color combination, this one finished in an unusual, unforgettable Oak Green over tobacco leather.

Lot 220 hits the block March 1-2 at Amelia.

February 26, 2024 / Comments Off

Porsche will soon decide whether to build the Mission X hypercar

Porsche hypercars don’t come around very often. In the 21st century, we’ve seen the V10-powered Carrera GT and the plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder. The brand hinted at what a follow-up could look like with the Mission X concept, and executives will soon decide whether to build it.

“With the concept, we have shown the technology we want to put in the car, the performance profile, and the feedback we got at our 75-year celebration was massively positive, so it’s a great motivation for us to do the car,” company boss Oliver Blume told Australian site CarSales.

Of course, putting a car on the path to production takes more than motivation. Feasibility will ultimately play a major role in deciding whether the Mission X will be remembered as a wild-looking concept car or as the 918 Spyder’s successor. It helps that the coupe looks far more realistic than the average design study; it wouldn’t take much tweaking to turn it into a production car, at least from a design perspective.

Technology is another hurdle the Mission X needs to clear. The concept is electric, and while Porsche didn’t detail the drivetrain it noted that the system offers a power-to-weight ratio of “roughly one horsepower per 2.2 pounds.” It also promised more downforce than the current 911 GT3 RS and quick charging thanks in part to a 900-volt electrical system. However, these claims remain hypothetical, and Blume has previously suggested that the performance his team envisions for an electric hypercar can’t be achieved with the current battery technology.

None of these issues are insurmountable: battery technology is improving at a rapid pace, and we’re sure that a production-bound Mission X would sell out quickly even if it comes with a seven-digit price tag. Porsche has historically done well with limited-edition cars. Blume told CarSales that “the idea is to make the decision this year,” so we should learn more about what the future holds in the coming months.

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February 22, 2024 / Comments Off

Brabham Automotive and the BT62 track car dead for now

Brabham Automotive, maker of the BT62 track car, was formed through a partnership between two Australian enterprises. Private equity firm Fusion Capital, with decades of involvement in Australia’s transportation industry, worked out a deal with Brabham Group to license the Brabham name. As the “majority shareholder, sole funder, and operator of the Automotive company that bears the famous Brabham name,” Fusion Capital bankrolled the operation, with David Brabham — youngest son of three-time Formula 1 champion Sir Jack Brabham and a Le Mans winner himself — the face and soul of the brand. Sportscar 365 reports the collaboration is officially over due to differences of opinion about the “strategic direction” of Brabham Automotive.

David Brabham said in written statement, “The decision to end the relationship was made after careful consideration and what was in the best interests of all parties and the brand.” Mat Fitch, chairman of Fusion Capital, said in his own written statement that the investment firm is “committed to projects that push the limits and defy convention in the motorsport and automotive sectors.”

The breakup seems to have been a slow burn. In July last year, Australian outlet Car Expert spoke to David about what he called “a reboot” for the company, wanting to build more units of the $1.8M AUD ($1.2M U.S.) BT62 and develop a more affordable variant. At the time, Brabham said in response to detailed questions, “Some of the answers are points of discussion at the moment, so we prefer to wait till these have been sorted.”

Looks like that’s happened. Neither man stated the source of the disagreement, but other Fitch comments as well as Fusion Capital investments suggest a major difference was over electrification. Fitch’s statement also included the line, “Powertrains are evolving, and the opportunity to challenge the mainstream OEMs has never been greater.” The company owns Australia’s Bustech, a maker of municipal buses for Australian cities that is heavily engaged in the transition to electric powertrains and clean fuels. As an offshoot, it’s reportedly looking at developing robotaxis.

Brabham Automotive had big plans for the BT62, planning to sell 70 examples of the track version, create a roadgoing variant that would enable entry into racing series’ like the World Endurance Championship, contest Le Mans, and develop a tech-heavy, one-on-one driver coaching operation. We don’t know how many ended up in private hands. It sounds like the BT62’s story isn’t necessarily over, but whatever the BT62 potentially morphs into won’t bear the Brabham name and might not be powered by a naturally aspirated, 700-horsepower, 5.4-liter Ford V8. Yet another Fitch line was, “My family and I have invested in automotive and manufacturing for over 40 years and … what we have created provides the perfect platform for the future.”

Given more time and that road-going version, the BT62 might have been able to make more of a name for itself. The track version set a lap record at Australia’s Mount Panorama circuit, and scored a race win plus a few podiums in the GT2 European Series.

We undoubtedly haven’t heard the last of the Brabham name, either. The scion wrote, “While it is regrettable that our relationship with Fusion Capital has come to an end, the collaboration helped further evolve Brabham to a new and exciting future. … With the brand license for Automotive ended, it opens the doors for future business ventures in the Motorsport, Automotive and Heritage sectors. I would like to personally thank everyone who contributed and supported to this project over the years.”

January 16, 2024 / Comments Off

Red Bull RB17 due in 2024, makes 1,250 hp, weighs 1,984 lbs

In 2022, Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) announced the development of a new hypercar, the RB17. RBAT is the commercial technology arm for the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team — akin to Williams Advanced Engineering, it’s a place to market technologies developed for F1 and to employ engineers cut from the F1 team when the sport introduced a cost cap. The track-only car’s rough specs in the announcement were a twin-turbocharged V8 hybrid powertrain making 1,250 horsepower, bodywork incorporating every useful F1 performance aid both legal and banned, a price of five million pounds ($6.4M U.S.) plus taxes and options, and a market launch in 2025. Evo magazine, via an interview Red Bull team principal Christian Horner gave to Sky Sports, revealed the debut’s been pushed up to this year instead of 2025 and provided a few more details on what’s inbound.

An unnamed third party is building the twin-turbo V8 engine and, if not the entire transmission, the gearsets inside. Red Bull still isn’t ready to disclose the engine maker, so we’re going to put two placeholder possibilities here. First, Red Bull announced the RB17 in June 2022, stating that the coupe was in the “advanced stages of development.” Porsche began making noises about joining F1 in 2021, then announced it would pair with Red Bull in July 2022, one month after the RB17 news. And Porsche knows all about hybridized twin-turbo V8s and racy track cars. The collaboration process went far enough to reveal that Porsche planned a ten-year project that involved taking a 50% stake in Red Bull F1. In March 2023, both parties deep-sixed the deal over a disagreement about a controlling stake, but there’s no reason the breakup would need to end a potential powertrain partnership for the RB17.

Second, the placeholder we’d love to see: A Ford engine in the RB17. One month before Red Bull and Porsche officially hit the rocks, Ford announced it would return to F1 with Red Bull in 2026. We have no idea what engine sits behind the RB17’s cockpit, and suspect the chance of it wearing a Blue Oval badge (for due cause, not badge engineering) are close enough to zero to be considered zero, but that doesn’t stop us from thinking it would be great to see.

Horner said the RB17’s target weight is 900 kilograms (1,984 pounds). Top Gear, which drove Red Bull’s most recent track-only hypercar project, the non-hybrid, V12-powered Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, said it weighs 1,009 kg (2,225 lbs). The track-only version of the road-legal Gordon Murray Automotive T.50, called the T.50s, weighs 851 kg (1,878 pounds). For comparison, last year’s minimum weight for an F1 car was 798 kg (1,759 pounds).

Red Bull’s targeting a lower center of gravity for its 900 kg than found on the Valkyrie AMR Pro. The RB17’s said to have a longer wheelbase than that of the 124-inch span on the Aston Martin, the Pro’s wheelbase itself stretched 15 inches beyond the wheelbase of the regular road Valkyrie. The RB17’s also expected with larger wheels, too, meaning hoops larger than 18 inches, a bit surprising seeing that would outdo the spec sizes for F1 and LMP1 cars as well.

Motorsports fans have long mused on what Red Bull chief technology officer Adrian Newey could create without restrictions; Red Bull has done the same, creating virtual concepts like the X1 for Gran Turismo in 2010. The RB17 will be the first real-world demonstration, originally described with phrases like “All the tricks we’ve learned in F1” and “Adrian’s greatest hits.”

Production begins in RBAT facilities later this year, the division capping assembly at no more than 15 per year. With a planned production run of 50 cars, that’s more than three years for builds. The multi-million-pound purchase price is said to pay for service and maintenance, access to Red Bull simulators, and on-track instruction. And Christian Horner wants everyone to know, “It will sound fantastic, like a track car should.”

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January 7, 2024 / Comments Off

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Driving the GMC Canyon, and pour one out for the Camaro | Autoblog Podcast #812

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. They start by discussing the the cars they’ve been driving, including the 2023 GMC Canyon AT4, ECD Jaguar E-Type EV, ECD Land Rover Defender 110 and the Genesis GV60. Next, they hit the news starting with the Chevrolet Camaro production ending. Rumors about the Hyundai N Vision 74 are bandied about, and then the two discuss the latest McLaren iteration named the GTS, which is a refresh of the GT. Lastly, the pair discuss who they think were the most influential leaders in the automotive industry throughout 2023.

Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com.

Autoblog Podcast #812

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December 22, 2023 / Comments Off

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President Biden says he took a Porsche up to 171 mph

President Joe Biden went on Conan O’Brien’s podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” recently, and he had a lot to say about cars. There’s plenty to unpack from the clip that you can watch above, but at one point he mentions that he recently took a Porsche up to 171 mph on the Secret Service’s private test track. Now that’s the kind of gearhead stuff we like to hear from politicians!

“I got a Porsche up to 171 mph,” Biden says while explaining how launch control works to O’Brien. Biden didn’t specify which Porsche model he was driving, but we’d bet it’s likely a 911. Of course, plenty of other Porsches are capable of 171 mph, so we don’t really know, but if any White House correspondents are reading, we wouldn’t mind if you asked Biden next time you see him.

In addition to Biden enjoying a Porsche at high speed, he said that he’s done the same with his 1967 Chevrolet Corvette, reaching 132 mph on the Secret Service airstrip test track. Biden even said that Jay Leno offered to buy his Corvette from him at one point for $144,000, but that he had to turn him down.

“They take me out to the Secret Service test track, which is an old runway. I got my Corvette up to 132 mph. It’s only a 327,” Biden remarks to O’Brien.

And speaking of Corvette news, we’ve already heard Biden spill the beans once on this topic, but yet again he makes the claim that an electric Corvette is on its way, and says it will do the 0-60 mph run in 2.9 seconds. That’s what the gasoline-powered C8 Stingray will do now with the performance exhaust, but we’re betting an electric Corvette would obliterate that time and be somewhere in the 2.0-2.5-second range.

It wasn’t just an electric Vette that Biden took to talking about, though, as he also claims to have driven an electric Ford Bronco.

“Oh and by the way, I drove one of those big Ford Broncos, electric. 4.9 seconds. Mine is 5.2,” Biden says making the comparison to his old Corvette.

We’re not exactly sure what he means by claiming to have driven an electric Ford Bronco. Such a vehicle does not exist from Ford currently, but there are restomods of original Broncos converted to electric power. There’s also the vague possibility that Biden has some inside scoop from Ford execs about future products, but it’s unclear from the interview. Regardless of the product implications, watching President Biden talk cars with O’Brien is an entertaining watch, so make sure you check out the video at the top of this post.

December 21, 2023 / Comments Off

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Koenigsegg details the madness of his Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission

We always tune in when Christian von Koenigsegg steps in front of the camera for another tour of his car company’s new technology and facilities. He’s obviously enthusiastic about what’s being designed and built in Angelholm, Sweden, but not overly so (not in his videos, at least), he’s talks about technology in simple terms, and, best of all, the stuff coming out of those factory machines is not only innovative, it’s beautiful. The fearless leader checks all the boxes again with this quick look at the new transmission and twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8 block going in the two-seater Jesko and available for the four-seater Gemera.

A quick refresher on the LSTT, or Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission. During Gemera development, engineers wondered if the Gemera could fit the TTV8 and Light Speed Transmission (LST) from the Jesko into an engine bay designed for the Tiny Friendly Giant (TFG) three-cylinder engine and Direct Drive transmission from the Koenigsegg Regera. The engineers answered that question in the affirmative with what’s now called the LSTT, the addition of “tourbillon” referring to a mechanical feature that makes a wristwatch more accurate. On top of giving the Gemera a huge boost in available output, reworking the LST for its new employment made it smaller, lighter, and better. It’s super compact form fits nine gears and weighs just 198 pounds including the attached starter motor; the eight-speed dual-clutch Tremec TR-9090 for the Chevrolet Corvette weighs 307 pounds empty in its lightest configuration.

A tour of the 5.0-liter V8’s rotating assembly shows Koenigsegg doesn’t skimp on artwork. The ceramic coating on the top surfaces of the forged pistons is etched with the Koenigsegg logo, the connecting rods are etched with the Koenigsegg name, as are the anodized timing chain guides. Christian says the entire engine is “under 200 kilos,” or 441 pounds. That’s not far off the 445-pound weight of Ford’s Gen 3 5.0-liter V8, but the Koenigsegg carries two turbos and their ancillaries. He also shows off bits like the 3D-printed thermostat, intake plenum, and Inconel exhaust manifold, all of it art.

After that, a trip to the dyno to see what the motor can do on E85 and on our own 91 octane. If you like mechanical bits and what they can do when cost is no object, you should have a watch.

November 29, 2023 / Comments Off

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Bugatti reveals track-only Bolide’s purpose-designed interior

Bugatti has done a good job of documenting the Bolide’s transition from a wild-looking concept car to a limited-edition production model, but we’ve been missing one key piece of the puzzle: the interior. The wait is over, and the brand revealed what the hypercar looks like inside.

Every part of the cabin was developed specifically for the Bolide, so the overall layout looks nothing the Chiron’s. Bugatti built the model around a new carbon fiber monocoque, and starting from scratch allowed it to set a new seating position described as race car-like. Fittingly, the Bolide is being developed exclusively for track use. The brand paid special attention to the steering wheel, which features an X-shaped design that echoes the shape of the rear lights. It’s easily removable, and Bugatti notes it can serve as decoration when not in use.

The driver sits on a seat that’s layered directly onto the monocoque, meaning the Bolide is the first Bugatti model built with fixed seats. This solution saves weight because it doesn’t require seat rails, and as a trade-off the driver can adjust the steering column and the pedals to find a comfortable seating position. Buyers will have four seat packages to choose from, including one tailored to their exact dimensions. And, like every Bugatti model, the Bolide will be highly customizable: leather, Alcantara and suede are among the types of upholstery offered.

Bugatti notes that its test drivers played a significant role in shaping the Bolide’s interior. The brand put eight commonly-used buttons on the steering wheel, and it developed a digital instrument cluster with two built-in modes. The first mode displays the kind of advanced data that a test driver would want, while the second focuses on the essentials. There’s no touchscreen because there’s no infotainment system, but the slanted center console features a handful of buttons as well as four cool-looking climate control system vents shaped like exhaust outlets.

Power for the Bolide comes from an evolution of Bugatti’s familiar 8.0-liter W16 engine. In this application, it’s quad-turbocharged to develop 1,578 horsepower; that’s a lot even without context, but it becomes even more impressive when you factor in the car’s 3,196-pound weight.

Bugatti Bolide production is scheduled to start in 2024 and pricing starts at approximately €4 million excluding taxes, which represents around $4.36 million at the current conversion rate. Production is limited to 40 units globally, and the model has been sold out since 2021.

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November 22, 2023 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Huracan STO SC 10 Anniversario won’t race, but should

Lamborghini’s one-make Super Trofeo racing series waved its first green flag in 2009. Installing the season-ending World Finals as a cap to the series didn’t start until 2013, the same year the Italian automaker created its Squadra Corse motorsports division, making this year the 10th anniversary of both. In honor of that, and perhaps to the benefit of a client or clients, Lamborghini’s Ad Personam custom division created the Huracán STO SC 10 Anniversario, a roadgoing Huracán with a special livery and aero package tweaked by the Squadra Corse racing division.

And since the Huracán is also headed into retirement after 10 years on sale, this racing-themed special model repeats history: Lamborghini sold a run of 50 Gallardo LP-570 Squadra Corse coupes for the 2014 model year on the eve of that model concluding its 10-year production run.

The Verde Mantis and Nero Noctis livery shouts out to the SC63 hybrid endurance racer that will compete in the IMSA’s Le Mans Daytona Hybrid class starting next year. The Huracán’s flourished in the lower classes, having won the GTD class at the Rolex 24 at Daytona three years in a row. Unique touches include the Tricolore band running down the center, “Squadra Corse 10° Anniversario” logos on the sides and rear fin, plus Rosso Mars accents along the carbon fiber package pieces. Inside, a Nero Ade seats are contrasted by Verde Fauns stitching, four-point seat belts, a roll bar, and a carbon fiber floor.

The company says this is the first time the Squadra Corse division has fiddled with a road car. The performance and aero changes count four-way adjustable racing-derived dampers replacing the adaptive shocks, specially developed Bridgestone tires, an Akrapovic titanium exhaust, new carbon fiber flics at the leading edges of the front cover vents, and a rear wing canted an additional three degrees for more rear downforce. The Gallardo Squadra Corse coupes got more downforce from a special rear wing, too, but the racing arm wasn’t in charge of that back then.

Chief technical officer Rouven Mohr described this as “a concrete demonstration of how experience gained in motorsport can be effectively transferred to the road product, enhancing performance and driving pleasure. We firmly believe that motorsport is the most technically sophisticated and challenging test bed, and Squadra Corse’s know-how is a valuable asset that deserves to be highlighted on unique models and limited road series with a racing vocation.” Lamborghini didn’t say whether there’d be more than one of these, nor mention a price, though, so perhaps give your dealer a call and a blank check to pass along if you’re interested.

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November 19, 2023 / Comments Off

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Mercedes-AMG halo EV due in 2025 could make 980 hp from two motors

Mercedes-Benz plans four platforms to carry it into an all-electric future. There’s the Modular Mercedes Architecture (MMA) for entry-level vehicles like the production version of the Concept CLA. Then there are the three EA platforms: MB.EA for midsize and large Mercedes passenger vehicles, VAN.EA for the commercial haulers, and AMG.EA for hyper-potent stuff from the Mercedes-AMG division, the first of which is due in 2025. Engineers in Affalterbach showed what an AMG.EA brainchild could look like with the Mercedes Vision Concept from May of last year, a four-door exuding vibes of a beefier Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX Concept while also clearly in the AMG One family. Autocar reports that the performance vision for the first pure-electric EV developed by AMG could bring close to 1,000 horsepower to the table, if not more.

The potential output comes courtesy of axial flux electric motors developed by UK company Yasa, a startup incorporated in 2009 to commercialize innovations made at Oxford University. In its short life, Yasa’s axial motors have appeared in the Jaguar CX-75 Concept, record-breaking electric racers at Pikes Peak, the Konigsegg Regera and the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. Mercedes bought Yasa two years ago, the company tasked with high-energy motors for AMG. Mercedes hasn’t spoken of figures yet, but Yasa founder and CEO Tim Woolmer has said one motor planned for AMG weighs 53 pounds and is capable of a peak 480 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. This is the “exceptionally powerful and advanced” unit Mercedes hinted at when speaking on the sidelines of the One-Eleven Concept debut.

If Woolmer’s figures are representative of the motor going in the electric AMG, that’s a possible 960 hp and 1,180 lb-ft. assuming AMG restrains itself to just two motors, one on each axle. These aren’t heady numbers for luxury electric cars — the hybrid AMG One makes 1,049 hp, BMW’s quad-motor electric M3 prototype is rumored to be capable of 1,341 hp — and 2025 is a long way away in terms of electric developments, so AMG adding a third or fourth motor won’t raise eyebrows.

Powering those motors will be a pack from U.S. outfit Sila Nanotechnologies that replaces graphite anodes in the typical lithium-ion battery with silicon. The result’s said to be less expensive and more powerful, Mercedes citing a 40% increase in density for the same battery size. Along with the AMG.EA platform’s design, AMG vehicle designers will use the battery’s benefits to draw a car Autocar says will be about as long as the 199-inch AMG GT 4-Door but sit “much lower than … the EVA platform” used by the AMG EQS 53. The lowest point on the AMG GT 4-Door sits 4.6 inches off the ground, the EQS 53 limbos under that by three-tenths of an inch. A car “much lower” than that is going to qualify as a reptile.

The One-Eleven Concept provided clues to tech like a full-width high-def screen in AMG’s electric car. The AR headset necessary to engage with the complete vehicle interface will, hopefully, remain a few more years in the future.

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November 13, 2023 / Comments Off

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Second, smashed 1989 Lamborghini Countach from ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ to be auctioned

We’re not sure if we should consider this situation trying to steal someone’s thunder or, as is done in the NFL, trying to ice the kicker. In August, RM Sotheby’s announced that in December in New York it will auction a 1-of-12, white 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary that starred in Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Resplendent in Bianco Polo, the auction star was one of two cars used in the film. Notably, it was the undamaged car. The second Bianco Polo 25th Anniversary Countach was damaged rather badly as part of filming, victim of the main character driving under severe influence. We said of the second car, “The location and current condition of the other Countach are unknown, but as far as we can tell, no one has attempted to restore or auction it in the years since filming.” We now know the location and condition of the other Countach: Bonhams announced it will auction the other star car this month as part of the festivities around the season-ending Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Lamborghini in the same condition as when it was hauled off the set.

In the listing description, Bonham’s calls its offering the “Hero Car.” Then it makes quite a bit of noise about its Lamborghini having been on screen for “approximately 3 minutes and 11 seconds” in the company of Leonardo DiCaprio as opposed to RM Sotheby’s unhurt car being on screen for approximately 16 seconds, part of which was shot by a second unit filming a stunt driver, not DiCaprio. This, we suppose, is like concours judges arguing over whether patina and original condition imbue more value than restored to original condition. Except we’re arguing about a famous, crashed Countach potentially being worth as much or more than a famous, uncrashed Countach.

The auction houses set their pre-sale estimates in the identical range, $1.5M to $2M. Bonhams’ put some sweeteners in the lot, though: A certificate of authenticity, DiCaprio’s costume as character Jordan Belfort, the director’s chair and a clapboard signed by Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie, two hoodies like the kind the film crew wore, and two DVDs of the film. Frankly, the strangest twist in this drama might be someone spending $2 million on a wrecked Lamborghini and having to declare two DVDs to customs on the way home.

It’s not the star associations alone that justify the estimates. For some backstory, even though the real Jordan Belfort said he was driving a Mercedes on the cinematic night in question, Scorsese upped the stakes with a Lamborghini. The director tried using a replica, but apparently the imitation stallion didn’t crumple like the real deal. So Scorsese didn’t just buy a Countach, he bought the Silver Anniversary editions. Lamborghini sold 658 units around the world, only 23 in Bianco/Bianco reported to have made the crossing to America. Hagerty values an example in good condition at $440,000.

Bonhams’ On the Grid: The Abu Dhabi Auction happens November 25. Two weeks later, RM Sotheby’s will hold its New York auction. Our guess is one bidder will attempt to win both. That’s what a wolf would do.

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November 5, 2023 / Comments Off

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Turbo parts for an LT7 engine show up in GM’s parts catalog

We don’t remember a vehicle whose development was leaked and tracked almost exclusively by that vehicle’s engine, other than the Chevrolet Corvette. First came decades of predictions as to when GM’s small block would move, like Malcolm, to the middle. Then came years of chatter about the Z06 engine: In 2019, Bozi Tatarevic outed the 5.5-liter DOHC V8 designed for the C8.R race car as the 2023 Z06’s powerplant. The same year, the same Tatarevic parsed internal GM docs that hinted at two hybrid Corvettes, “both a hybrid ZR1 and a hybrid base model.” The hybrid is now suspected to be the Zora, above the ZR1, the E-Ray isn’t exactly a base model, but you get the point. Two years before that, way back in 2017, a CAD drawing leaked that was reported to be the twin-turbo 5.5-liter LT7 V8 going into the ZR1. And now? Mid-engined Corvette Forum credits “little birdies” for screenshots of the latest GM parts catalog selling turbo components for a turbocharged 5.5-liter LT7 V8.

Among the trove were listings for a baffle bolt duct resonator retainer, an air inlet adapter, and ducting to the turbo inlet. A dialog box on an initial screenshot gave a partial description of the motor as, “LT7 – Engine Gas, 8 CYL, 5.5L, DI, VVT, AFM, SC Turbo, DOHC,” before being cut off. The direct injection, variable valve timing, turbocharging, and double overhead cams line up with what we’d expect from a boosted Z06 engine. The “SC” in the turbo description is for supercharging, but a member of the Corvette Forum explained “for whatever reason, in the Parts Catalog and ECM Calibrations GM doesn’t distinguish between ‘Forced Induction‘ Turbocharger or Super Charger….they refer simply to SC/Turbo.”

The “birdie” at the center of this later clarified that AFM, which is GM’s Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation, was a mistake. The Z06 doesn’t use AFM, and lively debates on forums question whether GM would endure the expense and complexity of engineering an AFM solution. The Z06’s LT6 uses mechanical lifters, and flat-plane-crank (FPC) engines have vibrational issues that would be exacerbated by shutting down cylinders and the ZR1’s buyers won’t fret over fuel economy.

However, other lively debates wonder if GM is going back to cross-plane with the ZR1 motor because of the motor’s relatively large displacement and to address issues around rotating mass when near the Z06’s redline of 8,500 rpm. This seems highly unlikely to us. The FPC TT V8 engines in cars like the AMG Black Series, Ferrari 488, and McLaren Senna either have smaller displacements and/or redlines below 8,500 rpm. Two further exhibits in favor of going to a lower redline (or other changes) instead of changing crank design are the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Koenigsegg Jesko. The Ferrari 458‘s naturally aspirated 4.5-liter V8 spun to a 9,000 rpm redline, the terminal limit lowered to 8,000 in the 488’s 3.9-liter. The Jesko is powered in part by a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 with a flat-plane crank and an 8,500-rpm redline. The engine alone makes 1,262 horsepower running 24.7 psi of boost, well above the ZR1’s rumored output targets of 850 horsepower and 825 pound-feet of torque. And have you seen the price of a Jesko? Another Mid-engined Corvette Forum member tried plotting output LT7 output curves, coming up with roughly 900 hp and 700 lb-ft at a 7,500-rpm redline.

The catalog vehicle code for the engine parts is repeatedly shown as YR, referring to a new model figured to be the ZR1. This follows the YC Stingray, YG E-Ray, and YH Z06. The catalog contains a new transmission code as well, an eight-speed dual-clutch dubbed M1K, not the M1M code that applies to the Z06 transmission, M1L of the Stingray, or MLH of the E-Ray.

Whatever comes, it’s possible buyers will be able to lend a hand building their cars. The parts catalog mentions a “Customer Engine Build Program” at GM’s Performance Build Center. This was planned for the Z06 as well, then canceled after being deemed too difficult to implement.

The next royal birth in the Corvette range recently finished two weeks of testing at the Nurburgring, leaving the German hills without setting a timed hot lap. We expect it will debut next year as a 2025, but recent events in and out of the auto industry could push the launch back some. Eager buyers suspect a starting MSRP somewhere in the $130,000s or $140,000s.

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November 3, 2023 / Comments Off

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Autoblog’s Editors’ Picks: The Complete List

Filed under: Green,Acura,Alfa Romeo,Aston Martin,Audi,Bentley,BMW,Cadillac,Chevrolet,Chrysler,Dodge,Ford,Genesis,GM,GMC,Honda,Hummer,Hyundai,Jeep,Kia,Lamborghini,Land Rover,Lexus,Lincoln,Maybach,Mazda,McLaren,Mercedes-Benz,Nissan,Porsche,RAM,Rolls-Royce,Toyota,Volkswagen,Volvo,Truck,Convertible,Coupe,Crossover,Hatchback,Minivan/Van,SUV,Wagon,Electric,Hybrid,Luxury,Off-Road Vehicles,Performance,Supercars,Sedan,Polestar,Lucid

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Autoblog’s Editors’ Picks: The Complete List originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 1 Nov 2023 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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November 1, 2023 / Comments Off

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2024 Chevrolet Corvette prices now up between $2,300 and $5,100

The 2024 Chevrolet Corvette is about to be unloaded on dealer lots with four-figure price increases in its frunk. Corvette Blogger got eyes on a dealer bulletin stating that, effective October 2, the starting price on all Corvettes will be $2,000 higher. That’s unwelcome enough. Even worse, the price changes and final prices are quite a bit higher. Starting with the entry Stingray, Chevy has the 2023 and 2024 models on its consumer site at the moment. Comparing Build & Price pages for each year shows a $4,100 price difference, not a $2,000 difference. It appears that what’s happened is the latest increase comes on top of an earlier $2,000 increase described in order guides that came out in July. Less than four months ago, Corvette Blogger reported that dealer Rick “Corvette” Conti revealed new pricing that would have the 2024 Stingray starting at $67,895. Instead, the new Stingray is shown as starting at $69,995.

Exactly $100 of the $2,100 difference between now and July is an even higher destination charge that was already going up by $200, according to the July order guide.

The total price bumps aren’t consistent across trims, though, so we’re comparing prices on the 2023 Build & Price page against the 2024 page to get the variations. For the coupe, that means:

1LT Coupe: $69,995 ($4,100)
2LT Coupe: $77,095 ($3,900)
3LT Coupe: $81,745 ($3,900)

It’s a little less extreme on the Stingray Convertible side of the fence. The 2023 Build & Price page shows a Standard Vehicle Price of $72,000 and a destination charge of $1,395 for a 1LT Convertible, a total of $73,395. A Monroney from April of this year for a 2LT Convertible checks out against the configurator. Flip to the 2024 Corvette Convertible configurator, the 1LT starts at $75,300 with a destination charge of $1,695 at the time of writing. That’s a total of $76,995, a $3,600 difference. Back to the Monroneys, the window sticker for a 2024 3LT Corvette Convertible shows Standard Vehicle Price as $85,050 and destination as $1,595, while the configurator shows it as $87,050 with the $1,695 destination. This car would have been ordered before the October 2 price change date, explaining the difference.

Here’s what 2024 Corvette Convertible pricing looks like on the retail site, compared to the 2023 pricing:

1LT Convertible: $76,995 ($3,600)
2LT Convertible: $84,095 ($3,900)
3LT Convertible: $88,745 ($3,900)

Step up to the Z06 Coupe, and we find the highest increases so far. The prices on the retail site and their differences from 2023, after the $1,695 destination charge and $2,600 gas guzzler tax, are:

1LZ Coupe: $114,395 ($5,100)
2LZ Coupe: $120,595 ($4,800)
3LZ Coupe: $125,245 ($4,800)

And here’s the outlay for your 2024 Z06 Convertible, which is up $4,800 across the board:

1LZ Convertible: $121,395
2LZ Convertible: $130,295
3LZ Convertible: $134,945

Finally, the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray caught the same bug. Unlike with the Stingray and Z06, there was no 2023 E-Ray so we can’t compare pages on the consumer site. We can, however, compare to the launch price; the model wasn’t mentioned in the order guides from July. With winter approaching, buyers who want the security of hybrid all-wheel-drive are going to need $2,300 more than asked at launch — $300 of which is in the destination charge:

1LZ Coupe: $106,595
2LZ Coupe: $112,095
3LZ Coupe: $117,545

The 2024 E-Ray Convertible rises by the same amount:

1LZ Convertible: $113,595
2LZ Convertible: $119,095
3LZ Convertible: $124,545

You’d almost think automakers — plural “automakers,” not only Chevy — uploaded new pricing to configurators without telling anybody because it’s all bad news. Or, in the Corvette’s case, is it? A Porsche 911 Carrera starts at about $116,000, a 911 GT3 starts at about $184,000. Ford’s Mustang Dark Horse starts at nearly $61,000, the take-all-comers Mustang GTD starts at the monumental-for-a-Mustang sum of $300,000. So what’s crazy about the Corvette price increases isn’t the increases, it’s the fact that even with the higher prices, for the money, the Corvette is still a screaming performance bargain. Like, screaming. What a world, eh?

October 5, 2023 / Comments Off

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Bugatti Rimac signs exclusive distribution deal with VW of America

Volkswagen Group of America (VGoA) has only just announced a deal it signed with Bugatti Rimac during Monterey Car Week last month. The deal gives VGoA exclusive rights to import and distribute Bugatti and Rimac products in the United States, and puts the COO of Bugatti America, Sascha Doering, in charge of the Rimac’s American outpost as well.

Mate Rimac, CEO of what’s now called the Rimac Group, said, “For both the Bugatti and Rimac brands, the U.S. is the strongest single market in the world, so it’s important that we curate a sales and ownership experience befitting the extraordinary cars that we’re delivering to customers. The alignment and cooperation with Volkswagen Group of America will allow a new dealer network in the States to evolve with the enormous experience and resources available to them, allowing us to combine all the best bits of a mass-market sales operation with the bespoke, customer-centric special touches that have become a hallmark of both Bugatti and Rimac brands.”

We suspect the news will have more effect on Bugatti dealers than Rimac dealers, but neither company explained what the new arrangement will mean. Rimac’s retailer map shows seven stores in the U.S. Three of those seven also sell Bugatti, one assumes they’ll only need to deal with paperwork and potential new showroom dictates. Of the remaining four, two sell numerous additional brands that include VW nameplates other than Bugatti, one appears to only sell Rimac and Koenigsegg, and one appears to sell just Rimac. Those latter two could be cut off from the herd.

However, it’s more likely that all of the dealers saw this coming once Rimac turned into Bugatti Rimac in 2021. For anyone interested in minutiae, Bugatti Rimac is a joint venture between Porsche and Rimac, the German sports car company owning a 45% stake, the Rimac Group owning 55%. The Rimac Group is the carmaking division and Rimac Technology, which engineers electric powertrains for other automakers like Pininfarina and is separate from the production cars, is 100% owned by Rimac Group.

No matter all that. By the time Bugatti’s new hybrid debuts next year, eager buyers should be clear on who they’ll need to call to place a deposit.

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September 21, 2023 / Comments Off

210

Aston Martin Valkyrie could fulfill destiny as Le Mans Hypercar in 2025

Media reports have paired the Aston Martin Valkyrie with a potential entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019, 2021 and 2022. We’re doing it again thanks to a report in Autosport. The outlet alleges that Florida-based race team Heart of Racing is trying to expand its relationship with the English carmaker to include a Valkyrie in the Hypercar-class of the World Endurance Championship. Heart of Racing runs eight cars in five series in 2023, seven of those cars being Aston Martins. Aston Martin co-owner Lawrence Stroll has regularly mentioned his interest in racing, saying last year that the automaker would eventually find its way back to Le Mans “in whichever category aligns with the message we are trying to deliver.”

All the automaker would say to Autosport in response to this latest report is, “We are encouraged by the growth of the Hypercar class, and the hugely successful centenary Le Mans 24 Hours was a shining example of this … Motorsport is an ever changing landscape, so of course as a global hypercar brand we continue to play close attention to the class.” That class, by the way, currently counts entries from Ferrari, Peugeot and Toyota.

Aston Martin had been working on a Valkyrie LMH racer with Canada’s Multimatic before Stroll’s consortium took over, but the arrival of IMSA’s budget-capped LMDh class killed the Valkyrie LMH program. The intelligence gained during development went into the track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro. If the LMH program gets revived, changes to the automaker’s racing division in the meantime could get development quickly reestablished. Aston Martin is finishing its racing headquarters in Silverstone, England. Those facilities now include the Aston Martin Performance Technologies (AMPT) division, set up with the cost savings realized when Formula 1 introduced its budget cap. AMPT will work with the Aston Martin production car division on coming mid-engined products. Meanwhile, AMPT could resume collaboration with Multimatic on a new Valkyrie LMH. It’s said that AMPT brought on ex-Williams F1 engineering director Adam Carter earlier this year to oversee the initiative, and suppliers are already being queried.

Heart of Racing team principal Ian James told Motorsport.com, “Our ambition to ascend to the pinnacle of international sportscar racing is no secret. But currently, no formal agreement is in place.” The outfit was set up in 2020 to run Aston Martin GT cars in IMSA and is backed by Gabe Newell, co-founder and CEO of gaming company Valve Corp. Last year, the team topped the standings in the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship’s GTD class, this year it’s in second place with two races remaining. Its WEC entry is the #98 in the GTE AM class, but that’s a car the Heart of Racing team took over from Northwest AMR in April of this year.

An endurance racer would keep the 6.5-liter Cosworth V12 in every Valkyrie but shed the hybrid component driving the rear axle in the Valkyrie road car. If this all comes true, don’t expect it to join the rolling start at La Sarthe until 2025, when it would certainly try to emulate Ferrari and win on its return after a lengthy hiatus. It’s also possible the car comes to race Stateside.

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September 19, 2023 / Comments Off

195

Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale revealed, Dodge Challenger Black Ghost driven | Autoblog Podcast #796

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor John Beltz Snyder. John has been driving the 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, while Greg has been making noise in another last call from Dodge, the 2023 Challenger Black Ghost. John, along with Associate Editor Byron Hurd, recently tested the 2023 Honda CR-V and Kia Sportage hybrids for an upcoming comparison review.

In the news, Felipe Massa seeks to overturn the 2008 F1 Championship in his favor through legal means; Ford might return to the street-performance truck scene with the F-150 Lobo; Volkswagen has been hinting at something interesting at the Munich show by tweeting a mysterious video of a rabbit (the animal); and while the podcast recording was underway, Alfa Romeo unveiled its beautiful 33 Stradale supercar.

Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com.

Autoblog Podcast #796

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September 1, 2023 / Comments Off

226

Watch Alfa Romeo reveal its mid-engine supercar here live

Alfa Romeo is about to unveil its supercar that’s long been rumored and even teased at this point. You’ll be able to watch the video livestream above starting at 11 a.m. ET to see it all.

The mid-engine Alfa is rumored to be named “33” after the original Tipo 33 race car and feature a heritage-inspired design. Much of the car’s construction is reported to be shared with the Maserati MC20, though the powertrain is a bit of a question. There’s the Maserati Nettuno V6 that could be utilized, but Alfa’s 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 from the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio is also available and could be overhauled for mid-engine use with more power.

Regardless of the details, this Alfa supercar is supposedly going to be built for an exceedingly short run consisting of just 33 cars. Tune in at 11 for all the details.

August 30, 2023 / Comments Off

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