In a press release tracing the history of Lamborghini concept cars, the Sant’Agata Bolognese automaker let us know it will debut “the prototype” of its coming battery-electric car during Monterey Car Week. The word “prototype” is interesting here because Lamborghini touched on the transition from one-offs and concept cars to “few-offs” — those being “a limited run of cars for the most loyal customers that pre-empt or enhance the most advanced technical solutions that will be used on production cars in later years.” We’re told, “The same formula will be repeated in just a few days,” suggesting that whatever goes on show could end up in a few driveways before long.
We’re still not sure what’s coming, though. Autocar reports the EV is “expected to draw light inspiration from the Estoque saloon concept,” pictured above from its reveal at the Paris Auto Show in 2008. The same report also throws “high-riding,” “2+2 seating and GT proportions,” the idea the car might have two doors, and a tip from head designer Mitja Borkert that future products will “look like spaceships.”
That’s quite the combo. Most modern cars considered 2+2 have two doors and diminished rear quarters; the Estoque was a proper sedan with four proper seats. Know what was a 2+2? The hybrid Asterion LPI-910 from 2014, which could be considered a coupe-ified Estoque, design-wise.
The automaker says the EV is “due to enter production by the end of the decade.” It’s anticipated that by then, the EV will join the battery-electric successor to the Urus, creating an electrified lineup for four cars when counting the hybrid Revuelto and the hybrid Huracán successor. It’s then we’ll find out what electrification the Lamborghini way really means, the brand still coming up with those answers.
CEO Stephan Winkelmann said, “There are definitions that I think no electric car in our sector has yet resolved sufficiently: not just acceleration and handling behavior but also responsiveness, braking feel and multiple acceleration protocols. These are unproven in high-performance EVs and things we must spend the next years working out.”
Related video:
August 9, 2023 / Comments Off on Electric Lamborghini concept headed to Monterey Car Week: Think ‘spaceships’
Texas-based supercar manufacturer Hennessey has chopped the roof off of the Venom F5 Revolution Coupe. Unveiled in bare carbon fiber, the Venom F5 Revolution Roadster packs an 1,817-horsepower V8 engine, and it’s sold out in spite of a base price pegged at $3 million.
While the F5 Revolution Roadster is related to the F5 Roadster, the brand notes that it completely re-engineered the model to prepare it for track use. Like the coupe, it receives a body kit that provides additional downforce thanks to bigger splitters on both ends, dive planes on either side of the front bumper, and a massive wing on the back end. Both models also share a scoop that feeds the engine cooling air.
The carbon fiber roof panel weighs 18 pounds, so the driver can remove it and install it without asking a second person to help. It’s secured by four quick-release bolts and a pair of high-strength latches added to ensure it doesn’t fly off at triple-digit speeds.
Like the coupe, the Revolution Roadster uses a twin-turbocharged, 6.6-liter V8 that sends 1,817 horsepower and 1,193 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission. Mid-mounted, the V8 is visible through a transparent cover that Hennessey notes is about four times stronger than standard glass. Performance details haven’t been announced, but combining a massively powerful engine and a relatively light carbon fiber chassis should deliver jaw-dropping acceleration and a stunning top speed.
Hennessey will present the Venom F5 Revolution Roadster at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, which is taking place August 18 as part of Monterey Car Week. Production is limited to 12 units, and every example was spoken for before the model’s unveiling.
If you missed your chance to buy one, or if you don’t have $3 million and a supercar-sized hole in your (presumably gigantic) garage, Hennessey also offers more affordable models based on existing cars. The seventh-generation Mustang-based H850 gets a supercharged, 850-horsepower 5.0-liter V8. Buyers can even keep the six-speed stick, though a 10-speed automatic transmission is available at an extra cost.
August 8, 2023 / Comments Off on Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Roadster unveiled with 1,817 horsepower of pure poison
This year’s edition of The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering is going to be a sort of royal running. It’s the 20th anniversary of the event, the 25th anniversary of the Quail Rally, and two-wheelers get their 13th showcase. The show plans four featured classes and 20 debuts, one of those reveals the Zenvo Aurora. The Danish hypercar maker closed its TS model chapter last year with a TSR-GT that a driver ran up to 263 miles per hour. As with every Zenvo up to that point, motivation for that speed run came from a GM-based LS-series V8 bearing some amount of both turbocharging and supercharging. The Aurora writes at least two new chapters for the company, introducing Zenvo’s first in-house engine as well — and not just any engine, a quad-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12.
Those are larger specs than Zenvo announced earlier this year when it said the Aurora would run with a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12. The Danes are working with the German boffins at Mahle Powertrain on the unit, seems one of the parties realized they had a lot more potential in their design.
Named Mjoner, the name of Thor’s hammer, the engine’s heart is a new aluminum block in a modular design so Zenvo can break off V8 and V6 mills to power Aurora offshoots. The heads hide Mahle’s Jet Ignition tech. This is the same pre-chamber ignition design Maserati uses in the twin-turbo 3.0-liter Nettuno V6; the Italians also worked with Mahle after watching sister brand Ferrari use Jet Ignition in the Ferrari F1 cars. The integration isn’t about bragging, it’s for emissions. The coming Euro 7 regulations place limits on an engine’s fuel-use trickery, Jet Ignition keeps Mjolner within regulation for the European and U.S. markets. Compatibility with synthetic fuels lends another measure of future-proofing — for the near future, at least.
Internal combustion horsepower comes to 1,232 (1,250 ps) at 8,000 rpm on the way to a 9,800-rpm redline, leading Zenvo to say this will be the most powerful road-legal V12 in the world. Electrical assistance will add another 592 hp (600 ps), taking matters to 1,824 hp. The company says the hybrid unit’s being tuned for drivability and usability. We know the combined sources will grant the Aurora all-wheel drive. It’s not clear which motor powers which axle, but our guess is that there will be a short electric-only range to satisfy stricter urban demands in Europe.
All-carbon chassis construction means a carbon tub and front and rear subframes. There are going to be two trims, Tur the slicker GT variant ready to cross Germany at more than 249 miles per hour, Agil the higher-drag and higher-aero track variant. Zenvo plans to make no more than 100 cars in total, split between the two trims. We’ll find out what they look like on August 18 during Monterey Car Week.
August 2, 2023 / Comments Off on Zenvo Aurora to run with quad-turbo 6.6-liter V12 hybrid powertrain
Alfa Romeo got on Instagram again to tease the coming supercar that will debut on August 30. The image is a bit funky, and so is the caption. The picture shows the steering wheel, shot from underneath. The hub center is the first unusual bit, being a monochrome Alfa Romeo logo. The Italian brand’s steering wheels usually feature a full-color logo except in the Quadrifoglio trims that bear a black and silver design. Vintage Alfas like the GT Junior models of the 1960s and 1970s were known for silver logos. They were also known for drilled steering wheel spokes, which might be featured in the teaser as well. No current Alfas we know of use metal-looking steering wheels spokes, and none contain what look like dials set into the bottom spoke. Even the limited-edition Giulia GTAm that started at about $225,000 in Europe took the Giulia’s regular wheel and replaced plastic with carbon fiber for the lower spoke.
Then there’s the caption, “792hours and less than #6weeks left to ignite your spirit with #AlfaRomeo. Witness history unfold on August 30th, as #Courage and passion #Converge to give birth to a visionary #Creation. Save the date!”
That’s an oddball number of hours for a countdown timer. The guess is that this is a reference to the horsepower figure engineers coaxed from the twin-turbo 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 poached from the Maserati MC20. In the MC20, the engine produces 621 horsepower. Rumors out of Europe have said the Maserati mill is going to share the Alfa Romeo’s engine bay with at least one electric motor and make about 800 horsepower — close enough to 792 not to quibble over. Since that would be a metric horsepower rating, converting PS to U.S. HP gives 781 hp, a tidy 160 horses more than the MC20 and totally achievable with a single flux capacitor.
Unless the Italians are taking a MacGuffin from Hitchcock’s playbook, six weeks away could foreshadow the 6C name instead of the 33 name that’s worked its way into the conversation. The livestreamed debut from the Alfa Romeo museum in Arese, Italy is a month away.
Related Video
August 1, 2023 / Comments Off on New Alfa Romeo supercar teaser mentions ‘6 weeks’ and ‘792 hours’
The long-rumored and limited-edition Alfa Romeo supercar will see its debut August 30. The brand teased an intake grille on Twitter with the line, “The courage to dream. It’s time to seize a game-changing moment with more passion than ever. Be prepared to enter the dream.”
We’re also informed that the happening will be livestreamed from the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, Italy. The location was foreshadowed by brand CEO Philippe Imparato in February, when he said, “We are working on something that I could put aside the 8C in the museum of Arese, being proud of our contribution to the history of Alfa Romeo. That is what we want.”
August 30th: “Il coraggio di sognare”. It’s time to seize a game-changing moment with more passion than ever. Be prepared to enter the dream. pic.twitter.com/3hQjs4xBtQ
Reports say the something could be called either the 33, a call to the original Tipo 33 race car and Stradale of 1967. Both versions of the T33 are legendary in the brand’s history, although both were powered by the 2.0-liter V8 in the competition variant. The 6C name that’s been bandied for years would recall six-cylinder Alfas from the late 1920s to the early 1950s, and slot between the here-and-gone 8C Competizione supercar and 4C sports car.
This new beast will be a V6, that much we know. Reporting agrees that the Maserati MC20 Cielo roadster will provide the bones. Maserati’s flagship is built on a carbon tub sprouting front and rear aluminum subframes, same as the 4C’s construction, the Maserati built in the same Modena facility as the retired 4C. The Alfa Romeo-branded Formula 1 team might be contributing chassis tweaking suggestions; the supercar reveal happens the same weekend as the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, making for a natural crossover showcase.
Sources differ on the engine. Some believe the entire MC20 Cielo package makes the jump, including the twin-turbo 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 making 621 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. It’s said engineers will add at least one electric motor to bump output to around 800 hp. Others believe it’ll be the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 from the Giulia Quadrifoglio, tuned up to 539 hp and 443 lb-ft in the limited-edition GTAm.
Production and price guesses are all over the map. Autocar says only 33 examples are coming out of Modena. Autocar believes each will cost more than 1 million euros ($1.1M U.S.), and each will reach a top speed of 333 kilometers per hour (206 mph) — although the supposed name will be 6C. Italian mag Quattroroute thinks “a few dozen” will see life. Either way, the run is gone, a state of affairs the CEO warned everyone of in February when admitting the automaker was taking deposits before the car got the green light, saying, “It will be sold out before I unveil the car.”
July 25, 2023 / Comments Off on Alfa Romeo teases million-dollar supercar debut for August 30
McLaren has issued a recall that applies to every example of the 600LT and 600LT Spider registered in the United States. Built during the 2019 and 2020 model years, the cars included in the campaign are fitted with a faulty joint in the cooling system that could cause a fire.
Assigned recall number 23V-484 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the campaign includes 652 units of the 600LT built between July 4, 2019, and July 16, 2020. McLaren estimates that the defect is present in 100% of the recalled cars. It explains that the “outboard right-hand radiator joint between the temperature sensor housing and the hose running from the outboard radiator to the housing can potentially leak due to inadequate sealing of the joint.” The leak can occur while driving at “high vehicle loads,” like on a track.
If the joint fails, coolant can come in contact with hot components in the engine bay and cause a fire. McLaren’s engineers looked into the issue and traced the problem to the joint’s basic design. Luckily, it sounds like the fix is fairly simple. Owners will be asked to bring their 600LT to an authorized dealer so that a technician can replace the coolant hose, the temperature sensor housing, and the clamp. McLaren adds that the redesigned clamp will ensure the joint doesn’t leak, though it hasn’t explained how the new design differs from the existing one.
The company hasn’t decided when it will notify owners of affected cars.
July 21, 2023 / Comments Off on Every McLaren 600LT in the U.S. recalled over fire risk
The Goodwood Festival of Speed will not hold events as planned Saturday for the first time in its 30-year run due to concerns over high winds, the organizers announced late Friday. Concerns over the potential for damage to temporary structures prompted the late cancellation after a long Friday of (appropriately?) dreary British weather promised to worsen ahead of Saturday’s competition.
Saturday ticket holders will be refunded, event organizers said, and Sunday’s events will go on as planned. The full announcement from the Duke of Richmond and the Festival of Speed Team follows.
It is with deep regret that we have taken the decision that the Goodwood Festival of Speed will not go ahead tomorrow (Saturday 15 July 2023). After consulting meteorologists, health and safety experts and other key stakeholders, we have taken the decision to close the event site due to a severe wind warning in the Goodwood area.
On-site safety is our highest priority and the forecasted high winds will pose a serious risk to various temporary structures across the site. We politely ask that you do not travel to Goodwood or attempt to access the site.
This decision has not been made lightly and His Grace, The Duke of Richmond, along with the whole Festival of Speed team, are deeply saddened that we will not run the event on Saturday for the first time in its 30 year history.
The event will resume as planned on Sunday.
Please note: Sunday is a sold out day. Anyone with a Saturday ticket will not be able to access the site. All ticket holders for Saturday will be communicated with in the coming days regarding a refund, and we ask that customers requesting refunds please do not try to contact the ticket office over the weekend.
Please pass this message on to any other ticket holders in your group.
Thank you for your understanding – further updates will be provided via email in due course. If you are camping over the weekend, you are welcome to stay in the campsites. Please be careful during the high winds and consider taking down gazebos and awnings, securing tents with additional pegs or demounting during the peak wind period. If you have any problems, please keep in touch with Goodwood through our campsite managers in the office.
July 14, 2023 / Comments Off on Goodwood Festival of Speed cancels Saturday events due to weather
Koenigsegg recently held an event to celebrate an expansion of its campus headquarters in Angelholm, Sweden. We got some initial bits out of it from Koenigsegg Registry, focusing on changes to the production-spec Gemera such as the option to swap the turbocharged 2.0-liter three-cylinder engine for the 5.0 TTV8 from the Jesko. It looks like the Swedes saved the juiciest details for now. Coming straight from founder and boss Christian von Koenigsegg, the Gemera hasn’t only been improved by a lot, it’s got some outstanding new tech that started with the question of an engine and transmission swap.
Engineers had developed a nine-speed gearbox called the Light Speed Transmission (LST) for the Jesko’s TTV8. The LST dispenses with a flywheel and clutch or hydraulic coupling, making the TTV8 engine’s output shaft the LST’s input shaft. At some point during Gemera development, someone wondered if the Gemera could fit the TTV8 and LST instead of the planned Direct Drive transmission from the Koenigsegg Regera. The short story is the engineers answered that question in the affirmative with what’s now called the LSTT, the Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission. In the lingo of jewel-like Swiss watch internals, a “tourbillon” is a mechanical feature that makes a watch more accurate. Reworking the LST for its new employment made it smaller, lighter, and better.
Alongside that, engineers created a new six-phase e-motor to replace the three, three-phase Quark e-motors that had been paired with the 2.0-liter Tiny Friendly Giant (TFG) engine. The one motor to rule them all is called Dark Matter, designed as a blend of radial flux and axial flux topologies called “raxial.” In the original powertrain, two of the Quark motors on the rear axle could each make a maximum 500 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, the third Quark on the crankshaft made 400 hp and 369 lb-ft. transmission. Their combined output in operation came to 1,100 hp.
The Dark Matter makes 800 hp and 922 lb-ft. Pairing a single Dark Matter with the LSTT makes the TFG powertrain lighter and smaller, improving acceleration and performance. New control logic means the Dark Matter can drive the Gemera on its own, the TFG can power the car, or both can be called to action. When operating together, max output comes to 1,400 horsepower and 1,365 pound-feet of torque. The Gemera retains its all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, and torque vectoring.
Thanks to the more compact transmission and single e-motor, the TTV8 could find a home in the Gemera’s engine bay. That required more development, mostly changing the turbo setup to a hot vee, putting the exhaust into the valley between the cylinders. Note the more pronounced pipes emerging from beside the rear window.
Previous info said going to the V8 would add $400K to the Gemera’s price. It also makes a huge difference to output. With 1,500 hp coming from the TTV8 and 800 hp coming from the Dark Matter, final output is rated at 2,300 hp and 2,028 lb-ft. of torque. Well then.
This Gemera iteration is called the Client Specification. It’s what those who managed to get on the Germera reservation list will fly to Sweden to configure in the new extension called the Gripen Atelier. Production begins toward the end of next year, first deliveries planned for early 2025.
July 12, 2023 / Comments Off on Koenigsegg details outrageous new Gemera specs with Dark Matter e-motor
A few years ago, Aston Martin stunned the supercar world with its Victor. It took the V12 and other mechanicals of some of the most advanced and exclusive Astons of the modern era, such as the One-77, and gave it ’70s retro looks and a retro transmission: a six-speed manual. The problem, though, was that it was a one-off. Beautiful to look at, but out of reach for even the most well-heeled customers. We have a feeling a good number of those prospective buyers were ringing up Aston begging to give them money for something like it, because the new Valour offers a taste of Victor … y.
Though Aston doesn’t explicitly say so, we’re confident that the Valour’s based on the DB12 platform, considering the shape of the greenhouse as well as the twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 that we’ll get to shortly. But you probably won’t notice that connection at first because of the radical restyling. Just like the Victor, the Valour takes styling inspiration from the V8 Vantage of the 1970s with its forward-leaning nose, boxy fenders and subtle lip spoiler. It even gets unique round LED headlights to drive home the classic look. But there are many other nifty exterior touches to this carbon fiber bruiser. Its grille slats and rear trim are made of real aluminum, and there are aerodynamic aids throughout, such as the vents and scoops in the hood, the air ducts on the outboard ends of the front bumper, and even the rear window louvres help with aero.
Under that perforated hood is Aston’s twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 making more power than the DB12, but less torque. Total output is 705 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. Again, Aston didn’t explicitly say, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the torque was turned down a bit to accommodate the six-speed manual transmission, the only gearbox available for the Valour. We doubt prospective buyers will be bothered by the lower torque number when they’re getting to shift for themselves. That power goes only to the rear wheels through a mechanical limited-slip differential. The adaptive suspension has its own unique tuning not shared with other Astons, and it comes standard with carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers. Connecting everything to the ground are 21-inch wheels with 275-mm-wide front and 325-mm-wide rear Aston-specific Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires.
Owners will spend time in the Valour’s unique and carbon fiber-laden interior. The centerpiece is definitely the manual shifter, which has its linkages exposed and is capped with a luxurious knob crafted from a choice of aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber or walnut wood. The options expand in regards to color and fabric. Aston equipped the debut car with tweed upholstery, a nod to the 1959 DBR1 race car. This is one of the many special upholstery options. And on the topic of customization, the exterior has extensive choices, too. Four sections of the car can be painted different hues: the front, hood, sides and rear. There are 21 colors on offer as standard, but with even more money, the Q program will let you choose completely custom hues, stripes and other graphics, and even tinted carbon fiber.
No pricing was announced for the Valour, but with the limited production nature of the car, and its special design and powertrain, it likely doesn’t matter to buyers. Only 110 will be built, and they’ll probably be sold out soon after this reveal, if not already. Production starts in the third quarter of this year, with deliveries starting by the end of the year.
Related video:
July 11, 2023 / Comments Off on Aston Martin Valour gets retro looks and a manual-backed V12
Design house-turned-carmaker Pininfarina took a trip to the heritage well to create its latest limited-edition model. Named after Giuseppe Farina, the first Formula One champion, the Battista Edizione Nino Farina stands out with several edition-specific styling cues inside and out.
Giuseppe “Nino” Farina’s ties to the Italian automotive industry aren’t limited to winning the first Formula One Driver’s Championship in 1950. He’s also the nephew of Battista “Pinin” Farina, who founded the design house that bears his name. Pininfarina honored the driver by giving the Battista edition-specific Rosso Nino paint with contrasting Bianco Sestriere and Iconica Blu accents, wheels finished in Glorioso Gold, and “01” graphics on both sides. The Furiosa Pack, which adds carbon fiber exterior trim pieces, comes standard.
The interior is characterized by a two-tone design. The driver’s seat is upholstered in black leather and has the “01” logo embroidered into the headrest. The passenger’s seat gets beige leather and the Pininfarina logo embroidered into the headrest. Production is limited to five examples, and each one will receive a specific aluminum door sill plate engraved with a date that commemorates Farina’s life and career; 1906 celebrates the year he was born, for example, and 1950 corresponds to the year he won the Formula One Driver’s Championship.
Mechanically, the Edizione Nino Farina is identical to the regular Battista, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing; few could argue that it needs a higher output. Power comes from four electric motors (one per wheel) that jointly develop 1,900 horsepower and 1,726 pound-feet of torque. The company quotes a zero-to-62-mph time of 1.86 seconds, a top speed of 217 mph, and up to 300 miles of driving range.
Pininfarina will present the Battista Edizione Nino Farina at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed that opens in England on July 13. Pricing information hasn’t been announced, but keep in mind that the standard Battista (which is limited to 150 units) starts at about $2.2 million.
Related video:
July 11, 2023 / Comments Off on Pininfarina Battista Edizione Nino Farina honors the first F1 champion
The Koenigsegg Gemera is taking the scenic route to production, making stops along the way that buyers will appreciate. Koenigsegg Registry attended an event to inaugurate a new production line for the Gemera, company boss Christian von Koenigsegg telling the audience the mid-engined four-seat hypercar can be optioned with the 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that powers the Koenigsegg Jesko. The V8 adds $400,000 to the price and about 500 horsepower to the spec sheet, while decreasing torque by about 500 pound-feet, the announced figures being 2,300 hp and 2,028 pound-feet of torque on E85. The TTV8 makes 1,280 hp and 738 lb-ft by itself on premium fuel, 1,600 hp on E85. The remaining output comes from the Gemera’s three electric motors. The nine-speed Light Speed Transmission (LST) would also make the jump from the Jesko.
The Gemera debuted in 2020, the original spec sheet boasting 1,700 horsepower and 2,583 pound-feet of torque from a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that could get the four-seater from 0-60 miles per hour in 1.9 seconds. A turbocharged 2.0-liter inline three-cylinder called the Tiny Friendly Giant (TFG) sends 600 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque to the front axle. It’s frugal enough that the company lists gas-powered range as 590 miles. Three Quark electric motors turn the rear axle, two motors for each wheel, another between the crankshaft and the Hydracoup direct-drive transmission. The axle motors each produce 500 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, the crankshaft e-motor makes 400 bhp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Their combined output in the powertrain comes to 1,100 bhp.
The Gemera shown on stage at the event sported physical side mirrors instead of the cameras on the concept car. Those will be a necessity for markets like the U.S. that haven’t approved digital outside mirrors yet. It’s not clear if the camera system will be offered in places like Europe that do allow such.
The options sheet grows again with the addition of a Ghost Package. This installs a larger front splitter, an S-duct in place of the traditional hood, and a rear wing. Aggression and downforce get amped up, but practicality diminishes since the S-duct front end replaces the frunk. That would be a shame considering the four-season, nuclear family potential of the car. The Gemera comes with all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering and torque vectoring on both axles. The 16.6-kWh battery can power up to 31 miles of all-electric range on the WLTP cycle. The interior’s been designed with four heated seats, tri-zone climate control, infotainment screens for front and rear passengers, wireless chargers front and rear, and a few climate-controlled cupholders among the beverage receptacles.
After production begins, 300 Gemeras will come off the line. As part of the improved headquarters, customers visiting Sweden to configure their cars will find a new showroom, lounge, experience center and retail space.
Related video:
July 10, 2023 / Comments Off on Koenigsegg shows production Gemera with TTV8 option
San Marino-based Eccentrica Cars is bringing the Lamborghini Diablo, one of the most emblematic supercars of the 1990s, into the 21st century. The startup unveiled a limited-edition restomodded Diablo with a more modern design inside and out and a more powerful V12.
Eccentrica enlisted the help of several well-known suppliers to complete its first project. BorromeodeSilva, a design studio based in Milan, updated the Diablo’s lines by taking inspiration from the GTR model. The only exterior panel left untouched is the windshield; everything else has been updated, including the bumpers, the hood and the side skirts. Designers fitted a muscular-looking body kit, new-look headlights hidden behind retractable covers, and hexagon-shaped intakes that channel air to the radiators. The engine cover was redesigned as well.
What you see isn’t necessarily what you’ll get if you’re one of the lucky customers whose name appears on the waiting list. For example, the “remove before flight”-branded engine covers are temporary. They’ll be replaced by a pair of “mobile components” on the production car.
The interior gets a similar treatment: it stays true to the original car’s spirit and layout while incorporating modern styling cues and materials. Eccentrica describes it as “a meeting point between the minimalism of the early 1990s and the state-of-the-art mechanics typical of luxury watchmaking.” It adds that one of the project’s goal was to replace many of the plastic parts found in the original Diablo.
Step in through the scissor doors — getting rid of such an emblematic styling cue was out of the question — and you’ll find a pair of Alcantara-upholstered seats, a reinterpretation of the regular Diablo’s steering wheel and a digital instrument cluster with a throwback look. Square buttons occupy most of the space on the center stack, while the center console features toggle switches and a gated shifter.
Fully street-legal, Eccentrica’s Diablo is powered by an evolution of the standard car’s 5.7-liter V12 that develops 550 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 442 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm thanks in part to valvetrain modifications. In comparison, the Diablo launched in 1990 with a 5.7-liter V12 rated at about 492 horsepower and 426 pound-feet of torque. The engine exhales through a Capristo exhaust system, and it spins the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. We haven’t heard the V12 fire up yet, but we’re betting it sounds amazing.
The firm quotes a 0-62-mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 208 mph, and it adds that the use of titanium and carbon fiber parts lowers the coupe’s weight, though the final figure hasn’t been released. More power and less weight is a combination that requires bigger brakes, so the updated Diablo gets a Brembo-designed braking system with six-piston front calipers that grip huge slotted rotors. Eccentrica hasn’t said much about the suspension system, but it widened the track and made the chassis stiffer to improve handling.
Eccentrica will build 19 units of its modern-day Diablo, and buyers will be able to personalize the paint, the upholstery and the trim material, among other features. The brand wants to ensure that no two examples are exactly alike. Pricing starts at €1.2 million (about $1.3 million at the current conversion rate) excluding any and all options and the cost of the donor car, and production takes between 16 and 18 months.
Related video:
July 7, 2023 / Comments Off on Eccentrica Cars unveils Lamborghini Diablo restomod
Porsche — with CEO Oliver Blume behind the wheel — has zipped by a number of milestones over the past several years. Its share price has gained more than 36% since its IPO in September 2022 and profit margins are at an enviable 18%.
And yet, Blume isn’t satisfied.
“We are driving the company like a sports team,” Blume said earlier on the sidelines of the company’s 75th anniversary celebration. “After a success, focusing [on] what we can do more… going for the next goal.”
The next goal, Blume said, is 20% margins. The road to get there will be paved with investments in new segments and maybe even a seven-figure hypercar.
Timing is everything
The last nine months haven’t been kind to other automakers that went public in the past few years, particularly companies like Canoo, Fisker, Lucid Motors and Polestar that merged with special purpose acquisition companies. Even Rivian, the 2021 IPO darling that debuted at $78 a share, has seen its price fall some 82%.
Porsche has managed to avoid a similar fate — a result that Blume credited to years of preparation.
“It was a process over years, where we developed the company,” Blume said. “Five years ago, Porsche would never have been able to go to the stock market, and now it was the right moment.”
That preparation required a renewed focus on the fundamentals: margins, profits and cash flow. But, don’t think all that has made the company boring. At Porsche’s 75th birthday party in Stuttgart, Blume unveiled the Mission X, a hypercar designed to be the fastest production car ever made, not the most profitable.
Pushing into the luxury segment
When it comes to growing profit margins, it’s hard to do better than the luxury segment.
Though Porsche is certainly a premium manufacturer, its reputation has been built on performance, not poshness. A pivot to challenge brands like Mercedes-Benz or Rolls-Royce is not to be made lightly.
“Before we decide to go to a new segment, we make a deep analysis of the markets, of the profit pools and different regions of the world, and we think the segment of luxurious SUVs is quite huge, and with a very strong development potential from the future, and strong profit margins. What’s missing is a very sporty one there,” Blume said.
In other words: Buyers have many luxurious and stylish options in the premium SUV segment, but none of them has the character of a Porsche.
Learning from the Cayenne
It’s a similar story to what drove Porsche to introduce the Cayenne SUV 20 years ago. Though not particularly luxurious, the tall, big and wide Cayenne was a massive departure from the company’s pure sports offerings.
Cayenne sparked controversy, with many brand purists saying that Porsche had lost its way. Far from the beginning of the end, Cayenne is now Porsche’s biggest seller, while the company’s portfolio of fast, desirable sports cars is broader than ever.
By heading to green pastures, Porsche found huge success, and now Blume hopes to do so again.
That next expansion is a new SUV that Blume referred to by its code name: K1. This new SUV, first mentioned in March and due by 2027, will be bigger than Cayenne. It’ll be quick, too, but the focus here is on luxury.
Performance will come from a fully electric powertrain, Blume said, in keeping with Porsche’s goal of delivering 80% EVs by 2030. However, the look and layout of the car might be a little unfamiliar. “You will be surprised by the design,” Blume said.
Blume also said that the K1’s systems and software, the car’s “technology profile,” will be unique.
Wanted: Software engineers
To create innovative technologies found only in Porsches, the company is on a hiring spree — a notable difference from an industry that is laying off workers.
Porsche has more than 1,000 technical positions open, including many on the software side. Blume said that this is an increasingly core part of the company’s identity: “We think that the IP we are developing is very specific,” Blume said. “100% portion of this kind of costs are important for our brand identity and for our product identities. Therefore, that is our core business.”
For Blume, this clarifies the build versus buy debate.
“You can buy solutions in the market in areas, which are not your core business… And so for us it is very clear where to tap into that focus, where we will get the best talent from the market to develop our core competencies,” he said. “And in other areas, where it is not so important… we will work together with partners, but they are the best partners in the market.”
When it comes to that core experience, Blume said: “All the touch and feel and coming up to the software experience into the car should be unique for Porsche.”
Bringing a luxury all-electric SUV — catnip for American buyers — might make sound financial sense. However, for extremely low-volume hypercars (Porsche sold just 918 of the 918 Spyder), the value proposition is often a bit more nebulous.
Blume cited the brand-building impact of a record-setting halo car like the Mission X: “All our hypercars are icons,” he said. But, there are some more tangible benefits, too. “In the hypercars, we show the best the company is able to develop, to produce, to show what our technologies [are] for the future. We will later bring [them] to other serial cars, and so, it’s not only a showcase, it’s real life, to bring innovations, to develop innovations,” he said. “The whole team is focused, motivated, pushed to develop a hypercar, and that is the best the company is able to deliver.”
Mission X: To be or not to be?
Porsche Mission X Concept
Blume declined repeatedly to indicate whether or not the Mission X would be produced, but we shouldn’t have to wait long to find out.
He said the decision will be made “during the next month.” Should it get the green light, its first official duty will be recapturing the fastest production car lap record around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. For Blume, that iconic, 13-mile race track cut through the forests of western Germany is part of Porsche’s DNA: “When we design and build the concept of a car, the Nurburgring Nordschleife is the measure for Porsche.”
Porsche’s last hypercar, 2013’s 918 Spyder, itself set the fastest lap time for a production car, with a time of 6:57. The current record, set by the $2.7 million Mercedes-AMG One, sits at 6:35. That will likely be the target for the Mission X, the existential goal for a car built by a nearly octogenarian company still intent on proving its mettle on the track.
Related video:
July 4, 2023 / Comments Off on How Porsche plans to grow margins with luxury and speed
Volkswagen execs would tell you some very unfunny things happened on the way to electrification: Design decisions wrought years of damage, vehicle platform and software catastrophes scotched launch timelines for not just one but at least three brands, and chaos piled high enough to unseat a CEO. Those execs might not be correct about that middle one, though, if Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume is telling the truth. During a presentation laying out the conglomerate’s ten-year plan at the annual capital markets day, Blume said the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) will launch on time, in 2026. This counters recent reporting as well as complaints from individual brands late last year and this year. Due to ongoing problems with the software needed to make the SSP work, Automotive News Europe reported last July that Audi’s first vehicle with the new software had been delayed up to three years, to 2027. A few months later, Autocar reported that Porsche updated its IPO prospectus with a warning that software holdups might delay the battery-electric 718 twins and Cayenne.
We don’t know how the company got things back on track, but investors will be pleased and customers should be, too. Blume’s presentation made clear that VW expects to launch a platform even more potent than the one we were told about two years ago. Previous CEO Herbert Diess gave a similar presentation in 2021 explaining that the SSP would serve every group brand, and serve every kind of vehicle from city cars with as little as 114 horsepower to supercars with as much as 1,140 hp. Blume, however, said the SSP will be able to power drivetrains making as much as 1,700 hp — 560 hp more than the last projection.
But wait, there’s more. SSP development will break down into three paths: Urban city cars for Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Cupra; compact and mid-size vehicles for VW, Audi, Porsche and Skoda; and large vehicles for Audi, Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini. Note the absence of Bugatti.
This one skateboard chassis will eventually replace the current MQB, MLB, MSB and MMB internal combustion platforms, the present MEB, PPE and J1 electric platforms, and the MEB+ arriving in 2025. It will be powered by new “unified” batteries of various chemistries developed in-house and running on an 800-volt electrical architecture. The charging time to take the batteries from 10% to 80% SOC will be 12 minutes, compared to the 35 minutes needed for the current MEB battery-electric platform; the interim MEB+ platform will lower that time to 21 minutes. The fleshed-out software dubbed 2.0 will enable Level 4 hands-free driving.
To get a sense of scale and return on investment when this is all put together, the current MEB platform sits under about ten models total, from the ID.3 to the Audi E-tron GT. The large SSP will support 14 models from Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche by itself. According to Blume, those 14 SSP-based models are predicted to sell about 1.14 million units between debut and 2038, netting the group more than 150 billion in revenue, with profit margins above 20%. For comparison, Porsche’s 2022 operating profit was 18%.
It’s not clear which vehicle will introduce the world to the SSP in 2026, but we do know the second-generation all-electric Audi Q8 E-Tron, Audi’s Project Artemis and Volkswagen’s Project Trinity have all been penciled in around that time. If Blume’s assertions still hold weight at that time, then a line from Herbert Diess’ 2021 presentation could still come true: That come 2030, VW will make more money in the EV business than the ICE business.
Related video:
July 1, 2023 / Comments Off on Volkswagen’s SSP vehicle architecture back on track for 2026 debut
After introducing the first hybrid to the brand this year in the Revuelto, Lamborghini’s transformation takes two more big steps next year. Autocar reports that toward the end of 2024, the Urus will switch to a PHEV-only powertrain. We’ve known for a while there was an electrical cord headed to the Urus’ flanks, but we didn’t expect Lamborghini would give up the pure ICE variant. Brand honcho Stephan Winkelmann confirmed to Autocar the engine will be a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, but didn’t give output figures. A 2021 report in Car magazine — back when the purported Urus PowerHybrid was due in 2022 — predicted the engine in question is coming from Porsche and would produce about 660 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque. The horse count would rise with help from a 168-hp electric motor in the transmission. However, the gearbox’s internals wouldn’t allow any more than 660 lb-ft. That’s still a perfectly fine number; the 6.5-liter V12 and three electric motors in the new Revuelto “only” throw a combined 783 lb-ft.
Today’s Urus romps with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 making 657 horsepower and 627 lb-ft. in both S and track-focused Performante trims. Theoretically, the Urus PHEV could crank that to about 830 hp and 660 lb-ft. The additional power would be partially offset by additional weight, as much as 551 pounds if Car is correct. This SUV would carry on until 2029, when an all-electric version ushers in a second generation.
The Lamborghini Huracan successor is expected to debut before the PHEV Urus but go on sale about the same time as the Urus. Since that successor will use an adapted version of the engine headed to the Urus mated to the transmission in the Revuelto, we expect the release of vital details to begin as soon as the new baby coupe makes its introduction, thought to be around next spring.
To hear Winkelmann talk, we’re ruminating now on the last hurrah of old-school, visceral, ICE-powered Lamborghinis. The brand has a high-riding battery-electric 2+2 GT penned in to debut in 2028 with about 300 miles of range. That will be the next big sign of things to come. He told Autocar, “You go with the most difficult legislation, which is the US, and is really California. Other states adopt California’s rules — typically big cities and that’s where we sell cars. …
Even if it [legislation] is not banning EVs, taxation will be a killing factor. Then mega-cities are talking of abolishing non-EVs before 2035 regardless.” And despite the work of sister brand and collaborator Porsche, Winkelmann’s not sold on synthetic fuels yet. For him, they’re “more about keeping alive the current car parc,” not creating new ICE-powered models using said fuels.
Related video:
June 26, 2023 / Comments Off on 2025 Lamborghini Urus to drop gas-only model, go PHEV-only
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings is tying up with Lucid Group Inc. on electric vehicle technology, uniting the storied British carmaker and relative automotive newcomer both backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Aston Martin will pay $232 million in shares and cash to Lucid in exchange for battery-electric powertrain components, the companies said Monday. The UK manufacturer also extended a years-long cooperation with Mercedes-Benz Group AG, though it will no longer issue more stock to the German carmaker that already owns a roughly 9% stake.
The announcements sent Aston Martin shares soaring as much as 15%, their biggest intraday jump in over a month, while Lucid advanced as much as 9.1% in premarket US trading.
“The proposed supply agreement with Lucid is a game changer for the future EV-led growth of Aston Martin,” Chairman Lawrence Stroll said in a statement.
Stroll, 63, is three years into an effort to turn around the 110-year-old British manufacturer with a long history of financial trouble. Aston Martin has needed several capital raises since he rescued the company in early 2020, the most recent of which made China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund major shareholders.
The Public Investment Fund, or PIF, owns about 49% of Lucid and 18% of Aston Martin, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Aston Martin’s longstanding financial woes have made it increasingly reliant on partners for technology that other automakers consider core to their products. Models including the DBX sport utility vehicle and DB12 sports car are powered by Mercedes engines.
While Mercedes will continue to provide access to powertrains and electric architectures for current and future Aston Martin vehicles, Aston Martin will pay in cash rather than shares as previously planned.
An Aston Martin spokesman said Lucid’s technology is available now, whereas Mercedes’s AMG electric platform isn’t accessible until late 2025.
The deal with Lucid — which has been producing its lone EV, the Air sedan, since September 2021 — will help Aston Martin toward its ambitious electrification targets. The UK carmaker plans to launch its first plug-in hybrid supercar, the Valhalla, early next year and its first battery-electric vehicle in 2025. By the following year, all new product lines will have an electrified powertrain option.
Aston Martin said it will make phased cash payments to Lucid totaling $132 million and has committed to spending at least $225 million on the EV maker’s powertrain components. Aston Martin also will pay another $10 million to Lucid for integrating its technology into its vehicles.
Related video:
June 26, 2023 / Comments Off on Aston Martin ties up with Lucid, extends deal with Mercedes-Benz
With the release of a production version of the McMurtry Speirling, the England-based company has taken the next step in its goal to become “one of the world’s most prestigious and long-standing automotive brands, founded on motorsport innovation.” This version for sale is called the Speirling Pure and is only for track use; a road-legal variant is reportedly in development. This one’s also slightly different than the prototype used to break the record up the 1.16-mile hill at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed. That one was said to clock a time of 39.14 on the day, a benchmark soon revised downward to an even more impressive 39.081 seconds, eclipsing the time set by the Volkswagen ID.R by nearly a full second. That’s a ridiculous delta to achieve in little more than one mile.
When we say this one’s a little different, that means it’s better. There’s a new skirted fan system that weighs 14% less, is 15% more efficient, and is less affected by airflow variation. A new battery weighs 3% less, the battery casing weighs 15.5% less, and the new e-axle that uses two motors to power the rear wheels is 0.5% more efficient. Weight savings continue everywhere from the chassis to the steering and brake systems, wiring loom, and pedal box. The front tires and rear tires are each 60 millimeters wider, wrapped around lighter 19-inch wheels instead of 18-inchers, and tucked under reshaped wheel arches. Buyers can spec antilock braking if they desire, and new gearing takes the top speed from 150 miles per hour to 190.
The changes add about 10 inches to the overall length, but the single-seater is still just 135.8 inches long, roughly 18 inches shorter than a Mazda Miata. We’re told the diminutive dimensions are still able to swallow an occupant up to 6’7″ and more than 300 pounds.
With the weight reduction, output from the motors has come down to an even 999 horsepower. The company says the 60-kwH Molicell battery lasts long enough to power the Speirling Pure to 10 laps of England’s Silverstone track at record pace, then can be fast-charged back to full in just 20 minutes. We still haven’t been given charging specs. The driver would want the rest, the Speirling able to hit peak lateral forces of 3G when that fan kicks in with more than 4,000 pounds of downforce for a car that weighs about half that.
Preorders are open now for the 100 units McMurtry said it will make. The first validation prototype is going on display at next month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Pricing starts at £820,000 before taxes, or $1.04M U.S. at current exchange rates. The firm will spend 2024 completing a testing program, first deliveries anticipated in early 2025.
June 22, 2023 / Comments Off on McMurtry Speirling Pure track car starts at $1M, preorders now open
Chevrolet is engineering its next hot Corvette variant, the process far enough along to get prototypes out on the roads. In May, spy shooters caught a gaggle of Corvettes in heavy camo cruising around Detroit with an escort including a Corvette Z06 convertible, a Corvette E-Ray, and a Porsche 911 GT2 RS. At least one of the camouflaged cars could very well be the coming ZR1, said to be due next year as a 2025 offering. Now YouTube channel Frim Autos has caught another group of Corvettes testing in Golden, Colorado. The same school of cars got caught at a different location in Colorado a few days earlier. The E-Ray and the 911 GT2 RS didn’t make the trip out west, but there was another Z06 among the field.
To recap, the ZR1 is basically a twin-turbo version of the naturally aspirated Z06. Instead of a 5.5-liter V8 making 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, the ZR1 would make up to 850 horsepower and up to 825 pound-feet of torque. The engine code for the ZR1 will be LT7, one up from the LT6 in the Z06.
Corvette watchers have wondered if the ZR1 will keep the Z06’s flat-plane crank or if Chevy will go to a cross-plane crank with the addition of turbos. Engineers driving the prototypes in Colorado pulled out of the hotel parking lot with barely any throttle, so it’s impossible to detect the turbos much less the crank arrangement. What we tell from this video and the earlier photographs is that something interesting is happening in the frunk area. The vinyl camo on one of the ZR1s in the photos couldn’t hide Y-shaped lines below, while another prototype wore a raised flat panel over the frunk. The three prototypes in Colorado got the raised panel, but it’s affixed to the adjacent camo panels differently.
One school of thought believes whatever’s happening at the front could have to do with active aero devices. Another school of thought suspects the ZR1 could get an electric motor in front like the E-Ray and be all-wheel drive. The non-believers think Chevy is withholding active aero for the hybrid AWD Zora flagship, and that the E-Ray and Zora will be the two AWD Corvettes in the range.
Both spy sightings have shown the purported ZR1 wearing the cow-catcher front splitter and stepped rear wing from the Z07 package available for the Z06. The ZR1 will be available without those, two of the Colorado cars featuring a tamer front and and a low spoiler on the decklid.
Related Video
June 20, 2023 / Comments Off on Likely Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 prototypes spotted in Colorado
This year marks the 101st anniversary of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, one of the oldest motorsports events in the world. As has been the custom for the past 13 years, Acura will head to the Colorado summit with a fleet of specially prepped cars based on production models. This year, their team consists of two new Integras in regular and Type S flavor, a modified NSX Type S, and a TLX Type S pace car.
Of the Integras, the HPD-prepped Type S will be the most eye-catching, as it’s wrapped in an anime-style livery. It’s an extension of the company’s “Chiaki’s Journey” web series whose second chapter was released to coincide with the Integra Type S’s launch. The second installment features the Pikes Peak race as part of its story line.
The real-world Chiaki is Lori Unser, a fourth-generation driver in the Unser racing dynasty. Her father Johnny raced at the Indianapolis 500, and if you count her extended family of Al, Bobby, and Al Jr., the clan has nine Indy championships under its collective belt. The family also has a history of racing at Pikes Peak, with Louis and Joe Unser competing in the hillclimb way back in 1926.
In the Time Attack I division Acura is fielding a wild-looking NSX Type S called the Active Aero Study. We prefer its nickname, Yamabiko, which means “echo” in Japanese but is also the name of a spirit from Japanese folklore that lives in the mountains.
The NSX wears an enormous carbon fiber front splitter and rear diffuser, which by the looks of them extend the length of the car by two to three feet. The one-off aero bits include an active aero rear wing that can be electronically moved to reduce drag on high-speed sections of the course, or deployed as an air brake. At the same time, enough has been stripped out to reduce weight by 200 pounds. More powerful turbos have been fitted to the twin-turbo V6 and the engine software re-written, but Acura did not reveal how much over the stock Type S’s 600 horsepower Yamabiko’s output might be.
The NSX was built specifically to tackle the hillclimb by Crazy New, the skunkworks team of Honda employees that brought us the 800-horsepower CR-V Hybrid. It’ll be driven by Honda engineer James Robinson, who holds the current Hybrid class record of 10:01.913, which he set with an NSX in 2020. With Yokohama Tires’ trademark Advan black and red livery and lightweight HRE forged wheels wrapped in Advan A005s, it certainly looks the part of a purpose-built Pikes Peak racer.
In addition, an Integra 1.5T modified with off-the-shelf parts including an HPD suspension from the Civic TC America race car, Cusco LSD, and Bilstein dampers will be driven by Acura engineer Paul Hubers. weekend wrenchers will want to see the result of this one, as it’s a car anyone can build in their garage. Another engineer, Jordan Guitar, will campaign a TLX Type S as well, and a separate TLX Type S will serve as pace car.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is a 12.42-mile course packed with 156 turns and rises over 14,000 feet above sea level. It takes place June 25.
Related Video
June 20, 2023 / Comments Off on Acura to climb Pikes Peak with Integra Type S and wildly modified NSX
