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2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 spied running the Nurburgring with massive wing

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 may already feel like it’s the top of the mountain, but we’re far from it, and these spy shots of what is likely to be the Corvette ZR1 show us exactly why.

This marks the first time we’ve seen a C8 Corvette more extreme than the Z06 with most of the heavy canvas camouflage removed. In its place is a skin-tight camo wrap that reveals all of the sharp edges, extra aero elements and new design for the next wrung up in the Corvette hierarchy. Up front, the lower bumper and splitter remind of the Z06’s Z07 package with the aggressive protrusions and wide-open grilles. However, the front hood is entirely new in this test car. Instead of a largely flat hood, this one has massive intakes reminiscent of the current Porsche 911 GT3. We’ll likely need to wait and see if Chevy retains the under-hood storage for this model, or invades it for additional cooling hardware.

A similarly massive side protrusion as you see on the Z06 is present on this test car, but an additional opening is visible behind said intake, as well. The side sills themselves largely seem to match up with the Z07 package, but look up atop the rear fender, and you’ll find yet another opening that isn’t present on the Z06. It’s pretty clear that cooling is a major priority for this C8 variant, and for good reason, because the ZR1 is rumored to get a boosted version of the 5.5-liter flat-plane crank V8 in the Z06. Adding forced induction will add a whole lot of heat and a whole lot of power to the equation, which explains all of the added venting and openings throughout the body.

There’s no bigger change in the rear of the ZR1 than the utterly massive wing hanging out the back. It’s way bigger than even the big wing that comes with the Z07 package, and we presume it will produce big downforce numbers, leading to a feisty Nurburgring lap time.

The ZR1 is rumored to come out as a 2025 model year vehicle, so the wait for a reveal won’t be terribly long at this point. And we’re only getting more and more excited about it now that we finally have a decent general outline of what this extra-quick Vette will look like.

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October 10, 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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Ride along with Rimac on a flying drone tour of its factory and offices

Croatian automaker Rimac has developed some of the world’s most impressive EVs, and the automaker’s joint venture with Bugatti promises to bolster that innovation with more money and engineering resources. As you might imagine, building mind-blowing cars doesn’t often happen in a makeshift factory, and Rimac recently released a stunning drone-shot tour of its manufacturing facility that shows its home base is as advanced as its cars.

Similar to the all-in-one factories used by Formula 1 teams, Rimac’s factory houses offices and administrative functions in addition to the production lines. That said, we’re not talking about a traditional auto factory here. Rimac’s factory floor is bright and spotless, with more of an operating room vibe than anything to do with auto manufacturing.

Though short, the drone tour gives us a surprising level of access within the facility. Some of the shots bring the drone awfully close to freshly built multi-million-dollar cars, of which a handful were shown in the video. We also get shots of the company’s dynamometer facility and quality control efforts.

Rimac is currently shipping the Nevera, a 1,914-horsepower electric hypercar with two gearboxes and a boatload of performance records that include a 0-62 mph time (100 km/h) of just 1.81 seconds and a top speed of 256 mph. It also set records at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Nürburgring this year, achieving the fastest production EV titles at both locations.

October 3, 2023 / Comments Off

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Watch a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 fall off the lift at a dealer

Here’s your hard watch for this Thursday afternoon: A Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible fell off a lift at the dealership, and someone caught the catastrophe on camera.

Posted on YouTube by Jason Grubb, the video starts with the Z06 already in the air. A few seconds in, the fall begins, and it almost looks like a video game glitch. The car falls toward the camera, so we get to see one of the lift’s arms cut through the fiberglass like a hot knife through butter. In a word, “pain” is what we all feel watching this supercar tumble to the ground.

The Vette hits the ground rear bumper first before rolling onto the rear tire. Its front end never finds the ground as the arm scrapes along the side of the body before it comes to rest half in the air half on the ground. The camera quality isn’t so hot, so it’s tough to tell the extent of the damages, but it’s safe to assume that it’s bad. Hopefully, the car can be repaired with a bunch of bodywork (and more), but seeing as we’re unsure which dealer this occurred at, it’ll be hard to know the Z06’s fate.

We’re also left to guess exactly what went wrong, but chances are likely that the Corvette’s lifting instructions (above) were not followed by the dealer. Comparing Chevy’s diagram to the grainy video, it looks like the rear jack may not have been placed far enough back in the spot that Chevy prescribes.

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September 21, 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

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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

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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

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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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Woodward Dream Cruise 2003: Mega gallery of classics, off-roaders and more

We just spent the entire day in and around the Motor City enjoying the automotive sights and sounds of the Woodward Dream Cruise. According to the event’s website, the Dream Cruise attracts over a million people every year to see a collection of “more than 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom, collector and special interest vehicles.” That’s a lot of people and a lot of vehicles. And if you couldn’t be there this year in person, perhaps our galleries from this year’s festivities are the next best thing.

We kicked things off up above with muscle cars, classics and hot rods, since those make up the largest part of the collection. But below you’ll see galleries of modern performance vehicles, trucks and off-roaders and, finally, the strangest sights we were able to point our camera lenses at. Enjoy!

August 19, 2023 / Comments Off

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Maserati MCXtrema revealed as a track-only limited-production ‘toy’ at The Quail

The Maserati MCXtrema just had its sheet pulled off at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. It’s yet another race car variation of the MC20, following in the footsteps of the Maserati GT2.

Unlike the GT2, though, the MCXtrema is not designed to be used in any official racing series. Instead, it’s a race car built without boundaries for maximum performance. And of course, because it’s a race car, it’s not street-legal either.

What is it for then? Maserati claims the MCXtrema is meant for “purist collectors and for the loyal customers of the brand, who wish to add a new ‘toy’ to their garage that can swallow up the curbs of the most exciting tracks during private tests.”

Basically, just think of it as a millionaire’s toy to take out on the occasional weekend track day. It’s just for fun, not for any serious competition use. Since it’s not regulated by any specific racing series, Maserati pumped output all the way up to 730 horsepower from the twin-turbo Nettuno V6 engine. That’s 109 horsepower more than the road car and the GT2. Maserati didn’t go into detail about the aero and suspension package, but it sure does look as extreme as the name of the car makes it out to be.

Only 62 MCXtremas will be built, and from what we can tell, they’re already spoken for. We’re not sure how much one will cost either, but you’ll be able to see it in person at The Quail on the Monterey Peninsula today.

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August 18, 2023 / Comments Off

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Ruf reveals air-cooled Tribute, open-top R Spyder and CTR3 Evo at The Quail

Ruf is revealing three Porsche builds at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering this week in the Monterey Peninsula. Two are totally new builds called the Ruf Tribute and the Ruf R Spyder. The third is an update to the Ruf CTR3 Clubsport, which gains the new name of CTR3 Evo.

Starting with the Tribute (seen in the gallery at the top of this post), this Ruf is powered by a 3.6-liter air-cooled engine designed by Alois Ruf that is meant to be an homage to the air-cooled 911s of the past. However, this new engine features loads of new tech such as a four-cam three-valve design, variable valve timing and lift and dry-sump lubrication. It makes loads more power than naturally aspirated air-cooled engines ever did from Porsche, as Ruf claims a heady 550 horses. Ruf says its drivetrain is similar to that of the SCR and Yellow Bird Anniversary it unveiled a few years ago. Carbon fiber is used liberally throughout (not to mention the carbon tub chassis), and it features an integrated roll cage, as well.

The other new Ruf is the R Spyder, which might remind you of the also-open-top Bergmeister from last year’s Monterey Car Week. Of course, the R Spyder is better and more powerful than what Ruf managed to screw together before. This open-top Ruf is powered by a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six that cranks out 515 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. That power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

Each occupant has their own little cocoon, separated by a carbon fiber bar. You get a small windshield, and screens are mounted on either side of the carbon fiber dashboard. Ruf says the car uses a McPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear design. All that said, Ruf is still calling this car a “design concept,” so we’re not sure if it will be produced and sold yet.

The last Ruf is the CTR3 Evo, and Ruf says it’s the most powerful vehicle it’s ever produced. Output from the 3.8-liter (water-cooled) twin-turbo flat-six is an astounding 800 horsepower and 730 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and all that speed is hauled in by carbon ceramic brakes. A top speed of 236 mph and the carbon-composite body just make it all the more alluring.

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August 18, 2023 / Comments Off

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Pininfarina B95 revealed, costs $4.8 million, 0-60 in 2 seconds

The art of exaggeration is a highly refined exercise in Italy, especially among those who promote the revered Italian automobile industry. In the case of Automobile Pininfarina and its just-announced B95 “hyper” electric car, the hype is probably deserved.

Francesco Cundari, the brand’s director of interior design, said in a statement that “driving the B95 will be an immersive experience like no other. It will feel like a cross between driving a modern F1 car and piloting a vintage fighter plane.”

See what we mean?

At any rate, the name Pininfarina conjures up the canals of Venice and spaghetti carbonara and peerless automotive design and engineering. And today the Monterey Car Week hosts the world premiere of the pure electric B95, the all-electric “Barchetta” (that’s the “B” in the name) supercar that will put our 1,900 horsepower. 0-60 is specced at less than two seconds, top speed 300 kph (186 mph). It will be a limited edition of 10 units in 2025, each to sell for 4.4 million Euros ($4.8 million). (The 95, btw, refers to the 95th anniversary of the Pininfarina SpA design house.)

And another BTW: “barchetta” means “little boat” in Italian and originated in the Forties with a Ferrari. It often refers to an open-top two-seater.

The B95 is supposed to go on display alongside the recently previewed Pininfarina Pura Vision concept, another element in the company’s agenda to become a full-fledged car company. An early look showed this electric crossover riding on 23-inch wheels and measuring about 205 inches long, 85 inches wide and 65 inches tall.

There will also be on show the Battista Edizione Nino Farina, which made its world dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Britain in July.

In a statement outlining the B95’s design, the company noted that “viewed from above, the Pura design DNA is instantly recognizable. With no vehicle glasshouse, the Automobili Pininfarina design team has defined the cabin space with a surrounding loop, which incorporates the seats.”

Again touching on the fighter jet reference, the car incorporates what Pininfarina says are the first adjustable aero screens and the domes behind each passenger. “Taking inspiration from vintage fighter planes, the clear polycarbonate designs feature intricately engineered and exposed aluminium supports and can be raised and lowered to improve comfort.”

Some other details worth noting about today’s launch car:

The main body is finished in metallic Bronzo Superga (how Italian is that?}, “providing a dramatic contrast to the distinctive Giallo Arneis gloss section at the front and atop the driver’s dome,” itself featuring Black Gloss ‘95’ lettering. The body finish features gold metallic flakes
B95 has new 20″ front / 21″ rear forged aluminum wheels finished in Matt Black and contrasting with exposed aluminum matt precision-polished outers. The brakes are Brembo carbon-ceramic 390 mm discs with six-piston calipers front and rear.
Inside, the dashboard is upholstered in “Tan Sustainable Luxury Leather” with bespoke embossing, which contrasts with the brushed black aluminum anodised finish that features elsewhere. The seats, also finished in the Tan Sustainable Luxury Leather, “are designed to curve around the occupants.” The headrests, with “electro-welded” Pininfarina logos, are finished in a Pied de Poule Houndstooth Luxury Textile.

Said company CEO Paolo Dellachà of the Car Week events, “It is a pivotal period in the evolution of Automobili Pininfarina. Our ambition when we launched the company in 2018 was to become the world’s first creator of purely electric luxury cars. Envisioning, designing, and delivering on the dreams of our clients. I am incredibly proud to now share what we have carefully prepared for our customers and fans in 2023.”

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August 18, 2023 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini previews electric concept ahead of Monterey unveiling

Lamborghini will preview its first series-produced electric car (and the fourth member of its range) with a concept scheduled to break cover on August 18. It’s keeping details about the model under wraps, but it published a dark teaser image that hints at what’s in the pipeline.

Posted on the Italian brand’s social media channels, the picture shows what looks like the top of either a low-slung sedan or a big coupe. We’re not 100% sure what we’re looking at yet, but we’re nearly certain that it’s not a crossover. Instead, the silhouette vaguely reminds us of the Estoque, a close-to-production design study that could have morphed into a high-performance sedan but ultimately remained a concept.

Keep in mind that this is pure speculation; Lamborghini’s image doesn’t show shut lines so we don’t know whether the concept — whose name hasn’t been revealed yet — has two or four doors. Officially, company executives have described the car as “a grand tourer with a 2+2 seating layout” developed to fill the gap between super-sport cars like the Revuelto and the Urus SUV. It will offer “comfortable” rear seats.

If it’s a coupe, the fourth model will land in a very small segment. While two-door models with a 2+2 layout were reasonably common in the 1960s and the 1970s, even in the Lamborghini range, they’ve all but disappeared in recent years. Some of the more notable torchbearers left include the second-generation Maserati GranTurismo, which is also offered with an electric powertrain, and the Bentley Continental GT.

As for the drivetrain, we’ll need to be patient to find out how Lamborghini plans to deliver an electric model that’s as engaging to drive as its gasoline-powered cars. The brand has stressed that its fourth model will arrive as a standalone car, so it won’t land as an electrified version of, say, the Huracán’s replacement. We’re betting it will be electric-only; we’re not expecting this Bull will offer several powertrain options.

More details about Lamborghini’s next concept will emerge in the coming days, and its unveiling will take place on August 18. However, note that what you’ll see in Monterey in a couple of days isn’t necessarily what you’ll see in showrooms when production starts later in the 2020s.

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August 15, 2023 / Comments Off

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Electric Lamborghini concept headed to Monterey Car Week: Think ‘spaceships’

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.”

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August 9, 2023 / Comments Off

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Surviving Countach from ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ headed to auction

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August 8, 2023 / Comments Off

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Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Roadster unveiled with 1,817 horsepower of pure poison

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

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Zenvo Aurora to run with quad-turbo 6.6-liter V12 hybrid powertrain

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

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New Alfa Romeo supercar teaser mentions ‘6 weeks’ and ‘792 hours’

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.

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August 1, 2023 / Comments Off

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Alfa Romeo teases million-dollar supercar debut for August 30

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

— Alfa Romeo (@alfa_romeo) July 4, 2023

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

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Every McLaren 600LT in the U.S. recalled over fire risk

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

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