It’s been nearly a decade since Porsche introduced its last hypercar, the 918 Spyder, and a recent report claims the model’s long-awaited follow-up is almost ready. It’s so close that the firm has reportedly started taking orders.
Spike Feresten, a former Seinfeld writer and a Porsche enthusiast, spoke about the mysterious car with comedian and noted collector Jerry Seinfeld on his podcast. “Right now, if you’d like to, you can put a deposit down on a Porsche GT1,” he revealed without citing sources, according to Drive. “The rumor is, they’re going to announce this in August. There is going to be a new Porsche GT1 mid-engined special car that will follow in the footsteps of the Carrera GT and the 918,” he added. None of this is official, but some of it might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.
Porsche has vaguely discussed the 918’s successor on several occasions, though it significantly hasn’t confirmed it’s releasing the model, let alone provided a precise idea of when we’ll see it. If it’s indeed around the corner, we’re not surprised to find out the order book is already open. Carmakers routinely show new limited-edition models to their most loyal (and wealthiest) clients before revealing them to the public. That’s why many hypercars are sold out by the time they break cover. And, we have every reason to believe production of the next 918 will be limited.
Presenting the car in August makes sense, too. Monterey Car Week is back on the calendar, after all. Porsche could hold a private unveiling, or it could introduce the model at one of the dozens of high-octane events, like The Quail.
What the rumored GT1 will look like is still up in the air. It could be related to the 911, like the 1996 911 GT1 was, or it could be an entirely different beast. One inspired by the 680-horsepower hybrid prototype Porsche will enter in endurance races starting in 2023, perhaps? Or, something along the lines of the 919 Street built in 2017 and first shown in 2020? It’s too early to tell. However, we know Porsche wasn’t out of ideas when it came to improving or replacing the 918, it shed light on four never-before-seen hypercar prototypes in late 2020, and some of their genes could get spliced into the new project. What’s seemingly certain is that it won’t be purely electric; the German firm hinted in 2020 that it’s not interested in following companies like Lotus and Rimac into the EV hypercar segment.
At this point, anything is possible, including Porsche steering well clear of the hypercar segment in the foreseeable future. If the report is accurate, additional details about the flagship will undoubtedly emerge in the coming weeks.
Featured Video
July 15, 2021 / Comments Off on Porsche’s follow-up to the 918 Spyder hypercar turns up in the rumor mill
Britain’s Everrati and America’s Superformance are teaming up to build all-electric continuation models of the iconic GT40 race car. Everrati, which has developed electric overhauls for the Porsche 911 (964), Land Rover Series IIA and Mercedes-Benz SL Pagoda, will take the lead on the powertrain, with Superformance supplying the body.
Superformance’s licensed replicas may conjure images of America challenging the best from Italy at Le Mans, but that was a trans-Atlantic effort as well; the body for the original was built in Coventry. The roles may be reversed, but the pairing is as old as the idea of dethroning Enzo Ferrari.
“The Everrati and Superformance partnership will allow enthusiasts to drive an electric-powered GT40, with development of this first model already underway,” the two said in their announcement. “A prototype chassis has been built and is being comprehensively adapted from ICE power to advanced electric propulsion at Everrati’s UK development centre in Upper Heyford, a former U.S. air base in the English Cotswolds.”
Neither provided any details regarding the GT40’s potential powertrain or its ultimate performance, but Superformance has pretty much always left such things up to the end customer, letting them choose from existing vintage and modern powertrains for its licensed replicas. There likely won’t be as many options for the electric GT40, but we sincerely doubt it will be a one-size-fits-all setup. Stay tuned.
Related video:
July 15, 2021 / Comments Off on Everrati and Superformance team up to build an all-electric GT40
The Aston Martin Valhalla is here. The company’s first series-production, mid-engine monster packs 937 plug-in hybrid horsepower in a lightweight carbon fiber chassis. This 217-mph hypercar is expected to run a 6:30 lap around the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Rather than an in-house V6, the Valhalla will now be powered by a customized AMG Black series V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain. The twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter flat-plane-öcrank V8 makes a respectable 740 horsepower all on its own. Two electric motors combine for an additional 201. That should add up to 941, not 937; we’re assuming a few stray horses drowned crossing the Great Sea of Unit Conversion.
The engine and motors are paired to a unique eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that has no physical reverse gear. Instead, the electric motors are run the opposite direction to simulate a backward gear, saving both weight and complexity in the gearbox. This is mated to an advanced torque vectoring all-wheel drive system can send 100% of available electric power to either the front or rear axles.
Aston Martin says it will do 0-60 in just 2.5 seconds on the way to a 217 mph top speed. Around town, it can also cruise in electric-only mode for up to 9 miles up to a speed of 80 mph, but we suspect you’ll deplete the battery much more quickly than that if you floor it up to its top EV speed.
“Preserving the essence of an exceptional concept car is vital when meeting the challenge of bringing it into production,” said CEO Tobias Moers. “With Valhalla not only have we stayed true to our commitment to build a world-beating supercar, but we have exceeded our original aims. The result is a pure driving machine — one which exists right at the cutting edge of performance and technology yet allows the driver to feel the emotion and thrill of complete connection and control.”
Its carbon fiber body construction makes it ultra-light (just 3,417 pounds, which is nothing for a PHEV) and super rigid. Its adaptive spring and damper suspension was developed with Multimatic, and like most modern supercars it offers adjustable ride height and a front-axle lift system for clearing troublesome obstacles. The aero was inspired by (and in some ways borrowed from) F1 and produces 600 kg (1,322 pounds) of downforce at 150 mph.
While this may be a series-production model, don’t expect to see too many of them around town. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if they’re all already spoken for. Stay tuned for more details as Aston Martin ramps toward production and reveals more details about the Valhalla’s driving experience.
Related video:
July 15, 2021 / Comments Off on Aston Martin Valhalla is ready to Ragnarok with 937 plug-in horsepower
We have curated the ultimate collection of the best 1970 Mazda RX-500 Concept Wallpapers and HD backgrounds for you to enjoy. Our team focused on finding the top 1970 Mazda RX-500 Concept Wallpapers only to keep the quality high. These 1970 Mazda RX-500 Concept Wallpapers are free to download so go ahead. To download any of these pictures for use as a wallpaper, right click the picture and choose Save As…
We have curated the ultimate collection of the best 1978 Mazda RX-7 Wallpapers and HD backgrounds for you to enjoy. Our team focused on finding the top 1978 Mazda RX-7 Wallpapers only to keep the quality high. These 1978 Mazda RX-7 Wallpapers are free to download so go ahead. To download any of these pictures for use as a wallpaper, right click the picture and choose Save As…
I can’t help myself, but when I look at these photos of the new Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien, I’m thinking about the legendary Paris Dakar rally where Porsche entered a few of their rare 959 models, complete with a raised suspension to be able to cope with the desert racing … and then I read in the official press release the Project Sandbox as this concept was initially called, took inspiration from that rally, so my feeling was correct.
This is Gemballa’s first production-ready car, do note Marc Philipp Gemballa is a separate company from Gemballa GmbH, this bespoke off-road capable supercar is a combination of a comfortable contemporary supercar and an off-road sand eating monster, a development with partners like Akrapovič, KW Automotive, and RUF Automobile.
We published the early renders on this car a while ago in our ‘The return of Gemballa‘ article, but today Project Sandbox is ready for production, albeit very limited and all bespoke builds, and more importantly the car is now named Marsien, at the 27, this young entrepreneur and son of late Uwe Gemballa launched his very first production-ready supercar, starting a new era in 2021, Marc Philipp quickly realized if he wanted to build a successful company for the future and not just toss the next imitator product onto the market, he needed to come up with something very special for his clients.
After two years of design and perfecting the initial renders to put into production, a new concept is now introduced, in fact, we’re looking at a completely new supercar segment, a modern supercar with the comfort we’ve come to expect in this day and age, with daily driver practicality that can go off-road, at high speed, and bringing the latest technology into the mix … something only an SUV like the Lamborghini Urus or Bentley Bentayga could offer, but every customer is tempted by an SUV, they want an off-road supercar … like this Marsien.
At this early stage, Marc Philipp Gemballa’s new company is not ready for a new car built entirely in-house, unlike Rimac who designed, developed, and is building their Nevera from scratch with every single piece being built in their own factory, Marc Philipp is taken a well-proven, respected supercar from Porsche and turns it into his Marsien, and the all-wheel-drive Porsche 992 Turbo S is just what he needed with its state-of-the-art technology on a cutting-edge platform.
Only 40 units of the Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien will be built, and while you are reading this, over 20 have already been sold, so if you want to add this ‘made in Germany’ off-road supercar to your collection you might want to act quick, the car will be available globally and has been thoroughly tested on the sand dunes of the Arabian desert as can clearly be seen in the official launch video at the end of this article.
From the press release: During the intense test phase in the beautiful Al Faya desert, the development team was amazed by the stunning red desert sand in combination with the sharp fossil rocks and mountain backdrops shaping the landscape of the desert making it very special and unlike any other. “We felt like as if we were in an entirely different universe,” says Marc Philipp Gemballa. The Al Faya desert located in the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates has been famous ever since for its unique and extremely red desert sand and Mars-like environment visually. “Since it looked and felt like we were on Mars paired with the futuristic design and the vehicle’s off-road capabilities, we couldn’t think of a more fitting name for our first project.” The name ‘MARSIEN’ was born – derived from the French word ‘Martian’ or ‘from Mars’.
As we would expect, the body for this Marsien is made entirely from lightweight but strong carbon fiber and comes from the same German company that produces carbon fiber parts as an OEM to leading supercar manufacturers, but also to Formula One teams, for the sleek design Marc Philipp turned to Porsche aficionado Alan Derosier, known for his beautiful Porsche 908 design study while the bespoke LED taillights have been developed together with GERG Lighthouse.
The German-based technical service provider FAKT is currently working on road homologation for the Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien, together with Gemballa’s technical team they are working on getting the Marsien street-legal in Europe, including the more stringent Switzerland, but also for the Middle-East, probably one of their biggest market. The Marsien will also be imported into the United States of America … and if possible into any other market in the world later on.
The car in these photos is the first completed car from Marc Philipp Gemballa, it’s the official launch vehicle, and it’s finished in a stunning, triple-layer pearl metallic white with bespoke metallic flakes, as this is an off-road supercar, they also applied a though ceramic coat for added protection to this expensive paint job, on customer cars the color palette is vast, a state-of-the-art certified paint shop will be able to create the exact shade and finish the future owner requests, or you can opt for an exposed carbon fiber body … now that would be my choice, to be honest.
The Marsien comes with a special engine upgrade POWERED BY RUF, and while the six-cylinder boxer engine is still compliant with EOR 6 emissions, power output is raised to more than 750 hp … but it gets even better, RUF offers a Stage II power upgrade with modified VTG turbochargers and different EVU mapping that bumps power to 830 hp, in this case, you’ll also need some revised PDK transmission settings to cope with that much power.
To ensure the Marsien was as capable on the road as off the road, Marc Philipp together with KW Automotive developed a new double-wishbone front suspension with solid piston damper technology with intelligent active dampers and adjustable ride height, there is an electronically controlled hydraulic lift system that can raise the Marsien from normal road level up to a ground clearance of 250 mm!
The driver of the Marsien has several driving modes at his, or her disposal through the knob on the steering wheel, in addition to the standard Porsche modes, this Gemballa comes with bespoke off-road modes like gravel, mud, sand, and even snow … also note the entire underbody of the Marsien is protected from debris by a solid aluminum guard plate.
The MARSIEN is delivered with two different, bespoke forged aluminum wheel sets, both with track-inspired center locking bolts, the first set comes with Michelin Ultra High Performance (UHP) tires for road use, while the second set is shod with All-Terrain tires for off-road use. If you really want to go crazy on the sand, there is the option of a Reiger Suspension rally-spec off-road dampers further enhancing the suspension travel and increasing the ground clearance to a fixed off-road ride height.
The interior is another fine balance between form and function, fitted with either a leather or an Alcantara upholstery, the overall look and feel is inspired by the magnificent Porsche Carrera GT, with a ‘flying’ carbon fiber central console and custom ‘ribbons’ to pull the door shut. There are handstitched Gemballa logos on the headrests, and the logo is also embedded on the armrest.
Also note there is a special plaque fitted to the interior with the serial number of that specific car, one of only 40, with the 10 ‘Launch Edition’ models being sold out long ago, only a handful of the 40 units are still available while production of the Marsien will start in late 2021, each with a starting price of €495,000 before taxes (about US$586,000), and you’ll have to add duties, shipping, custom requests or options … and your base, that Porsche 992 Turbo S … yes, that price tag of almost $600,000 is just for the conversion alone … exclusivity doesn’t come cheap.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Base vehicle: Porsche 911 Turbo S (992 Series) Engine: RUF upgraded twin-turbocharged flat-six engine Power (hp): 750 up to 830 hp (Series: 650 hp) Power (kW): 552 kW (Series: 478 kW) Max. torque: 930 Nm torque (Series: 800 Nm torque) Vmax: 330 km/h (with on-road tire set only) 0-100 km/h: 2.6 seconds (with on-road tIre set only)
Exhaust: Bespoke Akrapovič titanium exhaust system Suspension: Double wishbone front suspension Multi-link rear suspension KW Automotive solid piston dampers with two electronic valves and semi-active Dynamic Damper and Chassis Control (KW DDCC) and adjustable ride height via Hydraulic Lift System (HLS)
Ground clearance: 250 mm in off-road mode / 120 mm in on-road mode Dimensions: L 4714 / W 2030 / H 1450 (in off-road mode)
Wheels & Tyres: On-road wheels Bespoke 20″/21″ forged aluminum wheels with center lock system in with Michelin Ultra High-Performance tires Off-road wheels Bespoke 19″/20″ MPG forged aluminum wheels with center lock system in with All-Terrain tires (Vmax 210 km/h)
Exterior: Full carbon fiber body Interior: Fully bespoke full leather / Alcantara interior with carbon fibeR accents
The official launch video:
[embedded content]
[embedded content]
July 14, 2021 / Comments Off on The Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien
We have curated the ultimate collection of the best 1983 Nissan Silvia Liftback Wallpapers and HD backgrounds for you to enjoy. Our team focused on finding the top 1983 Nissan Silvia Liftback Wallpapers only to keep the quality high. These 1983 Nissan Silvia Liftback Wallpapers are free to download so go ahead. To download any of these pictures for use as a wallpaper, right click the picture and choose Save As…
We have curated the ultimate collection of the best 1979 Nissan Silvia Wallpapers and HD backgrounds for you to enjoy. Our team focused on finding the top 1979 Nissan Silvia Wallpapers only to keep the quality high. These 1979 Nissan Silvia Wallpapers are free to download so go ahead. To download any of these pictures for use as a wallpaper, right click the picture and choose Save As…
We have curated the ultimate collection of the best 1990 Nissan 300ZX Wallpapers and HD backgrounds for you to enjoy. Our team focused on finding the top 1990 Nissan 300ZX Wallpapers only to keep the quality high. These 1990 Nissan 300ZX Wallpapers are free to download so go ahead. To download any of these pictures for use as a wallpaper, right click the picture and choose Save As…
Originally intended to commemorate the storming of the Bastille, July 14 is France’s most important national holiday, each year honoring the Grande Nation and its values. “As a French brand with a large proportion of French employees, we regard ourselves as part of the French identity,” says Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann. “Molsheim stands for technical perfection and an exceptional sense for quality but also for French savoir vivre – a lifestyle that attracted and shaped Ettore Bugatti and which is reflected in our vehicles up to this day. This is what our products stand for and this will remain in the future.”
In 1909, Ettore Bugatti deliberately chose Molsheim in Alsace as the home of his company. The first car to be produced in Molsheim was the Bugatti Type 13. The brand entered into the world of motorsport and launched further light sports cars, such as the legendary Type 35. Between 1920 and 1935, Bugatti celebrated countless victories at international races with both standard models and their variants. Simultaneously, Bugatti developed touring cars such as the Type 30, Type 38, Type 44, and Type 49 – exceptional due to their design as well as their eight-cylinder engines. In 1926, Bugatti created a truly regal limousine: with a wheelbase of 4.3 meters and a total length of 6.4 meters, the Type 41 Royale became the longest and most luxurious vehicle in the world. Their versatility, ease of handling, suitability for many different driving situations, and elegant, often customized bodywork turned the vehicles from Alsace into some of Europe’s trendiest models.
Throughout his whole life, Ettore was more than just a car manufacturer; he was a multi-talented developer and a Frenchman at heart. He learned French and travelled regularly to Paris in search for inspiration. He kept company with Émile-Maurice Hermès and René Lalique. His first showroom was in the then-already-famous Avenue Montaigne in the heart of Paris. He was fascinated by the elegance, eccentricity, and excess to be found throughout France’s capital at that time. And so, Bugatti also designed all kinds of engines, trains, boats, airplanes, and sterile surgical tools in addition to his vehicles. Ettore Bugatti died on August 21, 1947 in Paris – in the heart of France. The company’s operations came to a halt with the cessation of the business in the early 1960s.
The biggest automotive exhibition in the vicinity of Molsheim
In the 1960s, brothers Hans and Fritz Schlumpf seem to have already sensed what the Bugatti brand would one day come to signify for the Alsace region once again. With their collection in Mulhouse, they not only set up the world’s largest car collection – but also the biggest Bugatti collection, thereby preserving the models, the brand, and its legendary status. Following the brothers’ insolvency, the French state took over the collection and opened the Musée National de l’Automobile in 1982. Across 25,000 square meters, the “Cité de L’Automobile” – as it is officially called today – exhibits 400 of the world’s rarest and most valuable automobiles – including around 100 Bugatti models and two of the six Type 41 Royale ever to be built.
In the late 1980s, Romano Artioli brought the company back to life – albeit only until 1995 – with the development of the EB 110. A few years later, Bugatti settled once more in Molsheim, renovating the Château St. Jean, two remises and the Orangery, and builds an ultra-modern factory, known as the Atelier, in the oval shape of the famous Bugatti Macaron. This is where the Veyron 16.4, the first hyper sports car of the modern era, was produced in 2005. Since then, the precious legacy of Ettore Bugatti has continued here with highly motivated and qualified employees who are passionate about producing the world’s best hyper sports cars. 450 Veyrons were hand-manufactured here until 2015. And since 2016, the employees in the Atelier were assembling the Chiron and its highly sought-after derivatives, the Chiron Pur Sport and Chiron Super Sport, as well as the coach-built Divo, Centodieci, and La Voiture Noire models based on a tradition Bugatti successfully brought back to life in 2018.
“I quickly grew very fond of Bugatti. The history, the products, the team, the whole region,” says Winkelmann. “We are proud of being a French brand and can well understand why Ettore Bugatti was originally attracted to the Alsace region. The national day on July 14 is something truly special to our French employees and to me personally. This is why we want to commemorate it this year with an exceptional tricolore.”
Three Chiron Sport in blue, white, red, symbolizing the French origins and Bugatti’s haute couture of the automotive industry.
July 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Bugatti Celebrates France’s National Day
A new report coming out of Japan says that the Nissan GT-R will be a pure internal combustion engine model. That’s an unexpected turn, as it was widely believed that the current generation, called the R35, would be succeeded by an electrified R36 of some kind.
Instead, according to a Best Car report, the next GT-R will be a heavily reworked version of the R35. It’s a template many carmakers are turning to these days if they still want to offer a low-volume performance model at a reasonable price — see Subaru BRZ, Dodge Charger, Lexus IS, and Nissan’s own Z.
It had been reported that Kazutoshi Mizuno, the top engineer behind the GT-R, had been developing a mild hybrid version of Godzilla as the R36. However, Mizuno retired from Nissan, delaying that version’s progress. Still, the R35’s end-of-production date in 2022 was said to be a hard stop, so it seemed as if there would be a hiatus where the GT-R skipped at least one model year before the R36 was ready.
Now, according to Best Car, the R36 will continue as a pure gasoline-powered car, picking right up where the R35 leaves off in early 2023. There will be no gap in GT-R model years like the long absence between the R34 and R35.
The article also states that a gasoline-only GT-R might be made possible due to Nissan’s strong position in EV and e-Power hybrid sales. Fuel economy and emissions savings on those fronts can help balance the GT-R bringing down the average in fleet calculations.
Of course, if true, this doesn’t mean the R36 will stay gasoline-only for long, especially if the generation lasts as long as the R35. We can expect continuous improvements as Nissan has done with the current gen, and it’s not a long shot to assume electrification during its lifespan.
Related video:
July 13, 2021 / Comments Off on The next Nissan GT-R will reportedly be pure ICE
We have curated the ultimate collection of the best 2001 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Wallpapers and HD backgrounds for you to enjoy. Our team focused on finding the top 2001 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Wallpapers only to keep the quality high. These 2001 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Wallpapers are free to download so go ahead. To download any of these pictures for use as a wallpaper, right click the picture and choose Save As…
We have curated the ultimate collection of the best 1992 Aston Martin Virage Volante Wallpapers and HD backgrounds for you to enjoy. Our team focused on finding the top 1992 Aston Martin Virage Volante Wallpapers only to keep the quality high. These 1992 Aston Martin Virage Volante Wallpapers are free to download so go ahead. To download any of these pictures for use as a wallpaper, right click the picture and choose Save As…
We have curated the ultimate collection of the best 2011 Aston Martin Virage Volante Wallpapers and HD backgrounds for you to enjoy. Our team focused on finding the top 2011 Aston Martin Virage Volante Wallpapers only to keep the quality high. These 2011 Aston Martin Virage Volante Wallpapers are free to download so go ahead. To download any of these pictures for use as a wallpaper, right click the picture and choose Save As…
Rimac Automobili just posted a video of their amazing Nevera at the 2021 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, they had the dark grey car on display at the Michelin Supercar Paddock, and that car would also be taken onto the hill climb circuit, both with clients and journalists in the passenger seat, this car first arrived in the UK for some private VIP events together with H.R.Owen in London.
[embedded content]
[embedded content]
A second, white Rimac Nevera with blue accents was shown on the ‘Electric Avenue’, a part of the Goodwood show exclusively dedicated to all-electric cars, and the Nevera hypercar drew a lot of attention at both parts, this two-minute video shows some of the highlights from Rimac during the four-day Goodwood event, as the doors have closed now, the Rimac Nevera continues her global voyage, next stop will be Spain.
July 12, 2021 / Comments Off on Rimac Nevera at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2021
The famous Goodwood Festival of Speed closed its doors on Sunday, but not without an amazing victory for the McLaren 720S GT3X, taking the win at the top of the leaderboard of the Timed Shootout Final with a time of 45.01 seconds, over a second faster than the runner up from the competition. The impressive McLaren 720S GT3X has been developed by the motorsport division at McLaren, the McLaren Customer Racing department was able to create a special race car that didn’t need to adhere to regular racing regulations like the 720S GT3 that has to comply with FIA GT3 rules.
For the 1,210 kg GT3X, the hand-built, 4.0-Liter V8 twin-turbo engine delivers 720 PS, but has 30 more PS available at the push of a button, without having to deal with regulations, the 720S GT3X is a true performance-optimized evolution of the bespoke GT3 racecar. The aerodynamically optimized body has been developed using ‘Computational Fluid Dynamics’ (CFD) combined with F1 wind tunnel testing, which allowed McLaren Factory Driver Rob Bell to put down this amazing time at Goodwood.
Do keep in mind this amazing McLaren 720S GT3X can’t be ordered at a regular McLaren dealership, you will have to turn to one of only 11 official McLaren Motorsport Retailers worldwide, as part of the purchase and ownership package, McLaren Automotive can provide dedicated technical track support for each owner. This program is carried out by the customer support engineers from the in-house McLaren Customer Racing division – the team that has designed and developed the model alongside the 720S GT3 global customer race program.
But McLaren came along with several more cars aside from their black 720S GT3X, for instance, McLaren Chief Test Driver, Kenny Bräck took the wheel of a stunning gold painted McLaren Elva for several stints on the hill climb circuit at Goodwood, something the thousands of visitors convenience as the highlight of their visit, seeing the cars on display in the Supercar paddock is nice, but seeing those priceless exotics and hypercars being driven at speed during the hill climb is why Goodwood became the largest event of its kind.
And McLaren had yet another highlight at Goodwood, the brand new McLaren Artura made her dynamic debut at this year’s Festival of Speed, the bright blue Artura was also driven hard during the hill climb, but also drew a lot of attention at the McLaren stand in the paddock, joined by a GT, a 765LT and a 620R, the latter two being piloted by Bruno Senna.
“Winning the Timed Shootout Final was the perfect end to an excellent 2021 Festival of Speed for McLaren. Rob Bell drove magnificently, showcasing the outstanding capabilities of the 720S GT3X to great effect in mastering the challenging Goodwood Hill. And with so many of our cars on display and in action – including the all-new Artura making its public dynamic debut and the remarkable Elva – this was a wonderful opportunity to meet customers and fans face-to-face once again and celebrate all things McLaren.” Mike Flewitt, CEO, McLaren Automotive
July 12, 2021 / Comments Off on Victory for the McLaren 720S GT3X in the Timed Shootout Final.
After being adamant about the shift to all-electric configurations, more carmakers have gradually announced their plans for electrification. Given that emission-free rides are accounting for a considerable number of sales over the years, refusing to adapt would be foolish. Dodge becomes the latest American marque to confirm its electric initiative.
For now, there is no information about which machine under its stable would be the first to debut with an electric powertrain. However, Dodge says it will be the first of its kind – a zero-emission muscle car. We’re not exactly sure about this claim though.
One of its rivals – Ford – already unveiled an all-electric Mustang with a six-speed manual transmission. Furthermore, this was followed by more battery-powered pony cars under the Blue Oval’s badge. Nevertheless, we have to point out that those were not commercially available.
Dodge’s plans, on the other hand, is to ship its “American eMuscle” to showrooms and to eager buyers by 2024. “Our engineers are reaching a practical limit of what we can squeeze from internal combustion innovation,” said Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis.
He then added: “They know, we know, that electric motors can give us more. And if we know of a technology that can give our customers an advantage, we have an obligation to embrace it.” The upcoming Dodge electric muscle car will use the STLA Large platform.
According to its parent company Stellantis, the capabilities of Dodge’s future are nothing short of remarkable. How about a whopping 886 horsepower with a battery that promises a range of about 500 miles when fully charged? A zero to 60 mph run will on take around two seconds.
Some people just walk into a car dealership and buy a car from the showroom floor, or from the inventory the dealer has in stock, while others go through the factory brochure and scrutinize the options list to put together the exact car they want to own, put in an order, and wait for ‘their’ car to arrive, which might take some time depending on the make and model.
However, once you get into the luxury car market, where makes like Mercedes, Audi, and BMW are present with their flagship models, those options lists get a lot more complicated, but it’s still a lot of fun to go through them and put together the car of your dreams … but there is still a select group of high-net-worth individuals that take it a step beyond that segment … they are shopping from a car from Rolls Royce or Bentley, and while the saying goes ‘you get driven in a Rolls Royce, but you drive a Bentley’, both makes are in the upper segment of the luxury car market.
With most makes, you have the choice of a multitude of colors for the body and interior but mostly limited to what they offer the customer, once you walk into the Bentley showroom things change considerably, the list of body colors is almost limitless, as it the list of options for the interior hides, stitching, and veneers … but that’s not even good enough for the most discerning clients … for those special customers Bentley inaugurated their Mulliner Design team in 2014.
And it seems customers were eagerly awaiting something like this, a way to create ‘their’ own Bentley, not just putting down a long list of ‘standard’ options on an order form, but a more personal way of actively designing their new car, Bentley expected an increase in the demand for bespoke and highly personalized cars, and over a period of 7 years the Mulliner Design team completed 1,000 very special cars.
The first Bentley to be created by the Mulliner Design team was the Flying Spur Serenity, a limited production series of 15 units that came with different seats and headrests compared to the regular Flying Spur, this was the model that introduced the unique diamond quilting and specifically textured leather we now see in the new Continental GT Mulliner.
The Bentley Mulliner Design team can take on just about any request a customer might come up with, with a bespoke door sill plate, over custom stitching, right up to a complete bespoke coachbuilding project, and while many of their 1,000 projects are one-off cars created for a specific customer, some are limited edition models, like the Bentley Continental GT’s that were inspired by the famous Breitling Jets aerial display team, a series of seven cars were color-matched to the aircraft that inspired them, all finished in black, silver and yellow.
If you take a look at the numbers again, it comes down to about 3 commissions per week for the Mulliner Design team, making clear just how popular a bespoke build has become of the last years, they are involved in all areas of the Mulliner department, from Classic to Coachbuilt, to Collections, this team sits on the cutting design edge of what Mulliner can deliver.
Personally, I really like the bright green Bentley Continental GT Pikes Peak edition that was created in 2019 to celebrate Bentley’s Production Car record at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, complete with a custom inlay on the dashboard showing the Pikes Peak run, and the record-setting time of 10:18.488, an amazing detail set on a clear carbon fiber background in front of the passenger.
And that’s another thing the Bentley Mulliner Design team can accomplish for you, don’t like wood veneer on the interior of your new Bentley? No problem, how about carbon fiber for that sporty look, or lacquered to match, or contrast with the interior? Not a problem at all … but what about real stone inlays inside your Bentley? No worries, the Mulliner Design team has you covered, first, they will make a stunning 3D render on how it will all look together with the upholstery and stitching pattern you selected, then they will source the stone of your liking and create the less than 1 mm thick inlays, just for you.
Not a real fan of smooth leather? Again, no problem at all for the artisans at the Mulliner Design team, you prefer Alcantara, they can do that easily, come to think about it, they can even use your very own, custom tweed design on the door panels, parts of the seats, even on the dashboard … in fact, there are only two limiting factors when it comes to creating bespoke builds through this team: your imagination … and the law, the car has to remain street-legal to drive in the end, so a glass steering wheel might not be possible.
Paul Williams, Director of Mulliner and Motorsport, comments: “Since 2014, our Mulliner Design team has averaged three customer commissions a week, showing just how popular bespoke Bentleys are becoming. The team, led by Design Manager Phill Dean, has worked on everything from Continental GT3 liveries all the way up to the specifications and details of the 12 cars of the Blower Continuation Series. The only thing all of those designs have in common is that they are for individual customers – apart from that, each one is as unique as the rest. The scope of what’s achievable with a standard production Bentley has now been brought to life by the team through the use of the dedicated Mulliner visualiser, which allows our customers to choose the colour and trim specifications of their cars with real-time photorealistic visualisation of the result. The co-creation process with Mulliner designers is now available to everyone.”
Just so you know, the Mulliner Design team not only works on bespoke commissions on cars, but they were also instrumental in the creation of the exquisite optional picnic hampers for the Bentayga, complete with refrigerator, bespoke fine china cutlery, crockery, and crystal glass, and storage area for dry goods. For comfort in the great outdoors, the hampers themselves could be removed and used as seats.
July 11, 2021 / Comments Off on Bentley Mulliner builds 1,000th bespoke commission
Early in 2011, Lamborghini debuted a new model to replace the outgoing Murciélago as its flagship supercar. The Aventador took center stage and has been the brand’s ambassador since then. After a decade of awesomeness, another machine is ready to replace it. Before that happens, the manufacturer prepares to give it a proper send-off with the LP780-4 Ultimae.
Collectors should keep an eye out for this exclusive release which will be available in convertible or coupe configurations. Lamborghini will build only 250 and 350 examples of each respectively. Translated form Latin, the name means the last, which is exactly what it will be for the Aventador line.
As such, it’s only fitting that the prestigious marque goes all-out with the spec sheet. As others put it, interested buyers can look forward to SVJ-tier performance in a more modest silhouette. Meanwhile, there are also talk about the Aventador the LP780-4 Ultimae being the final Lamborghini supercar to pack a traditional combustion engine.
Just like many of its fellow high-performance luxury automakers, electrification is inevitable. With all-electric platforms eventually taking over, the company will be making the emission-free shift soon. For now, owners can expect remarkable upgrades that would put it above the entire Aventador fleet.
Its 6.5-liter V12 engine courses 769 horsepower with 531 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. Lamborghini says the Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae can zip from a standstill to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds. Unique to its trim are the updated front and rear elements. Meanwhile, its active rear wing should keep it firmly planted as it tackles the tracks.
Every once in a while, McLaren likes to open up their vaults, pack up a few of their historic Formula 1 cars, and ship them down to the Goodwood Festival of Speed so that their engines can roar and scream once again.
For 2021, it was both a surprise gift to Daniel Ricciardo and a great gift to the many fans that made it out to the festival to see the 1990 McLaren 4/5B driven by Ayrton Senna once again roar to life in the paddock area.
The Honda RA100E engine in that beast was a technical masterpiece. 72 degree V, 3.5L, naturally aspirated, revved to just about 15,000 RPM, and developed 670 to 690 HP. Utterly insane numbers when you consider, including the engine, the entire car weighed just a hair over 1,100 lbs, thanks to McLaren’s pioneering use of full carbon fiber monocoque construction.
However, as good as it sounds revving in the paddock, there is nothing quite like hearing a Formula 1 engine howling in anger, and for the Goodwood run, McLaren slapped a GoPro and a microphone on the rear wing upright, to give the best sound of the car getting to do what it does best: go fast.
The car made multiple runs during the day, and one of them was a rain run. However, because he got to drive it, Mr Ricciardo had absolutely no problem lending a hand in giving it a little elbow grease to keep it looking as beautiful as the day it leapt from the mind of Gordon Murray and pencil of Steve Nichols and onto the racetrack.
