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New Ferrari V8 Hybrid Supercar to Have More Horsepower Than 488 Pista

Coming Later This Year

Ferrari’s CEO Louis Camilleri recently told reporters on an earnings call that the company would unveil a V8 hybrid supercar later this year. According to Auto News Europe, the vehicle will get a V8 gasoline engine and an electric motor for power and will sit atop the Ferrari lineup.

The car will offer more horsepower than the 488 Pista. Ferrari said that the vehicle will not make its debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, which is shaping up to be an awesome show, according to the reports of what will debut there. Instead, Ferrari will unveil its new top-of-the-line supercar at a special event later in the year. The company expects to make the deliveries of the car in 2020.

Camilleri did not supply much information to the press when he mentioned the new model. However, he did say it would not be a limited-edition car. Instead, it will have a full lifecycle and be more profitable than a V12 vehicle could be. Camilleri brought up the profitability of the car because of investor concerns about whether or not a V12 would be more profitable.

This will be the second-generation for Ferrari’s hybrid technology. The now discontinued LaFerrari was the first and it brought a new era for the company. According to Auto News Europe, 60 percent of the company’s lineup will have a hybrid offering by 2022. This will allow the company to comply with ever-tightening emissions regulations and keep pace with other supercar and hypercar manufacturers.

When the new Ferrari makes its official debut, we’ll be here to give you all the interesting details. One thing is for sure. It will a wildly powerful Prancing Horse.

February 18, 2019 / Comments Off

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Pagani Is Planning Something Big for Geneva

A New Zonda, or an Homage to it?

The first Pagani Zonda is 20 years old this year. That means you can expect the company to do something special to celebrate its car. According to CarBuzz, the automaker told the publication that there’s something in the works for the Geneva Motor Show that’s less than a month away at this point.

“It will be a big surprise that we know everyone will love,” Communication and PR Manager Giulia Roncarati told the publication. “But right now we’re keeping it a secret.” That’s confirmation that something will appear. However, what exactly will appear at the show will only come with time.

This cryptic statement from Roncarati has people coming up with guesses. CarBuzz says that it could be a final version of the Zonda. That would be interesting due to the fact that Pagani didn’t seem interested in making more of the cars. Despite this, some special clients have been able to convince the automaker to make special ones.

The surprise could also be a special showcase of all the Zonda variations ever produced. That would be a cool way of paying homage to the car that debuted 20 years ago. We think a special 20th-anniversary edition of the car would be appropriate, and not just a final edition like CarBuzz suggests. However, the chances of that happening are very slim.

We’ll keep an eye out for whatever Pagani debuts at the show. Hopefully, it will exceed all expectations and be something that nobody has even thought of yet.

February 14, 2019 / Comments Off

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Watch the Ferrari 812 Superfast Lap the Nürburgring

Pretty Quick for a Grand Touring Machine

The Ferrari 812 Superfast isn’t really a track car. It’s a grand touring car that is, well, super fast. With that said, it can hold its own on a racetrack as seen in the video below of the car taking on the Nürburgring. The guys at sport auto, decided it was worth it to see how quickly they could get the 812 Superfast around the track. The answer? 7:27.48, which is fast for this kind of car.

The video was posted just a few days ago, but there’s no way it was shot a few days ago, currently, the temperatures at the Nürburgring aren’t conducive to putting up good lap times, as Motor1 points out. The temperature the day of this particular drive was around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which is just about perfect. Check out the video below to see the lap and skip ahead to the 47-second mark to avoid some seriously annoying music.

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The Ferrari 812 Superfast comes with a V12 under its goodly hood. That engine makes a strong 789 hp. The front-engined car isn’t a track demon. Ferrari didn’t design it that way. As you can see in the video it can certainly hold its own with a qualified driver behind the wheel.

The 812 Superfast seen in the video was wearing a set of Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires. The team behind the video made no modifications to improve performance. This is just what could happen if you have the right set of tires and a good driver behind the wheel. To me, 7:27.48 sounds pretty darn good.

February 14, 2019 / Comments Off

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The Vandal One Track Car Packs a 560HP Civic Type R Engine

Getting the Most Out of Those Four-Cylinders

American company Vandal brings the Civic Type R’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine to a true racecar with its vehicle called the Vandal One. The company squeezed 340 hp out of the Honda-produced engine for the base model. It somehow got a whopping 560 hp out of the engine for the top-of-the-line version. That engine sits in a car that weighs only 1,224 pounds.

The Vandal One features a carbon fiber monocoque chassis with carbon fiber body panels. The thing looks like a track monster, and it delivers on its looks, too. The up-tuned engine can rev to 9,000 rpm. It has a better power to weight ratio than a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. The car can handle up to 3Gs in the corners. The car transmits its power to the rear wheels thanks to a six-speed sequential gearbox.

Performance numbers for the car have not yet been released. However, Jeremy Sutton, the chairman of the company said it will be unlike other cars in an interview with The Drive. “We just wanted to give every enthusiast a chance to drive a car with world beating performance at a price that won’t break the bank.” Sutton told the publication. “This is probably the closest thing someone will experience to being in an F1 car.”

Each sale of the Vandal One comes with real-time monitoring for the racing team in the pit lane, allowing them to know what’s going on with the car as it whips around the track. How much will this killer car cost? Well, the base car will cost $119,700. At a later date, you’ll be able to preorder one with a deposit of $1,000. Vandal hasn’t released the price for the 560 hp version of the car.

February 13, 2019 / Comments Off

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The Next Generation Toyota 86 Will be Supra ‘Little Brother’

Keep the Coupe Going

We recently reported that the Toyota 86 and its Subaru BRZ twin will continue into a second generation. This information came after speculation that the Toyota version of the car would be going away due to the Supra. Now, it seems that we’re getting some information about where the next 86 will fit in.

The Australian publication GoAuto spoke with Brodie Bott, a Toyota Australia PR Manager. He said the company looks for the 86 to slot right in under the Supra, nicely. “It’s a pretty important car for us and it will be the little brother to the Supra,” Bott said.

Bott also said that the 86 is coming soon. In fact, he told the publication that he and others within Toyota have already seen the car. That would seem to mean that it has to be pretty darn close to being ready for production. There’s no indication as to when it will come to production, but if the PR folks in Toyota have already seen it, it would probably come out in the next couple years.

No matter how soon the car debuts, Toyota will have to ensure it’s different enough from the Supra to entice its own group of sports car buyers. At first thought, we’d suggest the 86 to be the choice for anyone who can’t afford a Supra, but the automaker needs to be careful with the performance of the next 86.

It needs to be better than the previous car, but not rival the Supra or it could cannibalize sales of the car. With that said, there’s plenty of room currently between the Supra and the 86, so Toyota should be able to make both car’s enticing.

February 12, 2019 / Comments Off

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Gaze Upon the Best Cars of Salon Retromobile Show and RM Sotheby’s Auction

So Many Great Beauties

February of 2019 saw the Salon Retromobile Show in Paris, France, and with it RM Sotheby’s best auction in Paris ever. The auction house manages to have its best-ever result achieved in Paris. The show brought €32.4 million ($36.6 million) and provided collectors of all kinds a chance to get the cars that they wanted. There was no shortage of amazing machines, from a 1987 Ferrari F40 LM to a 1994 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport to a 1956 Porsche 550 RS Spyder.

For the uninitiated, the Salon Retromobile Show is an opportunity to see amazing car collections and models and for those in the industry to showcase their products. It’s a true feast for the eyes and is heavenly for all auto enthusiasts, whether you can afford to add to your collection or not. There’s simply so much to see and do at the Salon Retromobile Show.

To that end, we thought it best to share with you some of the best cars at Salon Retromobile and the RM Sotheby’s auction. The images below are in no particular order, but they should keep you looking for quite some time. Try not to drool on your keyboard or smartphone and consider attending future events of this kind.

February 12, 2019 / Comments Off

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Could Bugatti Reveal a Hyper-Expensive Hypercar in Geneva?

€16 Million Is a Lot of Money

It would seem that Bugatti could be upping the ante at the Geneva Motor Show with a €16 million (roughly $18 million) hypercar. According to The Supercar Blog, the automaker built the car exclusively for Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, who is the former Chairman of VW Group, the owner of Bugatti.

There is little to nothing known about the car. The Supercar Blog cites anonymous sources inside Bugatti for the information that the hypercar that could debut cost the amount disclosed above.

The publication speculates that the car in question might be based on the Chiron and be somewhat similar to the Bugatti Divo that appeared at Pebble Beach last year. That suggestion would mean it has the 8.0-liter W16, and that the engine could come with a power upgrade of some sort.

Carscoops points out that it’s interesting to hear the car was built for Piëch as he resigned somewhat quietly in 2015 prior to the Dieselgate scandal. Dr. Piëch used to own a significant portion of the company and had some clout with the automaker but sold that off and hasn’t had much to do with the company recently.

The Geneva Motor Show should be interesting. We already reported on the 110 ans Bugatti special edition of the Chiron Sport that will debut there. The new hypercar rumored may show up the special edition Chiron, though. We’ll keep an eye out for more information as time goes on and the show gets closer.

February 11, 2019 / Comments Off

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Alfa Romeo Unveils 4C Spider Italia Special Edition in Chicago

Called the Italia But Exclusive to North America

Continuing what seems to be the neverending run of special edition models coming out right now, Alfa Romeo keeps 4C rolling with a special edition. The company calls it the Italia and debuted it in the Windy City at the Chicago Auto Show.

The new version of the pint-sized mid-engine sports car comes to North America via Modena, Italy. There, workers will build each of the 15 examples of this special edition car by hand. An Italia Special Edition 4C Spider will only run you $5,000 more than the regular version of the car.

What makes the 4C Spider Italia special is its exclusive Misano Blue Metallic exterior paint, piano black front air intake, piano black rear diffuser, special 4C Spider Italia graphics, aluminum dashboard insert with 4C Spider Italia badge, and a numbered plate on the center console.

Alfa Romeo also announced the 4C’s 2020 model year with the 4C Spider Italia. The automaker will continue to produce its low-volume mid-engine sports car. Alfa’s 4c is truly unique in its design and layout. At a comparable price, few cars can match it.

The 4C Spider Italia features no upgrades from a performance standpoint, and neither does the standard 2020 4C. The car still has its all-aluminum 1.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that’s mid-mounted and its 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While it would have been cool to see Alfa Romeo change things up and get more power out of the four-cylinder, we’re just glad the 4C still exists for the 2020 model year.

February 8, 2019 / Comments Off

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Hennessey Performance Using McLaren 600LT to Benchmark Venom F5

That’s One Heck of a Benchmark

When Hennessey Performance got its first McLaren 600LT, which has now been tinkered with, the company had no plans to modify the car. According to an interview by Top Gear with the company’s boss, John Hennessey, the sole reason he got a McLaren 600LT was to use it to benchmark the Venmon F5. It was only later that he decided to add more power to the vehicle and make it into the car that we reported on recently.

In case it somehow slipped past you, the Venom F5 is hypercar that’s should be revealed sometime this year. It will compete with the best of the best and be ready for buyers in 2020. CarBuzz notes that many insiders expect the car to set a new standard and beat Koenigsegg’s production car speed record.

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The Venom F5 will have to be much more impressive than the McLaren 600LT if it wants to beat the land speed record set by Koenigsegg. The 600LT has a top speed of over 200 mph, but nowhere near the 277 mph that Koenigsegg achieved to set the record. Hennessey’s Venom F5 will have to put out more power and have some serious aerodynamics to be able to handle speeds that fast.

Hennessey is no doubt using the McLaren 600LT as a benchmark in the cornering and ride departments, too. From everything we’ve heard, the car is excellent in those respects, and the Venom F5 would do well to get to similar levels.

February 7, 2019 / Comments Off

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The First Bugatti Chiron Sport Delivered Is Beautiful in Blue and Black

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February 6, 2019 / Comments Off

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Watch and Listen to the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2 Take on the Open Road

Just Listen to That Engine Note

Of all the cars to debut in the last couple of years, the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2 are probably the most unforgettable. They harken back to the old school, open-top racecars of old while still leaving room for innovation and utterly astonishing modern design and speed.

As soon as they hit the real world, they became modern collector items. They’re simply stunning machines with no true competitor. They’re the first of what the Prancing Horse dubbed its Icona cars. If Ferrari is able to produce more amazing models like this then we’re all very lucky people to partake in the experience, even if the closest you ever get to these cars is the video above.

Watch and listen to this beautifully shot short video and imagine what it’s like to whip this car through city streets or around the bend on an Italian country road.

Porsche, Lamborghini, Koenigsegg, McLaren, and Bugatti all do what they do well, but there will only ever be one Ferrari. It’s cars like the Monza SP1 and SP2 and videos like this that make the brand what it is.

For the uninitiated, the Monza SP1 and SP2 are beautiful machines powered by a monster of a V12 engine that makes more than 800 hp can propel these cars from 0-60 mph in under three seconds and 124 mph in just 7.9 seconds. It has a top speed of 186 mph. The cars are aerodynamic and low to the ground, making them the ideal car for the driver looking for a unique open-air experience.

February 5, 2019 / Comments Off

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Could Hispano Suiza Make a Comeback With Its Electric Supercar?

The Spanish Automaker’s Return Could be Coming

This year’s Geneva Motor Show is shaping up to be a blast from the past. Now, the long-dormant Hispano Suiza brand could start a comeback with an electric supercar. From the 1900s to the mid-1940s Hispano Suiza sold thousands of unique luxury cars. After that, it more or less disappeared from the luxury automotive world. That changes this year in Geneva.

Hispano Suiza recently teased an image of a new car. According to a press release from the company, its next car will be an all-electric grand touring luxury supercar. The details on the model are currently scarce, and it will be interesting to see a modern Hispano Suiza appear.

According to Top Gear, the car will be called Carmen. The name Carmen comes from the mother of the company’s current president. The great-grandson of the founder of Hispano Suiza and the company’s current president, Miguel Suqué Mateu, sounded excited in his statement to the press. He said he wants to see Hispano Suiza cars on roads around the world.

Back in 1900, when Hispano Suiza started, it built the first electric car in the world, but the prototype was never industrially manufactured. Now, 119 years later, in March 2019, Hispano Suiza has its first 100% electric car, offering great performance and manufactured in Barcelona, the realization of my great grandfather’s dream.

The rich heritage of the Hispano Suiza brand is engaging. While many people don’t have any recollection of the company’s cars, it would seem that’s about to change with the introduction of a new model. We eagerly await the Geneva Motor Show as it’s shaping up to be quite an interesting show.

February 5, 2019 / Comments Off

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Ginetta Is Working on a 600 hp Supercar

An All-New British Supercar? Yes Please

The British sporting car company Ginetta has a new supercar in the works. Over the years, the car company has garnered quite the reputation in racing circles. However, it hasn’t spent as much time and effort on road cars. That could change with its new supercar that the company recently announced.

The car will feature a carbon fiber body and chassis and with a good old naturally aspirated V8 engine. Ginetta says the engine will produce upwards of 600 hp. The car was developed in-house, and from the image teased, it will be a front-engine car. Ginetta said it would send all the 600 horsepower to the rear wheels and the big V8 engine would be mated to a sequential gearbox.

As Motor Authority points out the car will likely be similar to Ginetta’s other racecars, like the G40 and G50 models. Those cars also feature a front-engine rear-wheel-drive design, lightweight chassis and body, and plenty of power. Chairman of the company Lawrence Tomlinson said Ginetta has come a long way in 60 years but still has a lot to contribute to the automotive industry.

“In the 1960s our G10 was a giant killer on and off the track, regularly beating Jaguar E-Types; 60 years on, we’re again applying knowledge and technology from our racing programs to build an uncompromised yet utterly capable road-going supercar,” Tomlinson said.

It’s exciting to see the British company working on something new and different. The classic front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout is less common now for true supercars, it seems, and it will be wonderful to see what Ginetta comes up with.

February 4, 2019 / Comments Off

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McLaren 570GT MSO Cabbeen Collection Comes to the U.S.

The Year of the Pig Car Comes Stateside

McLaren built the 570GT MSO Cabbeen Collection as a China-only model. The company made five of the cars that appeared at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show in China. Now, there is a sixth car that made its American debut at the Lunar New Year: Year of the Pig celebration in Los Angeles.

McLaren Special Operations and Mr. Cabbeen, a Chinese fashion designer teamed up to build the bespoke models. The cars feature unique Chinese design elements and have a special Obsidian Black paint job that also features dragons in Gloss Speedline Gold paint on both door inserts. Additional exterior features include new 15-Spoke GT wheels. The wheels and brake calipers are finished in Gloss Speedline Gold paint.

McLaren 570GT Cabbeen Collection — Image from McLaren

Inside the cabin, the car gets McLaren Special Operations defined carbon sill covers. There’s Alcantara material throughout the cabin and Mr. Cabbeen added beautiful dragons to the center tunnel and rear luggage area. The embroidered dragons were made using Chao Embroidery, which McLaren notes is a technique that’s part of China’s heritage.

One of the most special features of the car is that its VIN number and the VIN numbers of all the collection’s cars end in 888888 to commemorate the Lunar New Year: Year of the Pig. From a performance standpoint, the model has not received changes or updates. The car comes with a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 that makes 562 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. You can find the sixth 570GT MSO Cabbeen Collection car for sale at McLaren Beverly Hills

February 4, 2019 / Comments Off

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BioLite’s Newest HeadLamp Offers A Rare Feature: Comfort

BioLite has a knack for taking heavily used gear and re-designing it into something you’ll reach for day after day, all while helping to increase access to energy off the grid. At Gear Patrol, we’ve been big fans since day one. Starting with the CampStove, CampStove 2 and the portable grill, and followed by many other successful fire starters, pizza grills and backcountry chargers, BioLite has paved the way for outdoor enthusiasts to get outdoors with an easy power supply — whether that’s grilling over a stove or lighting up the campsite. BioLite’s latest success story is the HeadLamp. We carried the re-engineered light with us through sunrise summits in upstate New York (hello, Mt. Marcy), as well as along the sidewalks of Brooklyn to light up our night runs. After a hugely successful kickstarter after Outdoor Retailer last year, the headlamp is available for preorder as of this Outdoor Retailer Snow Show.

The Good: BioLite’s HeadLamp features a split light in the front and battery pack in the back, all in a lightweight package that is comfortable, even in the wee hours of the morning. There are four light modes: red flood, white flood and spot (both with dimming) and the strobe, all of which provide you with hours of vision and ways to alert everyone around you. Even after hours of use, it was not headache inducing. The stretch fabric is soft and adjustable yet reinforced, so you don’t have to re-arrange once it’s on your forehead. It comes fully charged in four different colors: red, teal, yellow and grey.

Who They’re For: These lights are for everyone. Whether you’re a runner, hiker, walker or someone who likes to lead the dawn patrol, the BioLite HeadLamp works.

Watch Out For: It can be a bit tricky to use with gloves because of the thin rim around the light. The button to turn on and off, and the lever to aim the light down are both located on the skeletal frame of the light, so it takes time to get used to it.

Alternatives: Most other running headlamps I’ve tested have the battery pack and light all on the same side, so it’s heavy. The Petzl Reactik+ was the last one I tested ($100), and it worked just fine for everything I needed. You can also check out our list of Best Headlamps.

Review:
From unboxing to using, it takes less than two minutes to get started with the BioLite HeadLamp. Brushing my teeth takes longer. With just a few adjustments on the moisture-wicking band, the headlamp sat flush against my forehead. One of the first things I noticed was just how bright the slim light was. It’s 330 lumens at full brightness, and if you happen to turn it on while looking at the light, you’re sure to see some spots for a while. Reading while wearing the headlamp caused no issues thanks to the high visibility and comfy band.

For me, one of the most important things to test on a headlamp is to see how it performs when I’m running. Most lamps that I’ve used bounce around — I’ve run with them through two Ragnar Relays and an entire training circuit for a marathon which resulted in a lot of night activity. The BioLite lamp stayed put, likely because of the separation of the battery from the light itself. The battery sat low against the nape of my neck, while the light laid flat against my forehead. In the past, I’ve had to wear a hat under my headlamp to keep it from bouncing, but with this light, I can wear right where I want it. Now also seems like a good time to mention that I didn’t have any of those pesky red lines around my forehead after I ripped the light off post-run.

The band gets damp after a long run, but chafing wasn’t an issue. At first, I needed two hands to get the front tilt exactly where I needed it — illuminating the uneven cobblestones that line the Brooklyn Promenade and nearby roads — but after my initial mile or so, I had it down. It’s a breeze to click through all the different light options, dimming it when I run near street lamps and quickly turning it off when I finished running. It’s become my go-to lamp whether I’m heading out on a night run or just walking down to the campfire.

Verdict: If you’ve had issues with headlamps in the past, the re-jiggered BioLite HeadLamp is worth giving a shot. At a competitively priced $49, the lamp is hard to beat, simply based on value. With a run time of three and a half hours on full brightness, you can knock out a sunrise summit and nighttime run without sweating over battery life.

What Others Are Saying:

• “But where the brand stands out from the crowd is its comfortable design and lightweight. By integrating its electronic components into the soft 3D SlimFit fabric of the headlamp, BioLite created a light that wears more like a sweatband. For those looking for a light, comfortable headlamp for camping or hiking, this is a solid choice from a cool brand. It fits well, stays comfortably on the head, and will light up the night.” — Sean McCoy, Gear Junkie

• “here are plenty of small headlamps out there, but BioLite is taking a wise approach to the genre with this new unit. If you’re anything like us, you’ve got a closet full of lights. This would include at least a few you don’t use, because they’re dim, uncomfortable, or flop around on saggy elastic when you move your head. It’s not just lightweight — there’s already plenty of light… lights…but this unit stays put to an impressive degree. It’s not a tight head-grabber torture device either.” — Kel Whelan, Off Grid Web

• “BioLite didn’t just make the HeadLamp small and bright — it put a lot of emphasis on comfort too. Using what it calls “3D SlimFit Construction,” the company has managed to squeeze all of the electronic components into a surprisingly small space. This allows the light to nestle neatly into a flush housing, while also providing improved stability and balance while being worn. The headband that holds the lamp in place is made from moisture-wicking fabrics that are designed to be comfortable to wear, even while running, cycling, or hiking in warm conditions.” — Kraig Becker, Digital Trends

Key Specs

Lumens: 330
Battery: Rechargable with Micro USB
Weight: 69 grams
Materials: composite textile headstrap, PMMA, high efficiency lens material, ABS plasic housings, nylon plastic hardware (buckles)
Run Time: 3.5 hours (max brightness), 40 hours (minumum brightness)
Weather Resistance: IPX 4

BioLite provided us with products for testing purposes.

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February 1, 2019 / Comments Off

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EU Regulations Delay TVR Griffith Until 2020

EU Makes Things Tougher for TVR

British carmaker TVR has a new Griffith sports car, and it looks awesome. That car will take a little longer than originally thought to go to production and be cruising around on European roads. According to the Dutch publication AutoRAI, the company will have will have to push back the car until 2020 due to EU regulations.

Carscoops reported on the Dutch publication’s findings and noted that the cause for the delay was the fact that the Welsh government owns a tiny percentage of the company. Despite the fact that only three percent of the company is under Welsh government control, TVR qualifies as a state-funded company. This means it needs to take EU-bids on the South Wales factory renovation before production can begin.

“It takes more time than we expected to start production, thanks to the rules of the European Union. We are now aiming for a market launch in the course of 2020,” said Heritage Director of TVR, Paul Thompson. Judging by Thompson’s responses to journalists, he sounded understandably annoyed with the rules.

When the TVR Griffith does finally hit roads it will be a serious performance sports car. It looks amazing and has a Ford-sourced 5.0-liter V8 under the hood. The mad scientists at Cosworth also got their hands on the engine. TVR says it will make 500 hp and all that power will go to the rear wheels. The car will only weight 2,755 pounds, meaning it should go like a rocket. The car’s 50-50 weight distribution and sporty suspension, brakes, and tires should make it a force to be reckoned with.

February 1, 2019 / Comments Off

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Koenigsegg Teams Up With NEVS, Could Have Camless Engine on Next Car

Koenigsegg Looking to the Future

Koenigsegg recently sold 20 percent of the company to National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) for about $171 million. In case you don’t know, NEVS is a Swedish-Chinese company that also owns the rights to Saab. Now, it seems the two companies will debut an “affordable” supercar in 2020.

Top Gear reported that the new supercar will cost around €1 million (about $1,144,000). The slightly less expensive supercar will allow Koenigsegg to sell hundreds of cars as opposed to dozens annually. That’s where NEVS comes into the picture. According to Christian von Koenigsegg, the CEO of Koenigsegg, the car will be C02 neutral thanks to the company’s camless combustion engine design and hybrid technology.

“Given the freevalve technology, we can actually cold-start the car on pure alcohol, down to -30 degrees Celsius, so there’s no need for any fossil fuel mix then. The idea is to prove to the world that even a combustion engine can be completely CO2 neutral,” said Koenigsegg.

Koenigsegg said the new supercars will look similar to the hypercars the company is known for. However, he also said the cars will have a sense of style all their own. It will be interesting to see what the company comes up with. It may have elements of the Regera (pictured above) but it may take after the company’s other cars, too.

The CEO said the reason the car company plans to try to develop a C02 neutral hybrid powertrain is that everyone else is going fully-electric and there could be a battery cell shortage in the future. With this new hybrid design, it would make a lightweight powertrain with a small battery pack. That could help the company when there’s a shortage of battery cells to go around to all automakers producing EVs.

January 31, 2019 / Comments Off

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Jaguar Adds Checkered Flag Edition F-Type to Honor Racing Heritage

Will This Special Edition Jag Race Into Your Stable?

Jaguar unveiled its latest special edition F-Type with the Checkered Flag Limited Edition. The car features special touches designed to harken back to Jaguar’s long racing heritage. The company specifically points to the XK 120 from 1948. The version of the car is available in both coupe and convertible models and you can get it with four or six cylinders.

The Checkered Flag Edition F-Type is based on the R Dynamic version of the car. From there Jaguar paints it in Caldera Red, Fuji White, or Carpathian Gray and adds a black contrast roof to all coupe models. Additional exterior features include 20-inch black wheels, red brake calipers, and black extended side sills. Ian Callum, Director of Design at Jaguar, said the following about the purpose behind these changes:

“In creating the Checkered Flag Limited Edition we’ve focused on details which enhance the presence of the F-TYPE and promise of performance – and in doing so, made a fitting celebration of 70 years of beautiful, fast, Jaguar sports cars.”

Jaguar put many special touches inside the car, including Ebony Windsor Leather on the standard performance seats, dark brushed aluminum trim on the dash, the InControl Touch Pro infotainment system features a Meridian audio system, and a Checkered Flag emblem embossed on the headrests.

Power is unchanged from the regular versions of the car. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine makes 293 hp and the 3.0-liter supercharged version makes 380 hp. Pricing for the Checkered Flag Limited Edition starts at $72,925 for the four-cylinder coupe. The convertible costs $75,325. The V6 coupe comes in at $95,525 and the convertible starts at $97,925.

January 31, 2019 / Comments Off

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Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series Appears in Chicago

The Third Lexus Inspiration Series Model

Lexus has a new Inspiration Series car in the LC 500. The vehicle appeared at the Chicago Auto show and showcases the limited-edition version of the car. The vehicle is a beautiful example of the car with Flare Yellow paint and a $106,210 price tag excluding destination.

Lexus will build only 100 examples of the LC 500 Inspiration Series. Those lucky buyers will have a truly unique version of the car. The yellow paint is new for the model and special 21-inch wheels help accentuate the car’s curves and creases in ways no other LC 500 variant has done before.

Inside, Lexus placed special yellow door inserts made of Alcantara, semi-aniline leather seating with yellow stitching, and yellow stitching around the center console and glove box. Additional touches include carbon fiber door sills with a special inscription for the model and a Lexus garment bag that folds into a travel bag that matches the car’s aesthetic.

The vehicle is powered by the same 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 that makes 471 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. It can move the rather heavy car from a standstill to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.

The performance isn’t at all different than the regular Lexus LC 500 coupe. However, the unique touches to the car for the Inspiration Series make it a car worth noting. We doubt Lexus will have much of an issue selling the 100 versions of the car. Its uniqueness should help it be a boon to collectors and those who were already considering an LC500 but wanted something a little special.

January 30, 2019 / Comments Off

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2019 McLaren 720S Spider

McLaren Unveils 2019 720S Spider – Latest Convertible Does 202 MPH With Top Down

Late in 2018, McLaren unveiled its latest iteration of the current 720S – monikered “Spider” as is tradition, this is a convertible variant of the 720S which comes with a folding hard top. For the better and most part, the Spider retains the same DNA as the Coupe, utilizing a modified version of its carbon fibre tub chassis – called Monocage II-S – which accommodates the new folding roof and its mechanism.

The new roof and tonneau add an extra 49 kg to the chassis, with the Spider weighing in at a dry weight of 1,332 kg. McLaren proclaims that this makes it the “lightest car in its competitive set”, with its intended rival – the Ferrari 488 Spider – coming in at 1,420 kg dry. The fully-electric mechanism is no slouch either, as it is able to raise or lower the roof in just 11 seconds with the car travelling up to 31 mph.

The Spider shares the same 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8 engine as its fixed-roof stablemate, which produces 710-horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque delivered via a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. McLaren claims that performance figures for the Spider are virtually identical to that of the Coupe (when the roof is up), citing 0-62 mph in 2.9s, 0-124 mph in 7.9s (just a tenth slower), and a top speed of 212 mph.

Thanks to its brilliant aerodynamic design, the Spider still achieves a remarkable top speed of 202 mph with the top folded. McLaren does a lot things better than anyone else, and throwing out the notion that convertible variants are just bogged down versions of their coupe counterparts, is no exception.

Like the Coupe, the 2019 McLaren 720S Spider will be offered in three trims – Standard, Performance, and Luxury; MSO is likely to continue entertaining bespoke options on top. Pricing starts at $315,000 USD, with the first units scheduled to arrive in March 2019.
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2019 McLaren 720S Spider Images Gallery

January 30, 2019 / Comments Off

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