All posts in “Stuff”

The 2019 Ultima RS Will Come to the Goodwood Festival of Speed with 1,200 hp

A Killer Mid-Engine Machine Prepped for GM V8s

Ultima makes some amazing cars, and it’s RS might just be the company’s most impressive. The top-of-the-line Ultima RS features a GM-sourced LT5 V8 with 1,200 hp. In a car that only weighs a little over 2,000 pounds, you can imagine how fast that makes the car. To showcase the model, the company will bring the RS to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

Ultima made the RS so it would take a wide variety of GM engines. The most basic model comes with an LT1 V8 that makes 480 hp. That engine in the car makes it possible to shoot from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds. It’ll do 100 mph in just 6.2 seconds, and it’ll hit a top speed of 180 mph. 

The next engine available for the car is the LT4 borrowed from the Z06 Corvette. This engine makes 650 hp and can move the car from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. One hundred mph comes in 5.2 seconds and top speed sits at 210 mph. Ultima also offers the RS with two versions of the LT5 V8. The first is an 800 hp version that can shoot the car from 0 to 60 mph in 2.3 seconds and 100 mph in 4.8 seconds. With this engine, the car has a top speed of 250 mph.

Lastly, Ultima offers the RS with a tuned LT5 V8. That engine puts out 1,200 hp. Performance numbers have not yet been determined, but as you can imagine, it puts the car on the same level as some of the most impressive hypercars available today. 

The cars are officially sold as kit cars. They can be bought and assembled by the buyer or purchased and then assembled by the factory. There are right and left-hand drive versions available. 

June 10, 2019 / Comments Off on The 2019 Ultima RS Will Come to the Goodwood Festival of Speed with 1,200 hp
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The Cayenne S May Be an SUV, But It’s Absolutely Still a Porsche

In this episode of This Week In Gear: Will Sabel Courtney reviews the Porsche Cayenne S; our staff recommends great Father’s Day gifts; and Will price explains why Burrow’s Nomad is the best sofa you can buy online. Plus, 5 things to know about Apple’s superlative new Mac Pro.

This episode of This Week In Gear is presented by Flipboard, where quality content from the world’s best publishers and storytellers of every type is discovered.

Featured Products

Porsche Cayenne S

All SUVs are a blend of different vehicles with a broad range of capabilities, but the Cayenne S more than most. Peppy like a sport sedan, it uses the same 2.9-liter engine as the Panamera 4S and Audi RS 5.
But it’s also not bad off-road; you can even order an off-road package with skid plates and other underbody protection. But, more importantly, with the Sport Chrono Pack option, drivers can engage a “performance start” (i.e. launch control), which pushes the SUV from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds.

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Burrow Nomad Sofa

Sofa shopping is notoriously frustrating. For most people, a sofa is the single largest, most expensive piece of furniture in your living room yet we typically think very little about them. Burrow’s vaguely mid-century aesthetic intentionally blends into whatever your design style vibe is. The sofas ship within a couple of days of ordering and arrive shortly after; they are simple to set up and require no tools. Gear Patrol named Burrow’s Nomad the “Best Overall Sofa” you can buy online.

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5 Things to Know About the New Mac Pro

Aimed directly at multimedia power users, Apple’s long-anticipated next-gen Mac Pro is here. And it’s outrageously ridiculous. Its available hardware is one thing – the optional equipment list is crazy – but most extreme is the price: it starts at $6K.

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Garmin Forerunner 245 Music

This is the smartwatch made for runners who want to travel light. Along with its training and performance tracking features, the watch will store 500 songs downloaded from Deezer or Spotify for phone-free running.

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Watch Now: This Week In Gear, Episode 9

In last week’s episode: Will Sabel Courtney explains why the new McLaren 600LT isn’t a supercar; Oren Hartov demonstrates how to maintain a dive watch; and Tucker Bowe shows off Master & Dynamic’s first noise-canceling headphones. Also in this episode, Bryan Campbell tests out Aether’s first motorcycle boot and our staff’s first impressions of Maurten’s Hydrogel Sports Fuel. Watch Now
Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here. In some instances, brands have provided access to, or loans of, the products included in this episode.
June 8, 2019 / Comments Off on The Cayenne S May Be an SUV, But It’s Absolutely Still a Porsche
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BAC Will Unveil Faster Mono at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Taking Things Up a Notch

The Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) came out with a wild car in 2011 called the Mono. It was one of the closest things to an F1 car you could drive on the road. It still sells the Mono today, but now the company has a new car in the works that it plans to unveil at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

The company posted a teaser video to its YouTube channel earlier this week, which we’ve included below. All that it said about the car, though was that it would come July 4. There’s no other information out there. The company did release a few photos of the upcoming car, though, so we know it will look similar to the Mono that the company previously produced. 

Talking to Autocar, the company’s co-founder, Neil Briggs sounded excited and optimistic for the new model. He said the experience so far with the Mono has been an “incredible and truly humbling journey.” He said the new car is an effort to “turn the dials up a notch.” Briggs said a new prototype of the car tested at the Shelsley Walsh and it “blew our class away.”

That’s not surprising. The Mono weighs only 1,300 pounds. It’s an open wheel sports car with a 2.5-liter Ford-sourced turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes around 300 hp. According to Autocar, the Mono has broken five production car lap records since 2011. If the new car is much better than that, you can expect BAC to break a few more records. 

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June 6, 2019 / Comments Off on BAC Will Unveil Faster Mono at Goodwood Festival of Speed
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The Huracán Sterrato Concept is the Off-Road Lambo You’ve Only Imagined

This Lambo Looks Built for Rambo

Based on the Huracán EVO, the Huracán Sterrato Concept is the off-road vehicle that you only see in dreams, movies, and children’s drawings. There have been some wild ideas for concept off-roaders, but the fact that Lamborghini decided to actually build a concept car is amazing. 

The Sterrato Concept still has most of the Huracán EVO’s bits, including the 5.2-liter V10 that makes 640 hp. The drive systems have been recalibrated to handle the rigors of off-road terrain. The vehicle has all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering and torque vectoring. 

The car sits up only 0.3 inches higher, so it’s more of a desert sand-slinger rather than a rock-crawler. Approach and departure angles were improved and the decks widened by 1.18 inches. The car receives 20-inch wheels wrapped in off-road rubber. The car gets some added underbody protection and exterior enhancements to protect it from the elements. It gets stone-deflecting protection around the engine and air intakes. There are also various LED lighting additions include a large light bar and LEDs added to the bumper. 

While this might not be the typical Lamborghini, it sure is interesting. Who needs a Urus when you can have this? Oh, right. You can’t have this because it’s a concept, but you know Lambo would sell them if you could. 

June 5, 2019 / Comments Off on The Huracán Sterrato Concept is the Off-Road Lambo You’ve Only Imagined
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A Ferrari SF90 Stradale Build Slot For Sale With a Price of About $1.5 Million

Do You Want Ferrari’s Latest? 

With the Ferrari SF90 Stradale only being revealed less than a week ago, it’s surprising to see a build slot for the car already up for sale. That’s exactly what’s happened, though. The build slot is available for purchase at Mobile with a price tag of $1.46 million. The buyer of that build slot will be able to configure the car however they want and can expect delivery of the model in the first quarter of 2020, according to the listing. 

As Carscoops points out, there have been lawsuits against people who have tried to flip supercars and hypercars to make money. The Ford GT springs to mind first. Because of this, the publication suggests reaching out to Ferrari before proceeding. We would echo this sentiment. Of course, if you’re spending that much money on a car, you’re bound to take every precaution, and you should. 

For those living under a rock, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale is the most advanced Prancing Horse ever with a new fancy hybrid powertrain that makes a combined 989 hp. It’s sleek and modern while still looking like a Ferrari. It’s worth every penny of the $1.46 million asking price for the build slot. 

If you’re wary of buying an SF90 Stradale under these circumstances, just wait. Ferrari has hinted that the hybrid technology used here would make its way to other Ferrari vehicles, which is a good thing, indeed. 

June 5, 2019 / Comments Off on A Ferrari SF90 Stradale Build Slot For Sale With a Price of About $1.5 Million
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Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 Hypercar Details Come to Light

The Man Behind the McLaren F1 Has a New Car

We reported a while back that Gordon Murray had a new hypercar he was working on. Details about the car were extremely scarce at the time of that writing. Now, some of those details have come to light. According to his website, the car will use a carbon fiber tub, a naturally aspirated V12 engine, a good-old-fashioned six-speed manual transmission, and be rear-wheel drive. The car will also seat three people. The driver will be front and center with the two passengers to either side. 

The car will begin production in 2022. Right now the car is in advanced stages of development. The vehicle is said to cost upwards of $2.5 million. Murray plans to only build 100 versions of the car, too, meaning it will be a rare model. The model is supposed to have the most advanced aerodynamics of any car and an unmatched power-to-weight ratio. 

Murray doesn’t seem too interested in what people think, which is refreshing. He’s here to build the best-driving car out there. “I have absolutely no interest in chasing records for top speed or acceleration. Our focus is instead on delivering the purest, most rewarding driving experience of any supercar ever built – but, rest assured, it will be quick,” he said. 

It’s this focus on the actual driveability of the car that has us so excited. Chasing top speeds and faster acceleration times is all well and good, but if you have to ruin the driving experience to get there, then you’ve missed the point. Murray knows what it takes to build an engaging car and the T.50 should be impressive. 

June 5, 2019 / Comments Off on Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 Hypercar Details Come to Light
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The 2020 BMW M8 Is Here

A High-Powered 8-Series Coupe

The BMW M8 arrived in coupe, convertible, and competition form. The car borrows its turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine from the M5. It makes 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. BMW thought it best to make the competition model special, so it added some power to that model and bumped the numbers up to 617 hp. The car gets an 8-speed automatic transmission. 

The M8, which has been highly anticipated, can do a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds. Opt for the Competition version of the car and you knock another tenth of a second off. The top speed for the car is 189 mph. Those fast 0-60 mph times are in part due to the car’s all-wheel-drive system. Drivers have the ability to switch from all-wheel drive to all-wheel drive sport or into a two-wheel drive mode. 

The car gets M-specific suspension that’s adaptive. The car also utilizes electromechanical M Servotronic steering as standard equipment. Other parts such as the struts and braces have been beefed up to handle the higher levels of performance. Customers can choose carbon ceramic brakes if they wish. 

Prices for the car start at $133,000 for the M8 Coupe and $146,000 for the Competition Coupe. The M8 Convertible runs $142,500. The Competition Convertible costs $155,500. Those prices do not include destination. Production will begin in July of this year. 

June 4, 2019 / Comments Off on The 2020 BMW M8 Is Here
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Ford v Ferrari’s First Official Trailer Looks Wonderful

One of the Best Stories in Motorsports History

Motorsports movies give us an insight into what the iconic racers themselves experienced along the way. Few stories are better known than the story of the original Ford GT and how it took down Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The new movie called Ford v Ferrari tells that story in what looks like a very fantastic way. It appears to be full of drama, humor, and stars. 

The film was directed and co-written by James Mangold who helmed the movie, Logan. Big names in the cast include Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Damon plays Carroll Shelby, which we think is a bit odd, but we’re willing to give it a chance. Bale plays Ken Miles, the driver of the car, in what appears to be another stunning performance from the actor, who managed to shed a lot of weight to play the role. 

The film looks great, with plenty of eye candy, including Fords, Ferraris, and several other beautiful cars. We’re sure there will be plenty of great action in the movie. The film will come out on November 15. You can watch the full trailer below. 

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June 3, 2019 / Comments Off on Ford v Ferrari’s First Official Trailer Looks Wonderful
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FV Frangivento Revealed the Asfane DieciDieci Supercar

A Radically Style Car

If you’re looking for a wedge-shaped supercar that can’t be ignored, then the FV Frangivento Asfane DieciDieci is for you. This beastly looking machine is the supercar that features some of the most outlandish design. This car looks genuinely amazing, but it’s yet to be determined if the car’s performance will match up to its styling. 

The model features an aluminum body, gullwing doors, carbon fiber spoiler, OZ Racing wheels, floating brake lights, sharp angles all around and a hybrid powertrain. All of the intricate details of the car’s powertrain have not yet been released, but we do know it will feature a turbocharged 5.4-liter V10 engine paired with two electric motors placed at the front of the car. 

The powertrain in total will produce 996 hp. That’s almost as much as the new Ferrari SF90 Stradale. According to Carscoops, the car’s V10 engine alone makes 848 hp and the electric motors add an additional 148 hp. Power is filtered to the wheels via an 8-speed automatic. The performance numbers out on the track or road have not yet been determined, so we don’t have 0 to 60 mph times or top speed. 

If you haven’t heard of FV Frangivento, you may want to pay attention. The company has high aspirations. It wants to be the Italian equivalent of Koenigsegg. The Asfane DieciDieci is the first car from the company and will be used to fund future projects. Carscoops said customers can expect to pay between $1.1 – $1.7 for the car.  

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June 3, 2019 / Comments Off on FV Frangivento Revealed the Asfane DieciDieci Supercar
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The McLaren 600LT Is Not a Supercar and Master & Dynamic Release Their First Noise-Cancelling Headphones

In this episode of This Week In Gear: Will Sabel Courtney explains why the new McLaren 600LT isn’t a supercar; Oren Hartov demonstrates how to maintain a dive watch; and Tucker Bowe shows off Master & Dynamic’s first noise-canceling headphones. Also in this episode, Bryan Campbell tests out Aether’s first motorcycle boot and our staff’s first impressions of Maurten’s Hydrogel Sports Fuel.

Featured Products

McLaren 600LT

Mclaren basically did what any one of us would do if we were souping up a car to make it drive better: cut weight, stiffened the ride, add power. The company took the already ballilstic Sports Series and soehow improved upon the formula. With 592 horsepower, 467 pound-feet and a curb weight of 2,994 pounds, the 600LT is… fun.

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How to Maintain a Dive Watch

If you’re going to get your dive watch wet, proper maintenance is mandatory – no matter how much it’s worth. Follow these five steps and you’re covered.

Master & Dynamic MW65 Active Noise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones

Master & Dynamic’s first noise-cancelling headphones are predictably gorgeous. They look very similar to wired MH40 headphones, but they’re made with anodized aluminum instead of stainless steel, making them the lightest headphones the company has ever made. The weigh just 250 grams.

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Aether Moto Boot

Aether’s first motorcycle boot ever is constructed with Italian leather, is 100-percent leather-lined inside and out and features reenforced toe and heal caps and D3O ankle padding for genuine on-road protection. The Moto Boot will launch in mid June and cost $595.

Maurten Hydrogel Sports Fuel

Our staff does a blind taste test of Muarten’s Hydrogel packets, which are “built by harnessing natural hydrogel technology and built with six natural ingredients. It doesn’t contain any colorants or preservatives and comes in 40g servings that contains 60% carbohydrates – a high weight to energy ratio.”

Watch Now: This Week In Gear, Episode 8

In last week’s episode: We were invited to be the very first to bring cameras into The Vault, the hugely exclusive Steinway & Sons selection room, where we talked with Todd A. Sanders, one of the three people who has access, about the how it came to be and the pianos inside it. Also, Tucker Bowe reviewed the “lightest 17-inch laptop in the world” and our staff shares their first impressions of Booker’s newest bourbon expression, “Shiny Barrel Batch.” Watch Now
Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here. In some instances, brands have provided access to, or loans of, the products included in this episode.
June 1, 2019 / Comments Off on The McLaren 600LT Is Not a Supercar and Master & Dynamic Release Their First Noise-Cancelling Headphones
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The Debut of the Lotus Type 130 Is Set for July 16

It Will Happen In London

Lotus has an all-new, all-electric hypercar called the Type 130. Little is known about the upcoming car. That will change on July 16. That’s when the company will unveil its new vehicle in London. The British company recently announced the date for the reveal and dropped a new video on its YouTube page. 

Lotus will offer only 130 examples of the car to the world. Those cars are expected to be delivered in 2020. The reason the company will make 130 is because that’s the number of Lotus “Types” have been produced in the car company’s 71-year history. 

Lotus had better have something impressive up its sleeve for the Type 130. The CEO already said the car will be “mind-blowing.” That’s not all the CEO has said about the car. He’s hinted at modular battery packs, and a whole lot more. Lotus seems to be extremely excited for the future of the electric hypercar, and its enthusiasm is rubbing off on us. The CEO said this a few weeks ago:

There are distinct benefits of electrification, certainly in terms of aerodynamics, and the center of gravity can be low. We need to understand the needs of the customer. If you’re driving for 20 minutes on track, do you need the full battery pack?

That would indicate the car will be as lightweight and genuinely track ready and fun as possible. We’re not sure what all the Type 130 has in store, but we know we’ll get to find out on July 16. Mark your calendar.

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May 31, 2019 / Comments Off on The Debut of the Lotus Type 130 Is Set for July 16
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The SF90 Stradale’s Tech Will Be Used In Other Ferrari Cars

Expect More Hybrid Ferraris

The new range-topping Ferrari is here. It’s the SF90 Stradale. The car is an electrified beastly machine. It pairs Ferrari’s most powerful turbocharged V8 with three electric motors for a total power output of 989 hp. The car filters power through a new dual-clutch transmission to all four wheels, a Ferrari first. We did a deeper dive into the powertrain yesterday to give you more of the details. 

While the powertrain of the car is extremely interesting, what’s even more interesting is that Ferrari Chief Technology Officer Michael Leiters said the technology would be used on other cars, too. In an interview with Auto Express, the Ferrari executive said, “There will be other [hybrid] models, but with specific powertrain characteristics.”

Ferrari SF90 StradaleFerrari SF90 Stradale

According to Auto Express, these models will be less-powerful and less-expensive models. While it’s somewhat surprising that Ferrari would offer similar systems on other cars, it makes sense. The research and development was likely a huge cost for the company, and this is a way of getting the most on out if its hard work. 

However, this also could lower the exclusivity of the SF90 Stradale. It will still be the top-level Prancing Horse model, but it won’t be the only one with the latest and greatest technology. Auto Express said the company has confirmed it’s working on a V6 engine for lower down in the lineup, we would assume that is the engine Ferrari would integrate into the hybrid setup. We’d love to see a rebirth of the Ferrari Dino as a hybrid model, but at this time, there’s no indication that will happen. 

May 31, 2019 / Comments Off on The SF90 Stradale’s Tech Will Be Used In Other Ferrari Cars
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Watch Pagani Test the New Huayra Dragon Hypercar on an Italian Racetrack

The Dragon Looks Ferocious

Pagani has a new Huayra in the works that is being called the Dragon. It’s a limited edition of the mid-engine hypercar that should put the Huayra BC in the rearview. The new car was recently spotted by the YouTuber 19Bozzy92 testing at a racetrack in Italy.

The car is in full camo, but you can see a lot of what’s there. You can also hear the engine’s roar. The engine in question is the AMG-sourced biturbo V12. Pagani will stick with that choice, according to Carscoops. The publication also reports that the engine’s power will go to the rear wheels and the transmission will be a seven-speed, single clutch unit with paddles. 

In the Huayra BC, the engine produces 745 hp and 811 lb-ft. If the Dragon will sit above the BC in the Pagani foodchain, then you can bet the company figured out how to squeeze more power out of that engine.

As you can see in the video below, the car looks like an absolute beast. The active aero flips up and down as the car does its thing on the track and the driver makes sure to use all of the tarmac the circuit offers. We’re pretty excited for what this car’s official specs will be, and are looking forward to seeing it without the camo. 

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May 30, 2019 / Comments Off on Watch Pagani Test the New Huayra Dragon Hypercar on an Italian Racetrack
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The Powertrain of the SF90 Stradale Is Ferrari’s Most Advanced Ever

It’s More Than Your Typical Hybrid System

Yesterday we reported on the new Ferrari SF90 Stradale. It is a breathtaking machine to look at, and the power numbers are absolutely fantastic. With that said, there was so much to dig into with the new Ferrari, that we didn’t get to give you every detail about the company’s fancy new powertrain, and oh, is it special. 

As we said yesterday, the new SF90 Stradale offers a 3.9-liter turbocharged V8 engine for motivation. That engine is connected to three electric motors and has a combined power output of 989 hp. But that’s just glossing over what is truly an innovative powertrain. 

The internal combustion engine alone produces 769 hp. The engine is new, though it’s roughly the same size and configuration as the mill found in the 488 GTB. Ferrari chose to increase the displacement from 3,902 cc to 3,990. That’s a small bump, but worth noting. The engine also gets a new fuel delivery system and some other new components to make it the most powerful and most advanced engine Ferrari has ever produced. 

Let There Be Electric Power

Ferrari SF90 StradaleFerrari SF90 Stradale

Now on to the electrics. This is a plug-in hybrid car. That means there are electric motors and a battery. The motors are uniquely positioned. Two at the front and one between the engine and gearbox. The two at the front allow for some advanced torque vectoring—similar, in a sense, to what Acura did with the NSX—and provide an additional 84 hp. The biggest of the three motors is the one in the middle of the car, and it puts out an additional 148 hp. 

As far as battery goes, Ferrari fitted a 7.9 kWh battery pack to the car. This gives the motors the juice they need to do their thing and it also allows for up to 15 miles of electric-only range—not exactly Tesla numbers, but then this car is no Tesla. 

8 Speeds and All Four Wheels

Ferrari SF90 StradaleFerrari SF90 Stradale

Prepare yourself for the first all-wheel-drive Ferrari. The SF90 Stradale is the first Prancing Horse to filter power to all four wheels. Power is managed by a new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. It shifts 30 percent faster and is smaller in overall physical size, reducing weight. 

The all-wheel-drive system can be set up to work in numerous ways. How the V8 engine and electric motors interact all depends on which of the four drive modes you select. eDrive is the electric-only mode, Hybrid mode is what the car starts in and is a little bit of everything (think normal drive mode in regular cars), Performance keeps the power high and the batteries topped up for spirited driving, and Qualify mode is full power and all-out crazy performance. 

Speaking of performance, the SF90 Stradale is a true beast of a machine. Zero to 60 mph comes in 2.5 seconds, and the car can rage to 124 mph in 6.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of more than 211 mph. This Prancing Horse can really run. 

May 30, 2019 / Comments Off on The Powertrain of the SF90 Stradale Is Ferrari’s Most Advanced Ever
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Ferrari Teases Its New Hybrid Supercar One Last Time Ahead of Its Official Reveal

Dare To Imagine

The upcoming reveal for Ferrari’s new hybrid supercar is right around the corner. In fewer than 24 hours, the car will make its debut. Until then, Ferrari has some time to set up some good PR work and to a teaser or two. This one should honestly be the last teaser until the car’s debut, but it’s a good one. 

You get to see an outline of the front end of the car as well as a look at the headlight. While there’s little clarity about the new Ferrari hybrid supercar at this point, we won’t have to wait long to have all to glorious details. According to Carscoops, the car is codenamed F173, but it will without a doubt have a more elegant real name. 

The vehicle will get rectangular taillights and a dual exhaust that sits up high on the rear of the car. The headlights appear to be genuinely different from any others that appear on Ferrari’s vehicles and the nose of the car looks low and wide. You can watch the whole teaser below for yourself, and prepare for the impending reveal. 

May 29, 2019 / Comments Off on Ferrari Teases Its New Hybrid Supercar One Last Time Ahead of Its Official Reveal
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Bugatti’s La Voiture Noire Snatches Up Design Award at Concorso d’Eleganza

A Warranted Accolade

Ducati’s iconic and wildly expensive La Voiture Noire appeared on exhibit at the Concorso d’Eleganza in Italy. While there, the car was awarded the Design Award. The car was designed to honor the company’s long history in making some of the finest cars out there. It was also a way to pay homage to the Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic, which is one of the company’s most iconic models. 

Based on the same chassis the underpins the Chiron, the La Voiture Noire is a one-off car unlike any other. The exterior feature full carbon-fiber bodywork. Every piece of bodywork is custom to set the La Voiture Noire apart from any other car on earth. The powertrain is Bugatti’s venerable quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 powertrain. That engine is used in other Bugatti models as well and its power output is unchanged at 1,479 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque.

The car on display is actually a prototype. Bugatti will build the final version of it yet. According to Carscoops, the vehicle will take two years to completely finish. Then it will deliver the car to the buyer, who is unknown. Whoever purchased this car must have deep pockets, though. It’s said to cost $18.9 million with taxes included. That’s a large sum of money for a single car, even a special one-off. 

May 29, 2019 / Comments Off on Bugatti’s La Voiture Noire Snatches Up Design Award at Concorso d’Eleganza
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Watch the McLaren Senna Do a Blisteringly Fast Top Speed Speed Run

This Car is a Real Rocket

If you’ve been paying attention to the new McLaren Senna, then you probably know that it has a claimed top speed of 208 mph. You want to see the car reach that speed don’t you? Well, in the video below, you’ll see the Senna do a top speed run, but it doesn’t quite reach 208 mph. The car only manages to pull 204 mph. 

There could be many reasons the car didn’t quite get to the top speed that McLaren claims for the Senna. The weather could be a factor, this particular car could have an issue, or McLaren could have fibbed a little on the numbers. No matter what the cause, one thing is for sure, the Senna is wicked quick. Watch it sprint to 180 mph at an alarming rate and you don’t really care much about the fact it came up a few mph short. 

To be fair, this car isn’t much of a straight line speed demon. It was designed to go around a racetrack quickly, and having it out on a long runway like this is taking the car out of its element. The bodywork and wing on the car create so much downforce at speed that near the top end of its speed capabilities it’s hard to increase further. While there are cars out there that could beat it in a straight line, few can rival it around a racing circuit. 

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May 28, 2019 / Comments Off on Watch the McLaren Senna Do a Blisteringly Fast Top Speed Speed Run
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Novitec N-Largo Ferrari 812 Superfast Takes Things up a Notch

For When the 812 Superfast Isn’t Enough

Novitec has now released all of the Ferrari 812 Superfast upgrades with the Novitec Ferrari 812 N-Largo. The upgrades change the way the car looks and help improve performance as if the 812 Superfast was lacking in that department.

While we’d be hesitant to fuss with the 812 Superfast, we can say that the modified Prancing Horse looks pretty impressive with the Novitec body kit and forged wheels on it. The changes take the car from looking like a beautiful Ferrari GT car to looking like a serious racing car that just happens to be street legal. 

Designer Vittorio Strosek helped Novitec create the gorgeous widebody kit for the car. It offers F1-like aerodynamic features and changes the look of the car considerably. The kit is made of full carbon fiber, and it also adds a fixed rear wing to the car. The wheels you see on the car were developed specifically for Novitec and for this car in particular. They’re made through a partnership with wheel manufacturer Vossen. 

The wheels offer a staggered setup. The front wheels measure 21 inches and the rear come in at 22 inches. The concave design, and with five double spokes give the car a beautiful look. Novitec wraps those wheels with Pirelli P-Zero high-performance tires. The suspension also gets updates, including changes to the springs, ride height, and the addition of a front lift system that raises the front of the car at the touch of a button. 

Performance modifications for the engine include a new ECU mapping that boosts power to 829 hp. The 0-60 mph time should drop to 2.8 seconds. Novitec also recommends a special high-performance quad exhaust system. 

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May 28, 2019 / Comments Off on Novitec N-Largo Ferrari 812 Superfast Takes Things up a Notch
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What It’s Like to Play a $2.5 Million Steinway Grand Piano

In this episode of This Week In Gear: We were invited to be the very first to bring cameras into The Vault, the hugely exclusive Steinway & Sons selection room, where we talked with Todd A. Sanders, one of the three people who has access, about the how it came to be and the pianos inside it. Also, Tucker Bowe reviewed the “lightest 17-inch laptop in the world” and our staff shares their first impressions of Booker’s newest bourbon expression, “Shiny Barrel Batch.” Plus, Jack Seemer suggest three gifts for dads who love to grill, Tanner Bowden gives an overview of the incredible Peak Design Travel Tripod, and Steve Mazzucchi shares three of his must-buy beard care products.

This episode of This Week In Gear is presented by Flipboard, where quality content from the world’s best publishers and storytellers of every type is discovered.

Episode Breakdown:

The Vault at the Steinway Headquarters

Steinway & Sons has been hand making the world’s finest pianos for 160 years. Now the brand has created The Vault, a highly secure selection room that’s reserved for only its top clientele. It showcases seven of the rarest and most highly valued instruments the company has ever built. We visited Steinway’s factory and headquarters in Queens, NYC, to witness the crafting and manufacturing process first-hand, explore about the hyper-exclusive Vault and, of course, play some very rare, grail-worthy pianos.

LG Gram 17

The LG Gram 17 features a 17-inch screen and an enormous footprint. It’s also uncannily thin and weighs less than three pounds. It has mostly good guts too, save a powerful GPU. So who, exactly, is the Gram 17 best for?

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First Impressions: Booker’s Shiny Barrel Batch Bourbon

This uncut and unfiltered 124-proof bourbon is the next batch from Booker’s. The distillery says the batch has been aged 6 years, 5 months and one day. Tasting notes include “a sweet nose with a beautiful chestnut color and rich vanilla notes… The finish is medium and warm.” Bottles are available in stores now for an MSRP of $80.

Father’s Day Gifts for Dads Who Grill

Senior Editor Jack Seemer suggests a few grilling gifts for Father’s Day: stuff your dad doesn’t have, better versions of the things he does have and things he hasn’t even considered yet. Basically, everything but the grill.

Peak Design Travel Tripod

If any company could make a camera tripod exciting, sexy even, it’d be Peak Design. And now they’ve done it. Peak Design recently revealed the Travel Tripod, a compact, feature-packed camera stand that competes with the best available in every way.

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3 Essential Beard Care Products

Editor Steve Mazzucchi knows a thing or two about caring for a beard. His routine includes many steps and products, but here he reveals his essential three.

Featured Products:
• Dual-Sided Beard Comb ($8)
• Grave Before Shave Beard Butter ($25)
• American Crew Beard Serum ($18)
Watch Now: The Toyota Supra Is Finally Back After 20 Years, and We Test the DJI Osmos Action Camera

In last week’s episode: In this episode of This Week In Gear: Will Sabel Courtney gets excited about the all-new Toyota Supra; Andrew Siceloff breaks down how well DJI’s new action camera stacks up against the competition fro Go Pro; and Will Price discusses the merits of a Traeger pellet-fuel grill. Also in this episode, John Zientek explains why the $650 Veilance Rhomb rain jacket is a great buy, and Oren Hartov discusses the new Kickstarter campaign by Astor+Banks to crowdfund the company’s Sea Ranger diving watch. Watch Now
Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here. In some instances, brands have provided access to, or loans of, the products included in this episode.
May 25, 2019 / Comments Off on What It’s Like to Play a $2.5 Million Steinway Grand Piano
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Brabham Will Add a Road-Going Supercar to Its Lineup

Increasing Volume and Expanding Its Lineup

The Brabham BT62 hypercar is a wild machine capable of some insane track times. The company realizes its track monster isn’t for everyone, so it wants to introduce a more affordable supercar alternative. Dan Marks, Brabham’s commercial director had a little sit-down chat with Motoring Research and told the publication that the company will add a road-going model to its lineup and increase its volume of sales. 

According to the publication Marks wouldn’t give away much information about the car. However, he did say it would be “a road car that’s well-suited to the track.” That’s exciting. When it comes to the sales volume of this car, he said Brabham was looking to sell somewhere between 100 to 200 cars each year. “We’re not going down the McLaren route and building 6,000 cars each year – we don’t want to lose our focus.”

When will the car come? Likely in 2022. So, that means you have a few years to save up your pennies for what is bound to be an expensive automobile. Currently, the company’s focus is still on the BT62 hypercar and seeing it compete well in the World Endurance Championship races. 

If we had to guess, we’d say the upcoming Brabham supercar would compete with the likes of the McLaren 720S and Ferrari F8 Tributo. It will be interesting to see where this car lands in terms of performance and price.

May 24, 2019 / Comments Off on Brabham Will Add a Road-Going Supercar to Its Lineup
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