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All posts in “gt”

A $165,000 Audi RS e-tron GT

Some might consider the new 2022 Audi e-tron GT as a cheaper alternative to the Porsche Taycan, and while prices start at $99,900 for the Audi Premium Plus, a comparable 522 hp version from Porsche would be the Taycan 4S at $103,800, so there isn’t much difference in price at that level … but when you delve into the options list for the new Audi, things quickly change, and you get into Porsche pricing in a heartbeat.

A sample of the Audi exclusive special paint

Go for the impressive RS e-tron GT and the base price already jumps to $139,900 … that’s a $40,000 premium, and that’s before options, but now you get 637 hp with 612 lb-ft of torque, a top speed of 155 mph, and an acceleration figure of 3.1 seconds thanks to dual synchronous electric motors with 93 kWh Li-ion battery, so that’s close to Porsche Taycan Turbo specifications, but that one starts at $150,900.

Fear not, on the 2022 RS e-tron GT you can opt for the impressive Year One package at $20,350, which includes among other things 21-inch, 5-twin-spoke concept car design wheels, lots of visible carbon fiber, RS seats, RS steering wheel, carbon-ceramic brakes with red calipers, and those amazing HD Matrix-design LED headlights with Audi laser light and animation … just so you can have a show when you open or close the car.

One final way to really make your brand new Audi RS e-tron GT stand out from the crowd is to add the $3,900 Audi exclusive special paint color, which might be a good idea as the standard color palette isn’t really too extensive, to be honest, a white, some silver, a few greys, a black, a blue, a bright red and a strange shade of green they call Tactical Green metallic, and that’s it.

But this way you will end up with a bespoke Audi RS e-tron GT in an exclusive paint, if you want to stand out of the crowd with a serious counterpart from Porsche, you’ll end up with the Taycan Turbo S that starts at $185,000 but can quickly go well beyond the $200,000 mark when you start adding options to that one too, but for some, the brand will be important too at this price level … and in the end, driving an Audi just isn’t the same as driving a Porsche.

March 30, 2021 / Comments Off

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Bentley Continental GT Speed

Designed, engineered, developed, and handcrafted in Bentley’s carbon-neutral luxury automotive factory, the new third-generation Continental GT Speed is the ultimate performance-focused interpretation of the world’s benchmark luxury Grand Tourer.

With highly advanced chassis technology, and styling cues specific to Continental GT Speed, the extraordinary journey continues at 16:00 GMT, 23rd March 2021

March 16, 2021 / Comments Off

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2006 Ford GT Heritage

We all remember the very impressive Ford GT40 from the 1960s, winning Le Mans four consecutive years from 1966 to 1969, I guess most of us have seen the movie about the competition between Ford and Ferrari at that time, and to celebrate Ford’s centennial they created a more modern interpretation of those glorious race cars … the 2005 and 2006 Ford GT, in just two years of production they made a total of 4,038 units, making these modern-day classics rare, and expensive today, and they weren’t cheap to begin with, the MSRP was $149,995 in 2006.

The ‘new’ Ford GT came with a dry-sump 5.4-Liter V8 engine fitted with a twin-screw supercharger from Lysholm delivering 550 hp to the rear wheels only, a six-speed transmission was fitted, acceleration figures were 3.3 seconds from 0 to 60 mph with a top speed of 205 mph … this was a very fast Ford back in 2005.

If we look at listings for a 2006 Ford GT the price has doubled since new, most of them are around the $300,000 mark today, some a little cheaper, most of them near $350,000 and more … in 2006 a total of 2,011 Ford GT were made, but for that final year there was a special option available, the limited-production Heritage Paint Livery Package edition … only 343 units were sold with this specific option.

If you selected this option, your Ford GT would be finished in ‘Heritage Blue’ and feature those impressive ‘Epic Orange’ stripes, the cars also came four white roundels to which the owner could add a number of their liking. This special livery took inspiration from the GT40 that won Le Mans in both 1968 and 1969, chassis number 1075, which featured the now famous ‘Gulf Oil’ sponsorship.

And if you missed out on the Ford GT back in 2006, you now have a second chance as RM | Sotheby’s has one of these Ford GT Heritage listed for their Amelia Island auction on May 22, 2021. What makes this specific Ford GT Heritage, chassis 1FAFP90S26Y400783 even more interesting, is the fact it only has 2.7 miles on the odometer, this is basically a brand new, time capsule 2006 Ford GT Heritage, and it’s only 1 of 50 that were available in Canada.

This specific Ford GT Heritage was sold in Canada, which makes it slightly different from US market cars, all Canadian cars were sold with the optional forged wheels, the gray-painted brake calipers, and the regular stereo, Canadian customers couldn’t request the ‘stripe delete’ option, nor the McIntosh CD stereo system. On the other hand, Canadian Ford GT all came with daytime running lights, different foam in the front bumper, and a rear bumper that protrudes more than on US-spec models.

This is one of only a handful of remaining Ford GT that are still considered to be ‘new’, this specific one still has the driver’s seat, the steering wheels, and the door sills protected by the factory–original wrapping, it doesn’t get any newer than that. Naturally, all the original factory documentation is still present, as are the keys and user manuals … but also the original box of accessories that came with the car when new, including the set of roundel numbers in their original box.

At the time of writing, I found one other 2006 Ford GT Heritage listed for sale, in West Palm Beach, FL (which makes it a US-Spec car probably), a car with 978 miles, listed at $479,900. And while there isn’t an estimate listed for the RM Sotheby’s auction listing yet, I wonder if this Canadian one with even fewer miles will reach that number, or sell for an even higher amount.

February 27, 2021 / Comments Off

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Bentley just built the 80,000th Continental GT in Crewe

The Home of Bentley in Crewe, UK has produced the 80,000^th individual, made-to-order example of the Continental GT – the world’s definitive luxury grand tourer. The 80,000^th car – a right-hand drive Continental GT V8 in Orange Flame – was handcrafted earlier this week, in the world’s first carbon neutral factory for luxury car production.

In 1952, the Bentley R-Type Continental made its debut; a Mulliner-bodied coupe with a top speed of just less than 120 mph. It was the fastest four-seater car in the world and very quickly earned a reputation as the ultimate in high-speed luxury.

In 2003, the Continental GT was launched – the first car of the modern Bentley era. Inspired by the R-Type, the first Continental GT established an entirely new market segment – the modern luxury Grand Tourer. Ever since, it has been the unchallenged benchmark for the sector that it founded, with an average of nearly 5,000 examples a year being delivered to customers around the world.

Today, eighteen years later, Bentley’s skilled craftspeople – many of whom will have worked on the very first example of the Continental GT (still owned by Bentley) – have handcrafted the 80,000^th car. Over this period the style, technology and engineering beneath the car has evolved significantly, seeing an increase of up to 27 per cent in peak power, whilst models within the range have also achieved a reduction over the original Continental GT of 48 per cent in CO₂ emissions.

Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark, comments:

“At its launch in 2003, Bentley redefined the modern grand tourer with the revolutionary Continental GT. Now in 2021, the GT continues to be the ultimate luxury grand tourer, encompassing the latest technology, performance and style. This success is a testament to the skills of our designers, engineers and craftspeople here in Crewe.”

“I had the pleasure of launching the original GT in 2003 in my first stint at Bentley, and being here for the launch of the latest generation – and the iterations that have followed – has been a source of great pride for me personally. It will continue to be the iconic backbone of the Bentley business for years to come, even as we transition to the world’s leading provider of sustainable luxury mobility.”

The platform beneath the car was upgraded to a Bentley design for the third generation, allowing a totally new stance, proportions and levels of dynamic ability that raised the bar again. Wrapped in a totally new bodywork design, with sharper lines and more flowing surfaces, the Continental GT remains a stylish and thoroughly contemporary grand tourer.

A statement of true luxury, the third generation Continental GT represents the pinnacle of Bentley’s two-door design and engineering achievements. Effortlessly elegant and more sculpted and sharply defined, the body and materials combine to create truly breath-taking cars.

With a choice of powertrains, one of the most extensive colour palettes in the world and with almost limitless interior options, unique configurations can run into billions of variations. Indeed, there are currently a total of 17 billion ways in which a customer can specify a Continental GT. Beyond that, through the services of Bentley Mulliner – Bentley’s in-house bespoke division – the only limitation is the imagination of the customer. Owning a Continental GT guarantees both individuality and exclusivity, despite being part of a family now 80,000 strong.

The 80,000^th vehicle is an eye catching Continental GT V8 in Orange Flame, finished with the optional Blackline Specification and Styling Specification, both adding to the car’s presence and hinting at the GT’s performance credentials.

A Family Gathering to Celebrate
To mark the production milestone, Bentley drew on its heritage fleet to show the evolution and achievements of the Continental GT since 2003.

Marking the car through its generations were:

The very first production Continental GT, VIN 0001, still a taxed-and-tested car on Bentley’s fleet
A Continental Supersports coupe, considered by many to be the pinnacle of the first generation GT family
A second generation Continental GT V8 S coupe, finished in Jetstream
From the current press fleet, a Dragon Red Continental GT Convertible

The Continental GT has also supported Bentley’s long tradition of racing and record breaking that started in the 1920s when the Bentley Boys set the pace at European circuits. In 1922, John Duff drove his Bentley 3 Litre single handed for 24 hours, at an average speed of almost 87 mph at Brooklands to secure 39 Class D records. And in 1928, another 3 Litre driven by Dudley Froy became the first car to achieve more than 115 mph over a distance of 100 miles at the same venue.

To mark recent achievements, the line-up was joined by some of the most exciting performance-focused Continental GTs:

The first Ice Speed Record GT, driven by four-times World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen, which smashed the world ice speed record in 2007, reaching an average speed of 199.86 mph (321.65 km/h) on frozen sea off the coast of Finland.
The first-generation Continental GT3 racecar, that returned Bentley to winning ways on the racetrack in 2014 and secured victories on tracks all around the world
The 2019 Pikes Peak GT, which still holds the Production Class record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Driven by three-time champion Rhys Millen, the car took 8.4 seconds off the previous record along the 12.42-mile course, climbing 5,000 ft through 156 bends in just 10 minutes, 18.4 seconds.
The 2020 Ice Race GT, which took part in the GP Ice Race at Zell Am See in February last year on the same weekend that the final member of the line-up – the latest-generation Continental GT3 – won the Bathurst 12 Hour in Australia.

After 18 years and three generations, the Continental GT is still the quintessential grand tourer – phenomenally powerful, beautifully designed and exquisitely crafted.

January 30, 2021 / Comments Off

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ATS rises from the ashes with its gorgeous GT supercar

Here’s a name we haven’t heard from in a while: Automobili Turismo e Sport is throwing its name back as an entrant in the war of the supercars with its new GT, a coupe that serves as a successor to a never-produced gran turismo car from the 1960s. True to its rarified segment, just 12 models will be produced starting at about $1.33 million, each highly customized to the purchaser’s tastes.

The coupe is a successor to the 2500 GT, which was revealed at the 1963 Paris Motor Show but never went into production before the entire company shut down in 1964. ATS was launched by Carlo Chiti and Giotto Bizzarrini after leaving Ferrari in 1961 due to a dispute with Enzo Ferrari. The initial aim was to beat Ferrari, and the company managed to produce a Formula One racer and the mid-engine 2500 GT.

Despite teasing several models in recent years, the GT will be the company’s first new production supercar in nearly half a century. Today’s version of the company is being run by ATS’s design chief, Emanuele Bomboi, and Daniele Maritan, a former race car driver turned importer and distributor of fast sports cars. The company insists this rebirth “is not a ‘nostalgia’ operation” and says it has other ideas it plans to develop beyond the GT.

Bombi formerly worked for Fiat and Bertone, and it shows in the GT’s styling. “The side silhouette of this new Gran Turismo is charged with energy, with clean lines framing arched surfaces,” the company says. “The outlines above the wheel are evocative while a clean flowing line divides the car’s upper and lower halves. As with the original car’s design, the windows provide a focus for the flanks of the car.” The new car also borrows its predecessor’s front spoiler, which runs the whole width of the car with the same blue Dragon of Bologna logo, with two stripes running along the bonnet. It gets a carbon fiber body and chassis for a curb weight of 2,866 pounds.

Powering the GT is a 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 mounted behind the cabin that does 650 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Or, buyers can upgrade to a 700-horsepower version with 553 lb-ft of torque. Either is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the rear wheels. Zero to 60 time is around 3 seconds, and top speed is around 206 mph. Three driving modes are offered — Viaggio, Sport and Corsa — with each configuration changing the colors of the cockpit controls from blue, to yellow and red, respectively.

Does that sound a lot like the McLaren 650S to you? It does to us. That’s likely what this car is based on, although we don’t have any info at the moment about ATS’ relationship with McLaren, if there is one. We’ll know more, hopefully, when it’s closer to launch.

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November 6, 2017 / Comments Off

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