Special and Limited Editions

All posts in “Special and Limited Editions”

Kimera EVO37 Martini 7 celebrates Martini Racing’s seven WRC trophies

Two years ago, Kimera launched its EVO37, a modern and thoroughly gorgeous tribute to the 1983 Lancia 037 World Rally Championship car. When Kimera put its EVO37 on the start line of the Sardinia Rally last year, the coupe wore the same Martini Racing Team colors used by the 1983 car. This year, Kimera is using a different Martini Racing livery to debut an evolution of the Kimera EVO37 that’s even closer to the original and celebrates the seven Lancia-powered Martini Racing Team World Rally Championship titles. The 037 won a single title, the last two-wheel-drive WRC entry to do so. The Lancia Delta S4 and its variations won the remainder. Company boss Luca Betti again worked with Miki Biasion, who won back-to-back WRC Driver’s Championships piloting the Lancia Delta, and Lancia engineers of the time to lighten and sharpen the EVO37 into the Martini 7.

Starting with the performance mods, the supercharged and turbocharged 2.1-liter four-cylinder now makes 550 horsepower instead of 505 hp, and 406 pound-feet of torque. Power heads to the rear axle via a standard manual or optional sequential transmission, but the gears have shorter, more rally-like ratios. Gawkers are invited to further appreciate what lies behind the cockpit thanks to the new quick-release lower bumper as was found on the Lancia 037 Evo 2. Undoing the clips shows quad pipes in a white ceramic coating matching the new paintwork that runs all the way up the exhaust runners.

The new carbon fiber aero package adds intakes behind the front doors, vents on the tops of the fenders, and additional descending steps in the engine cover surround. The new wheels recall the Delta Evoluzione, as does the passenger compartment, now made entirely from carbon fiber and getting the car down to about 2,425 pounds. The seats are inspired by those in the Delta S4, trimmed in blue perforated Alcantara with red stitching that matches accents on the door cards and ceiling. The gauges glow in fluorescent orange, the buttons and knobs laid out just as they were in the 1983 Lancia 037.

The pearl effect white Martini Racing Livery with blue, light blue, and red strips comes most resembles that of the special edition Lancia Delta Martini 5 and Martini 6 cars, produced in the early 1990s to celebrate the Delta’s fifth and sixth WRC trophies. The other obvious indications this is something different are the “World Rally Championship” script along the sides and “Martini Racing” on the rear spoiler.

As with the first iteration, Kimera will make just 37 of the EVO37 Martini 7. We hope those light bars are part of the package, because it would be criminal to drive this without them. Kimera didn’t release a price, but somewhere north of the 480,000 euros ($533,700 U.S.) of the original is a good place to start dreaming.

April 23, 2023 / Comments Off

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2023 Lamborghini Huracan celebrates 60 years with 180 special-edition cars

A person’s 60th birthday is the diamond jubilee, considered one’s entry into the golden years and the autumn of life. Lamborghini’s blowing out its 60 candles this year, the new Revuelto proving the Sant’Agata Bolognese automaker plans no such dissolution. The next phase of the party involves the 2023 Huracán 60th Anniversary Edition, three limited-run specials numbering 60 examples each put together with custom color combinations and badging. Dicing matters further, each limited edition comes in two color configurations, making a total of six across the range, all embellished with “1 of 60” plaques in carbon fiber and the “60th” on the bodywork and seats.

Both versions of the hardcore Huracán Super Trofeo Omologata (STO) are said to be inspired by vibrant sportwear and the iconic two-tones of athletic team kit. The first version is all kinds of blue, something like the Squadra Azzurri Italian national soccer team. This one gets Blu Aegeus bodywork with Blu Astraeus contrasts, and can hit the hat trick with exposed carbon fiber trim in Blu Mira. The interior is in Nero Cosmus (black) and Grigio Octans (gray) Alcantara, offset by Nero Ade (another black) trim and Blu Amon (another blue) embroidery. The second Huracán STO does its showing off inside. It goes for a muted Grigio Telesto (gray) and Nero Noctis (yet another black) with traditional carbon fiber accents. This cabin comes in Nero Cosmus and Grigio Octans Alcantara, the leather accents and stitching in Rosso Alala (red). A set of 20-inch forged aluminum Hek rims in matte black complete both.

The Huracán Tecnica looks to motorsports liveries and the Italian flag, called the Tricolore. One variant wears Grigio Telesto (another gray) bodywork with Nero Noctis and Rosso Mars (another red) details. Opening the door reveals a Nero Ade Alcantara cabin with Rosso Alala accents. The other variant comes in Bianco Asopo (white) bodywork with double stripes in Verde Viper (green), the cabin in Nero Ade Alcantara and more Verde Viper.

Finally, the Huracán EVO Spyder remixes the arrangements on the other cars. Going back to the blue well, one version’s dressed in Blu Le Mans bodywork adorned with Bianco Isi (another white) details. The cockpit sticks with the popular Nero Ade Alcantara, this time punctuated by Blu Amon embroidery and piping in Bianco Leda (another white). The alternative is a Verde Viper droptop with Bianco Isi stripes, its interior lashed up with Nero Ade Alcantara plus Rosso Alala and Bianco Leda accents.

The Tecnica and EVO Spyder both sit on 20-inch Damiso shiny black rims.

All three cars will be unveiled in full on Friday, April 21, at the Segheria in Milan.

April 19, 2023 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Invencible and Autentica are its final NA V12 cars

A few months ago, we wrote that the final production units of the Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae represented the end of the reign of the naturally aspirated V12 in Sant’Agata Bolognese, and the last Aventador Ultimae meant the end of an NA V12 Aventador. Seems we were mistaken. Lamborghini now tells us these two one-offs are the proper and (maybe) final end of the NA V12. Created for a customer who worked with Lamborghini Centro Stile from inception, the duo are the Invencible (the Spanish spelling of “Invincible”) coupe and Auténtica roadster.

They’re not only farewells, they are greatest-hits compilations said to combine design features from the Reventón from 2008, the Sesto Elemento from 2010, the Veneno from 2013, and the 830-horsepower Essenza SCV12 track-only coupe from 2020. Lamborghini didn’t mention the Sián FKP 37, but the headlights are a match, and the side vents are a mix between the Sián and the Sesto Elemento.

Both are based on the Aventador’s carbon fiber tub, and both feature a 6.5-liter V12 making 769 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque.

The Invencible wears carbon fiber panels in Rosso Efesto, which is Hephaestus Red, Hephaestus being the Greek god of things like fire and volcanoes. The paint’s accented with carbon-look elements that glint with red flakes, brake calipers in Rosso Mars, and pure carbon. The hexagonal Tricolore on the door fits in with numerous other six-sided elements like the DRLs, three-part taillights, and exhaust. A tidy, angular swan-neck wing hovers over the rear fascia, its stanchions anchored beside the backlight.

Inside is a mix of Rosso Alala leather, Nero Cosmus Alcantara, and contrast stitching in Rosso Alala and Nero Ade. Rosso Efesto is used on the steering wheel and for the shift paddles. Designers removed the Aventador’s infotainment screen, moving all readouts to the digital gauge display and leaving twin hexagonal vents to dominate the open space over a pocket trimmed in red.

The Auténtica roadster is painted in Grigio Titans with details in Giallo Auge (Yellow Peak) and Matte Black. Instead of the Invencible’s rear wing, a pair of fins highlighted by a yellow line channel air over the rear spoiler. Inside, occupants sit on Nero Ade leather and Giallo Taurus stitching, and can ogle two-tone Nero Cosmus and Grigio Octans Alcantara.

This is really it for the V12. We think. The next engine out of the Sant’Agata gates will be the Aventador’s V12 hybrid successor, which Lamborghini says it only a few weeks away.

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February 6, 2023 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate is a little more powerful, different looking

Aston Martin is bringing this iteration of the DBS sports car to a close, so of course it’s doing so with one more special edition: the DBS 770 Ultimate. It is one of the most powerful versions of the car, and has a selection of unique features. And like so many other special high-end sports cars, every example has been sold.

The headlining feature of the 770 is its extra power. It makes 759 horsepower, 44 more than the standard version, and basically the same as the DBS GT Zagato. Torque remains the same, though. A tweaked intake and ignition system plus 7% more boost pressure is responsible for the extra power. Top speed has not increased, though, sticking to 211 mph.

There are other light upgrades both performance-wise and design-wise. Additional vents have been added to the hood and a new splitter added to the front; both modifications are meant to improve cooling. More carbon fiber trim on the outside along with side sills, a diffuser, and unique wheels make it look more aggressive. The steering column has solid mounts for better steering feel. The front end is 25% stiffer than before, and the whole car is stiffer by 3% thanks to a redesigned front subframe and rear undertray. The transmission and adaptive suspension have been retuned, too. But it has the same carbon ceramic brakes and mechanical limited-slip differential as the regular car.

The interior gets some attention, too. The standard seats are Sports Plus units with more aggressive ones available. A special strap and buckle have been added to the center console. Of course, the interior and the exterior can be further customized with different colors, materials, graphics and more.

As previously mentioned, every DBS 770 Ultimate has already been sold. Only 499 will be built, 300 of which are coupes and 199 are convertibles. Aston didn’t give a price, which is understandable when it’s not even really on sale in a traditional way. But we’re sure each one will go for a fair premium over a standard model. Production starts soon, with deliveries coming in the third quarter of this year.

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January 18, 2023 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin will celebrate 110 years with a special car

Aston Martin turns 110 this year, and of course it’s going to celebrate the way any car company would: creating a special car. But this is, presumably, not the Aston Martin DBS 770 that was teased just recently.

Unfortunately, what this special Aston is, is wide open for speculation. With Aston’s anniversary announcement, it gave absolutely no details nor even a shaded teaser image. And the time frame is “later this year.”

So let’s speculate. Certainly a way to really wow fans and wealthy customers with a special anniversary car would be to do a version of the company’s halo car, the Valkyrie. After all, it’s so important that Aston used it in the anniversary announcement photos along with the 1923 Razor Blade race car. Maybe it’ll be a higher-output Valkyrie with extra slippery body work as a throwback to the Razor Blade. Or not! Like we said, it could be almost anything.

And in trying to narrow down a reveal date, there are a few key events for supercar builders to reveal machinery. The first would be the Geneva Motor Show, which is sort of happening this year. It’s being run by the same organizers, but the location is in Qatar. Then in the summer is the Goodwood Festival of Speed. If the car hasn’t been revealed before then or during, it would be a great opportunity for Aston to run a camouflaged version of the car up the hill.

At the very least, we’re sure we’ll see this special Aston no later than the Pebble Beach Concours. And with how the show effectively turned into the successor to the Geneva show last year, it would be a great location, as well as about the last big wealthy car show of the year, if it isn’t shown sooner.

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January 12, 2023 / Comments Off

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Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Coupe coming to a track near you

Hennessey isn’t finished milking the Venom. The Texas performance shop revealed the Venom F5 Coupe in December 2020, the Venom F5 Roadster in August of last year, and is kicking off 2023 with the Venom F5 Revolution Coupe. In Hennessey’s hierarchy of speeds, the original car was engineered to reach the highest production-car top velocity; the Roadster that followed was engineered to provide the most visceral experience; this F5 Revolution was made to master the track. Worked up from the initial F5 Coupe, the F5 Revolution gets the same basic goodies — carbon tub, 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 1,817 horsepower and 1,193 pound-feet of torque, seven-speed automated single-clutch sequential transmission, carbon ceramic brakes. Hennessey says “the engineering team focused on reducing mass” so that the newest trim is the lightest Venom model and “tips the scales below 3,000 pounds.” However, the the F5 Coupe is already less than 3,000 pounds and company didn’t specify a new weight.

There are plenty of verifiable changes, though. A reshaped carbon fiber front splitter pairs with dive planes at the leading corners. A roof scoop shoves air into the mid-engine bay for enhanced cooling. The stand-up, adjustable carbon rear wing with endplates is claimed to shove more than 800 pounds of downforce on the rear axle at 186 miles per hour and more than 1,400 pounds of downforce at 249 mph. For those keeping track of the high-speed testing, Hennessey said the standard coupe hit 271.6 mph in March at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Ground. This one will be a touch less alacritous because of the appendages, but few owners will reach even 249 mph unless they end up at a Spa-Francorchamps track day.

Internal changes include a new transmission calibration, a more aggressive suspension setup, adjustable dampers, and wider forged alloy wheels making a larger contact patch. An available telemetry package displays and records circuit data including lap times, splits, and G-force.

The cost: $2.7 million, which is $600,000 more than the coupe, $300,000 less than the Roadster. We’re told it’s limited to 24 units, but our Spidey sense tells us that Hennessey calling this the Venom F5 Revolution Coupe points to a Venom F5 Revolution Roadster heading this way at around 250 mph. Anyone in southern Florida next week can see this family member make its debut at the Miami Motorcar Cavalcade Concours d’Elegance on January 15, 2023.

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January 9, 2023 / Comments Off

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Alfa Romeo teases 6C supercar taillight

Alfa Romeo’s latest reboot takes its next steps this year with the arrival of the refreshed Giulia and Stelvio to the U.S. market, and the debut of the new Tonale. The Italians primed the pump with an Instagram video celebrating 2022 and asking if we’re ready for 2023. At the end of the vid, Alfa Romeo answers its own question with, “We Are.” And as it’s clear to see, the first “e” is a brand new font we’ve not seen Alfa use before. Everyone expects this is a taillight from the supercar that brand chief Jean-Philippe Imperato starting hinting about last year, intel coalescing around the name 6C. If that ends up being the name, the new supercar would complete the trilogy of 2007’s 8C and 2015’s 4C.

If Evo can be believed, the 6C will borrow much of its tech spec from the Maserati MC20. Even more unexpected, Evo says Alfa Romeo will advertise the halo as a bridge between its internal combustion era and its electric era, so the supercar will be offered with ICE and EV powertrains. An electric MC20 is on the way, so the plan won’t be a tough jump. The most unexpected bit is when Evo says the Alfa Romeo supercar will use Maserati’s in-house Nettuno V6 designed for the MC20, whereas most believe Alfa plans to go with the 2.9-liter V6 used throughout its lineup and in other halos like the Giula GTA/Am. If Evo is correct, this is sounding like another 8C, that car based on the Maserati GranTurismo and using Maserati’s Ferrari-based engine of the time.

It’s a bit of a challenge to reconcile Evo’s report with some aspects of what Imperato said in an interview with Autocar. The honcho told Autocar, “It’s 1969 [the Spider] since the last time Alfa Romeo was stamped on a chassis” and it would be “a cool thing” to see again under his watch. We don’t envision that happening to the Dallara carbon fiber monocoque chassis designed for the MC20. Imperato also said the automaker’s still fine tuning the business case and that “the positioning is ongoing.” If Alfa Romeo were nabbing the $260,000 MC20 practically wholesale, the only positions are super spendy supercar and wildly spendy supercar. Lastly, the all-electric MC20 Folgore isn’t expected until 2024, the Alfa supercar at the end of 2023. It’s hardly believable Alfa Romeo would be allowed to electrify that chassis before Maserati had a chance to get it out and crow about it.

Whatever Alfa’s new halo ends up being, Imperarto said he’d like to tell the world about it in March.

Back with the regular range, Autocar said that from this year, every year that Alfa posts good numbers will unlock the ability to introduce a new model on top of the ones already planned through 2027. The current product plan includes the crossover below the Tonale in 2024, otherwise known as Alfa’s version of the European-market Jeep Avenger, as well as a larger SUV thought to replace the Stelvio in 2026. and a new-generation Giulia in 2025. For the boss, annual success means the chance to please Alfisti with products like a new Spider or Duetto — although they’d be all-electric.

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January 4, 2023 / Comments Off

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McMurtry Speirling blitzes the (metric) quarter-mile in 7.97 seconds

In August, the McMurtry Automotive Spéirling set a new overall record up the 1.16-mile hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with a time of 39.14 seconds. McMurtry took that Goodwood car in its Goodwood spec to one of Carwow’s open-air studios, this one at the Millbrook Proving Ground, so the YouTube channel could climb all over the single-seater and run its trademark acceleration tests. The Millbrook runs yielded a 0-60 run of 2.09 seconds and a standing quarter-mile time of 8.64 seconds using an independent GPS measurement device. But the strip was wet, leaving presenter Mat Watson unsatisfied. To get his satisfaction, Carwow transported the Speirling to the Silverstone circuit, hiring the track and a jet-powered dryer truck to lay a grippy line down the Hangar Straight. Those finer conditions allowed the Speirling, in the video above, to blitz the 0-60 in 1.4 seconds and the quarter-mile in 7.97 seconds.

Those are both record times for Carwow, displacing the Rimac Nevera from first place. Watson previously ran the Croatian battery-electric hypercar to 60 miles per hour in 1.9 seconds and the quarter in 8.6 seconds. The Pininfarina Battista claimed the production-car record for 0-60 acceleration at 1.79 seconds.

There’s a few hundredths worth of gray area in the comparison for now. The Nevera is a production car, the Speirling most definitely is not. McMurtry is developing a road-legal production version that’s likely a couple of years away. Watson set his Speirling times with the fan car’s custom slick tires, the rear pushers being 240-section. So far as we can tell, the all-wheel drive Nevera travels the world setting times on its production tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, 275-section in front, 315-section in back.

The Speirling’s waiting to spring a big surprise, though, since its Goodwood gearing limits top speed to 150 mph. Watson said the Speirling sat at 150 mph for “approximately three seconds” of that blazing quarter-mile time. Fyi, the English quarter-mile is 400 meters, or 1,312.3 feet compared to our 1,320-foot quarter-mile. At 150 mph, it would take the Speirling about another 0.04 second to do the U.S.A. drag. Drag Times ran the Nevera to an 8.582 quarter on a prepped track in the U.S. in August.

Although we wouldn’t expect a different finishing order than Carwow established, getting the street-legal Speirling and a Nevera on the same track on the same day on production tires would tell us how close the two cars are.

Before the runs, Watson gets instruction in the Speirling’s methods from chief engineer Kevin Ukoko-Rongione and company test driver Max Chilton. For instance, two fans provide the roughly 4,400 pounds of downforce, but it’s a redundant system; Ukoko-Rongione said that although both fans runs together, a single fan can provide most of the car’s downforce. It’s worth watching the buildup because this is a fascinating car.

December 27, 2022 / Comments Off

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Zenvo TSR-GT ends the TSR range with a 263-mph top speed

The Danes aren’t known for being flashy, which helps explain how Danish supercar maker Zenvo has been building and selling 1,000-horsepower, million-dollar coupes since the ST1 in 2008. Zenvo introduced the latest evolution of its single product in 2016, the TSR. Next year, the TSR will be replaced by an all-new model, so the company developed an end-of-life special called the TSR-GT to mark the milestone. The TSR-GT joins the TS1 GT and TSR-S trims on the same base platform, the last of which we saw in 2018 showing off its highly unconventional Centripetal Wing. The TSR-GT makes no unexpected gestures, its remit to be fast and comfortable (for a hypercar).

The first step in the achievement is more horsepower. In-house engineers developed a Power Pack for the 5.8-liter twin-supercharged flat-plane-crank V8 consisting of a new intake plenum, manifold, and ECU tuning. Upgraded with a flex fuel sensor that adds E85 capability on top of regular pump fuel, output climbs from 1,177 horsepower to 1,360 hp.

Cutting through the air is easier thanks to the lack of a roof scoop intake, a longer, lower, fixed rear spoiler, and new aero wheel covers. Working in conjunction with the new final drive so the TSR-GT can stretch its legs further, top speed climbs from the 202 miles per hour of the TSR-S to 263 mph. That’s a little faster than the 250-mph McLaren Speedtail, a little behind the 273-mph Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+.

Interior comfort — as if any owner’s going to drive this like the GT in the name suggests — steps up by having leather replace naked carbon and Alcantara in places like the instrument panel, seats and steering wheel, finished with leather-trimmed velour floor mats that help reduce cabin noise.

Zenvo’s making just three TSR-GT’s, all of them sold. Whatever arrives to replace it next year is rumored to used a twin-turbo V12 and electric motors producing a combined 1,800 horsepower.

November 28, 2022 / Comments Off

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2023 Audi R8 to be the 17th and last year for the super coupe

In October, Audi introduced us to the final special edition for the R8, the 2023 Audi R8 V10 GT RWD. This was the second coming of the GT name to the Audi lineup, following the 2012 Audi R8 V10 GT. Audi limited the previous car to 333 coupes and 333 Spyders. The new GT will only get 333 coupes, R8 technical manager Nils Fischer telling CarBuzz there isn’t enough overall R8 production left to squeeze in a Spyder. The Ingolstadt automaker figures to build about 2,000 R8s at for the 2023 model year, then the R8 is dead after two generations and 17 years on the market. As it stands, there’s no successor anywhere near ready to go. Fischer told Car and Driver the details of a next-gen car are still being sorted out.

The consensus has been there’s something electric headed for the top spot. Audi produced a very short lived electric R8 E-Tron with the second-gen R8, selling just 100 examples in a year before pulling the plug. As EVs became the thing, rumors of another electric R8 persisted. Sometimes the rumors were spun from conceptual cloth, like then when Audi showed the PB18 E-Tron Concept in 2018. Sometimes these were spun from unnamed insiders, like the 2019 prediction that there would be an R8 E-Tron GTR based on the Porsche Taycan’s platform. Sometimes they came from executive statements, like when a brand VIP told Automotive News in 2021 an R8 EV “won’t just be an R8 with an electric motor,” it would be, rather, “an R8 but different.” And sometimes whispers from “Audi insiders” got the rumor spigot going again, like when Autocar wrote in September of this year that “the supercar has not yet been officially signed off but is very much underway” and won’t be called R8 nor look like the R8, and when Car and Driver wrote a month later the car is codenamed Rnext and has been pushed back to 2029.

Even the powertrain is up in the air, apparently, thanks to the European Union leaving a door open to synthetic fuels for now. An Audi project manager has already said he believes the ICE could survive past 2030 in Europe. On top of this, all the shuffling going on at the VW group with respect to personnel, platforms, software, and tentpole product initiatives like Project Trinity tend to reduce visibility to just beyond arm’s length. The only sound bet is that there will be something to occupy the halo spot sometime before the end of the decade.

Meanwhile, start saving your Christmas card money. The Audi R8 V10 Performance RWD starts at about $162,000 in the U.S., and it’s going, going, almost gone.

November 26, 2022 / Comments Off

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1,204-hp Hennessey Venom 1200 is the new kingsnake

In 2019, Texas tuner Hennessey Performance did some open heart surgery on a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, swapping the supercharger on the Mustang’s 5.2-liter Predator engine for two turbochargers. The result waved a fast goodbye to the GT500’s stock 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. Available in two outputs and called the Venom 1000 or Venom 1200, the latter made 1,200 hp at 7,000 rpm and 1,000 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. You know what they say about one good turn, so say hello again to the Venom 1000 and Venom 1200, this time with one (really big) screw instead of two compressors. Hennessey removed the 2.65-liter supercharger from the stock GT500, laying in a 3.8-liter unit. Final specs for the bigger boy are 1,204 hp at 7,600 rpm and 902 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm.

Engineers breathed on the drivetrain from the intake to the exhaust. There’s a new high-flow induction system and intercooler, upgraded belts, fittings, lines, and tensioners, an air/oil separation system and a recalibrated dual-clutch transmission to swallow all that extra oomph. Of course, new anodized billet fuel rails and injectors convey a lot more fuel from tank to nozzle. Speaking of which, the new Venoms can run on pump gas; however, the 1200 will only corral 900 horses on basic premium. They need E85 to get out the whole herd.

The Venom 1200 conversion costs $59,950 on top of the price of a new GT500, a dealer showroom GT500 starting at $80,815 before options and all the rest. The previous Venoms weren’t capped, but the reboots are, Hennessey saying there will be just 66 of them, the number tied to Ford winning the 1966 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Customers who want to make that connection public can check the box for the livery in black, red and white for $4,950. It honors the Ford GT40 Mk II that won the French race. We can’t exactly call these prices a bargain, but they’re a lot less than a similar rework Shelby American’s done to the GT500 and called the Code Red. Going the twin-turbo route, the Code Red makes 1,300 hp and 1,000 lb-ft on E85, or 1,000 hp and 780 lb-ft on pump gas. There are only 30 of them, ten a year for three model years, making them more than twice as exclusive as the Venom 1200. They’re also more than twice as costly, the stewards of Carroll Shelby’s legacy charging $209,995 for the Code Red, which doesn’t include the donor coupe. But the Code Red is sold out, making the Venom 1200 the kingsnake for now.

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October 31, 2022 / Comments Off

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Ultra-rare Nissan GTR-50 is up for sale in Canada

Occasionally, a super-weird concept car or rare one-off coach-built model will cross an auction block or sales listing. Their off-the-wall designs and futuristic shapes look cool, but concepts aren’t always drivable. A few years back, Nissan pulled back the curtain on its GT-R50 concept, a coach-built GT-R designed by Italdesign. Instead of the one-off concept going up for sale, the car you see here is one of 50 units Nissan/Italdesign built for the road.

This GTR-50 is offered by Legendary Motorcar in Ontario, Canada. It’s number 11 of the planned 50, though the seller notes that only 19 have been built. Nissan didn’t close the order books until July of this year but hasn’t confirmed the production totals or the number of customer sales.

The GTR-50 was a 50th birthday celebration for the GT-R nameplate and Italdesign, the shop responsible for penning the concept. People became so enamored with the car that Nissan agreed to build a limited run of 50 units. Though it’s immediately recognizable as a GT-R, the GTR-50 is a sleeker coach-built car with more interesting lines and a funky optional rear hydraulic wing.

Nissan modified the car’s twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine with turbochargers from a GT-R GT3 car and massaged the internals with beefier pistons, a new crankshaft, and more. Those updates boosted output from the standard car’s 565 ponies (2021 model) to 710 horsepower. Torque climbed to 585 pound-feet, almost 100 more than the standard car, and Nissan updated the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox to handle the power.

Legendary Motorcar didn’t publish pricing for the GT-R50, but it’s a safe bet that it will sell for far more than the vast majority of people can afford. The 50 cars Nissan sold carried a starting price of around $1.1 million, and this car’s odometer still shows delivery mileage. Given the recent excitement (and money) surrounding other rare car sales, this one could be quite a shocker.

October 6, 2022 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae Roadster ends non-hybrid V12 production

To quote Hall & Oates: “She’s gone,” the “she” here being the Lamborghini Aventador. The last of the scissor-doored supercars with a naturally-aspirated V12 rolled off the line in LP 780-4 Ultimae Roadster form colored an Ad Personam light blue, headed for a quiet life in Switzerland. That also closed the chapter on the 350 coupes and 250 roadsters made in Ultimae spec. This is a belated end-of-life, the Italian concern restarting production lines after 85 Lamborghinis, 15 of them Aventador Ultimaes destined for the U.S. market, got torched on the cargo ship Felicity Ace in March of this year. The final tally for the latest V12 spreadsheet counts 11,465 cars delivered in 11 years, more than doubling the entire sales count of its predecessor, the Murcielago, and exceeding the combined sales of every one of Lamborghini’s V12 models since the 3.5-liter V12 in the 350 GT in 1964.

What began with the 6.5-liter 12-cylinder with 691-horsepower and 509 pound-feet of torque in 2022 ended with that engine making 760 hp and 531 lb-ft in the Ultimae. The official 0-to-62 mile per hour dash came down a tenth of a second in that time, depending on where you look, from 2.9 seconds to 2.8. Top speed rose from 217 mph to 220. Plenty fast then, plenty fast now. Between those yardposts there have been more than 10 one-offs and limited editions. The former group includes the Jota, SVJ Xago, and the SC18 Alston track car. The latter group counts the Anniversario, Veneno, Centenario, and Sian FKP 37. There were also innovations like the enclosed carbon fiber monocoque supported by “flying doctors” that traveled the world to help diagnose and repair damage that benefited owners. There was the pushrod suspension that turned a heavyweight into a flickable canyon runner, benefiting all drivers. There was the Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) single-shift transmission, which Lamborghini says was “chosen for lightweight compactness and the most emotive shift.” Given its tidal shifting motion and occasionally clumsy changes under partial throttle or when trying to figure out what the driver wanted in changing conditions, we never figured out who that benefited.

What comes next will be a hybrid V12 powertrain wrapped in looks that, based on spy shots, will evolve the latest design language with details like new lights, bladed B-pillars, and high-rise exhaust. Shouldn’t be long to wait now. But no matter what comes, to paraphrase Hall & Oates on the Aventador again: There can never be what she was to us.

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September 28, 2022 / Comments Off

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Ferrari SP51 is a V12 roadster with gorgeous paint based on the 812 GTS Spider

Ferrari says it spends an average of two years on its one-off Special Project cars such as the SP48 Unica from earlier this year, which was based on the F8 Tributo. Here’s another before the year is out, the SP51 that rides on the bones of the 812 GTS convertible. A Taiwan-based client and collector had the idea and the funds to make it happen, working with the Ferrari Styling Center on a highly advanced and proper roofless roadster that nods to historical Ferrari roadsters as well. A reshaped front fascia houses a black, carbon fiber insert below smaller headlights. Another large section of exposed carbon fiber piece below the windshield reaches forward to the hood vents, framing the center of the hood. Along the flanks, the 812’s upswept sculpting is redirected, scalloped sides rising gently to the middle of the door then descending toward the rear wheels. Above that, a pair of flying-buttress-like cowls help shape the dark lines of rear intakes behind the cabin. A carbon fiber wing runs across the car above the cowls, concealing the roll hoops.

A custom set of rims are set off by carbon fiber wing profiles in the front fenders. In back, the quad taillights peek out from below the decklid spoiler and above the deep, layered diffuser. Ferrari said it took a heap of “CFD simulations, wind tunnel and dynamic testing” in order to imbue the “ultimate in comfort in the cabin, but also the same standard of acoustic comfort and wind feel as the car that inspired it.”

That color seen outside and in is Rosso Passionale, a custom hue applied in three layers. The blue and white stripes running over the body and through the cabin pay tribute to the blue and white livery inspired by a 1955 Ferrari 410 S, an early race car powered by a 5.0-liter V12. A 410 S with chassis number 0592CM shows off that paint scheme, the roadster driven by Carroll Shelby to wins in Palm Springs the year it was delivered to owner Tony Parravano.

The cabin continues the blue and red theme, with Rosso Passionale offset by blue striping and white cross stitching on the instrument panel lower, seats, center tunnel, and doors. It can’t be bought so the price doesn’t matter, making the only real question: Would you have this, or the Ferrari Special Projects roadster from 2014, the F12 TRS?

September 28, 2022 / Comments Off

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Delage D12 gets two new open-top treatments, Speedster and F1

Delage spent a long, hot American summer showing its D12 to local audiences. The reborn French brand wants to sell nine cars here and one in Canada, and it seems the job is nearly done, with CEO Laurent Tapie saying seven of the U.S. offerings have been spoken for. Unlike in other parts of the world, American owners will need to import their cars under the Show and Display exemption. Tapie said his company has already starting filling out the forms on behalf of future owners that will compel their D12s to be driven no more than 2,500 miles per year and to be stored in secure locations when not in use. We suspect those prohibitions won’t be difficult for any supercar owner to obey.

It’s possible that Delage’s stirring up the model mix helped move a few more cars. We knew there would be GT and Club versions, a 7.6-liter naturally aspirated V12 sitting behind the tandem cockpit in both. In the 3,086-pound GT, it makes 990 horsepower by itself and is aided by a 110-hp electric motor, sending the combined 1,100 hp through an eight-speed single-clutch automatic to the rear wheels. The Club’s electric motor only adds 20 horses, but the Clubsport is 200 pounds lighter than the GT and faster around a track, its e-motor for street driving, reversing, and parking. A more relevant stat for the Cars and Coffee crowd is a claimed 0-to-60 mph time of 2.4 seconds thanks in part to carbon fiber wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber.

The new variation is that the roof can come in three treatments. There’s the standard coupe that’s been shown, joined by two open-top versions. The D12 Speedster turns into a targa, losing the portion of its roof aft of the windshield. The D12 F1 option (pictured) sheds even that full windshield, making do with a wind deflector and a fancy helmet, which will be required when driving. Those options cost $190,000 apiece, but they are modular, so they can be bundled for the low, low price of $260,000.

Delage still plans on production commencing before the end of this year, deliveries to start in the last quarter of next year. Each of the 30 examples Delage will make for global consumption will cost €2 million ($1.94M U.S.). It’s possible that before delivery, Delage will make the Nurburgring passenger car lap record attempt we’ve been hearing about. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS wears the crown now with a time of 6:43.300. Tapie said he wants the D12 to stop the clock at 6:40.

September 26, 2022 / Comments Off

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Williams Advanced Engineering reveals EVR electric hypercar platform

Deus announced its Vayanne electric hypercar earlier this year as conceived in Austria, designed in Italy, and electrified in the UK. That last bit refers to the battery-electric powertrain sourced from Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), which we now have more information on. WAE took its new EVR turnkey electric vehicle platform to the Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle Show for a full reveal. Designed specifically for hypercars, the targets were versatility, lightness, power and speedy recharging. It appears the only fixed element for the time being is the 85-kWh battery set into a carbon housing between the wheels, and two motors. WAE says it can be refilled in less than 20 minutes, and powers a range of up to 279 miles. After that, OEMs and boutique makers can choose rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, hardtop or targa body styles, and road-legal or track-only configurations.

Peak output is 2,213 horsepower from the dual motors, explaining Deus’ publicized target of more than 2,200 horsepower for the Vayanne earlier this year. Depending on body style and aero, WAE believes the platform could push a hypercar to 248 miles per hour given an ideal form. We’re told it will be possible to build a finished product with such specs that weighs less than 3,637 pounds, carbon being used for everything from the pack enclosure to the double wishbone suspension. For comparison, the 640-hp Porsche 911 Turbo S weighs 3,636 pounds.

The list of in-house innovations on the EVR chassis includes a Scalable Battery Module that opens up flexibility for custom packs and sub-pack systems, controlled by battery management software that rationalizes the amount of electronics needed to run the powertrain. The company says each module has a capacity of 1.08 kWh at 50 volts maximum or 43 volts nominal, and an energy density greater than 240 Wh/kg. The individual cells are wrapped in carbon fiber, too, claimed to improve crash resistance. Battery cooling is run through the energy-absorbing side sills.

Theoretically, a purchaser could cut prototype development time to 12 months, and entire vehicle development time to 24 months. The Vayenne will provide the first test, Deus having said it will go into production in 2025. WAE has a hydrogen fuel cell version of the EVR on the way next.

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September 9, 2022 / Comments Off

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Pagani C10 teased before September 12 debut

The third movement in Pagani’s symphony of supercars is headed our way in an online debut from Milan come September 12. It’s called the C10 for now, which could be a provisional name, its full final name, or a portion of the final name; the Zonda that put the Modena manufacturer on the map launched as the Zonda C10, the codename for the Huayra during development was C9. Pagani posted another teaser of the coupe to Facebook, finally giving us hints of the thing in the, er, carbon fiber. The only surprise we can make out so far is the headlight treatment. Previous products have placed each light element in its own pod, the Zonda boasting three, the Huayra two. The C10 tucks its two headlight beams together under a clear cover.

The good news beyond that is the return of the manual transmission, which wasn’t available on the Huayra. Eponymous founder Horacio Pagani is said to have discovered that some customers passed on buying a Huayra because of the omission. The C10 tease shows the six-speed row-your-own perched between the front seats, its linkage exposed like we used to see on Spykers. Note, the Huayra shifter featured an exposed linkage, but its rods and springs connected to an Xtrac seven-speed sequential gearbox. The C10 will offer a sequential transmission for those who want it.

Another AMG-sourced 6.0-liter V12 sits behind the cockpit, said to have been upgraded from the unit in the Huayra. The former car made 730 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. The special edition Pagani Codalunga made 840 hp and 811 lb-ft. The C10 is expected to produce in the area of 880 horsepower and about as much torque.

The rest we’ll find out about next week. Spy shots of prototypes show what looks like a tasty blend of Zonda-specific cues within the overall flowing shape that recalls the Huayra. The front intake looks more like a Zonda, as do the scoop-less rear fenders and the triple taillights set at an angle in the rear fascia. The almost uninterrupted flow from front to rear, and the tailless rear end are all Huayra. The return of side view mirrors looking like lazy leaves and quad exhaust tips inset in a round opening establish more continuity. It’s possible the car goes back to the traditional door openings of the Zonda, forsaking the gullwing apertures of the Huayra. Pagani said the focus of this car has been weight reduction and handling, so we shouldn’t be surprised to see a curb weight below the 2,976 pounds of the Huayra.

There are only going to be about 300 C10s among all variants — coupe, convertible, and special editions — and every one has been sold. As if that weren’t the case with just about every seven-figure car nowadays, those of means will be especially keen to get in here since it’s thought to be the last pure combustion Pagani before the firm moves into electrification.

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September 8, 2022 / Comments Off

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Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini is a two-wheeled Italian mashup

Ducati has revealed its new two-wheeled mashup with parent manufacturer Lamborghini. The Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini follows in the footsteps of the 1260 Diavel, this time drawing on the Huracán STO, bringing together two Italian icons with common stylistic elements for a limited run of bikes designed for those who need as many romantic ponies as possible in their garage.

For the latest tie-up, Ducati says it applied its well-known “Fight Formula” to the existing Panigale V4 S (the latest Streetfighter makes 208 horsepower and 90 pound feet of torque) and then took it a step further, integrating styling elements that are “unmistakably Lamborghini.” Depending on which generation of Lamborghini you grew up with, that could mean just about anything. Remember the ’80s? Like, all of them? But in this case, Ducati and Lamborghini settled on a mix of modern styling and heritage inspiration.

Just about every part on the bike was at least breathed on if not outright redesigned. From the wheels, which are bespoke to this model, to the fender design meant to evoke the STO’s air intakes, virtually everything you see is unique. Many of the smaller bits are made from carbon fiber (including the tail, tank cover and toe caps) and the STO emblem is displayed subtly (believe it or not) on its flanks.

The livery includes the #63 (as on the Diavel) in a nod to the year of Automobili Lamborghini’s founding. That’s also the number Ducati used to determine the number of units it would produce: divide 630 by 10 and voila. Ducati says it will also offer an even more-limited series of one-off designs for (you guessed it!) 63 lucky Lamborghini customers who will get the opportunity to match their bikes to their existing (or forthcoming) cars.

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September 2, 2022 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin Valhalla interior debuted in Monterey

Aston Martin began releasing estimated specs for the Valhalla supercar last summer. The figures described the thoroughly overhauled car, redrawn with just as dramatic yet smoother lines than the original concept from 2019, and repowered with a plug-in hybrid V8 sourced from technical partner Mercedes-Benz instead of the in-house straight-6. The quick summary describes a mid-mounted 740-horsepower flat-plane-crank V8 with an e-motor in back and another in front contributing 201 horsepower. The front electric motor can pull the coupe for up to eight miles of pure electric running, reversing is also done under electric power, not via the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Curb weight of 3,417 pounds pairs with a top speed of 217 miles per hour, the firm hoping its charge can lap the ‘Ring in 6:30, which would be a record for a production car. Deliveries are expected to commence toward the end of next year.

Around the driver.

With the driver.

For the driver.

Valhalla is MASTERY. DRIVEN. #AstonMartin #Valhalla #MASTERYDRIVEN

— Aston Martin (@astonmartin) August 26, 2022

We still hadn’t seen the inside of the car last summer, though. Aston Martin finally lifted the dihedral doors on the show inside during the recent Monterey Car Week. Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman described the cockpit as being “pure,” “about driver focus” and “concentration,” and “dedicated to the mastery of driving.” So despite an exterior update that injected “a more mature” road-going road ambience into the Valhalla’s silhouette, the cabin makes strong ties to the F1-inspired and track-consuming Valkyrie. These are seats that emphasize the “bucket” in “bucket seats,” supporting driver and passenger such that their heels lie above the level of their hips. The driver grabs a square wheel that’s jettisoned the central display in the Valkyrie’s square wheel. In fact, for those decrying the explosion of screens lately, here is your safe space. A slim rectangle ahead of the driver serves as dash display, and the infotainment screen can be hidden away, which it is in the short Twitter vid. We can see it staying stowed more often than not, in fact. Even if the V8 doesn’t pour its 7,200-rpm flat-plane note into the cabin — along with roof scoop inhalations and rubber-band-thin Michelin thrumming — the passenger quarters cannot be the kindest space to design a stereo for.

We’d been wondering about the production run, Autocar suspects Aston Martin won’t make more than 1,000 examples of the Valhalla. The potential good news for the few who’ll get to own it is that the carmaker might have reduced the price; Autocar heard that instead of costing somewhere around £1 million ($1.3M U.S.), MSRP could fall somewhere between £600,000 ($725,866 U.S.) and £700,000 ($846,844 U.S.).

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August 30, 2022 / Comments Off

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Rimac engineer says 0-60 ‘below one second’ is possible

Monterey Car Week encourages all kinds of questions that are answered with outrageous numbers. How much is the Pebble Beach lawn worth? How many metric tons of palm fronds were sacrificed to make the toquilla straw that make the numberless Panama hats? And how fast can a fast car go? The Drive spoke to Rimac Nevera Chief Program Engineer Matija Renić at The Quail about that last question, wondering what Renić believes is possible for a 0-60 time. His answer: “Below one second.” There aren’t many things humans can complete in less than a second other than say three-word sentences like “Below one second.” The idea of being at rest as one’s lips purse for the “B,” and traveling 60 miles per hour by the time the tongue comes off upper alveolar ridge to finish the “d” is, frankly, absurd.

Regrettably, either The Drive didn’t probe Renić as to what technologies will make the feat possible, or it decided not to repeat Renić’s words. All we have is the oracular pronouncement and little way to conceive of how it could happen, along with lots of questions about tires.

See, people like Engineering Explained who do math for a living have figured that, for a street vehicle on street tires on a regular street, about 2.05 seconds is the lower limit of the stoplight drag. When the Tesla Model S Plaid ripped off a 1.85-second teleport to 60 mph for Motor Trend, that was on “the super sticky VHT-coated surface of Auto Club Famoso Raceway.” On a non-prepped surface, Motor Trend got that down to 2.28 seconds, Car and Driver pruned it to 2.1 seconds. But C/D bettered the Tesla’s time in a Ferrari SF90 Stradale, hitting 0-60 in 2.0 seconds flat.

Rimac claims the Nevera will hit 60 miles per hour in 1.85 seconds, a time also achieved on a prepped drag strip, but we haven’t seen instrumented proof of that yet. Among YouTube videos of the Nevera running the quarter mile, one dedicated thrill seeker pulled off a 2.13-second rip to 60 mph.

Speaking of drag strips, top fuel dragsters are the go-to monsters for hitting 60 miles per hour in under one second, doing the deed in roughly 0.7 to 0.9 seconds. In 2019, Jalopnik tried to figure out the G forces involved in such dashes, the math concluding that getting from zero to 60 in 0.86 seconds put a 5.3-G strain on the body. Having that potential in your street car would be like having your own roller coaster, and what we imagine would be a monumental bill for tires. Until we see such things possible for the regular (rather wealthy) driver, we’ll be paying even closer attention to what what Rimac has coming.

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August 26, 2022 / Comments Off

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