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2011-02-28: Geneva 2011: Lamborghini Aventador revealed in final preview ...
On the eve of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini have taken the wraps off the Murcielago replacement. Its name, Aventador LP700-4, was one of the worst kept secrets. In good Lamborghini tradition the new supercar is named after a bull. In this case a particularly courageous bull that was awarded the "Trofeo de la Pena La Madronera" in 1993 for outstanding courage. Many of the technical details, including the 700 bhp V12 engine, full carbon-fibre monocoque and sophisticated push-rod suspension were already revealed in detail by Lamborghini in the build-up to the official debut. The styling is instantly recognisable but with a sharper edge than the current generation Lamborghinis. The first Aventadors will be delivered to customers late in the summer.
Following the news of the division's pending sale, Spyker sports cars will reaffirm its objectives at the Geneva show; production will be increased and the first C8 Ailerons will be delivered to customers in April. As part of the announcement the Dutch manufacturer released the first renderings of the upcoming C8 Aileron GT racer. Built to the latest GTE specs it is expected to debut next year and Spyker is hopeful to sell several to customers. A GT3 version is also on the books. Further Geneva previews include the Opel Zafira Tourer Concept, Seat IBX Concept and the Subaru BOXER Sports Car Architecture Concept. We will be on the show floor first thing tomorrow morning and you can expect our full Geneva Motor Show report on Wednesday. |
2011-02-25: A look back at the fascinating rise of Pagani ...
Ahead of the public launch of the all new Huayra, we have taken a look at Pagani's history in Horacio Pagani and his dream in carbon-fibre. It tells the story of an Argentinean baker's son, who, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, would go on to mortgage his house to buy only the fifth autoclave in Italy during the 1980s. It is this dedication and vast experience with carbon-fibre composites that would ultimately result in the original Pagani Zonda C12 launched at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. With a carbon-fibre finish that is still second to none, the Zonda has become one of the most iconic cars of the past decade. Despite its very steep price, the Zonda proved so popular that production has far exceeded the 100 examples originally planned.
In the spring of 2010, we visited Pagani's small factory in a suburb of Modena. At the time the final Zondas were produced and we were allowed to capture this in detail. We were also shown samples of the revolutionary 'Carbo-Titanium'. This new titanium laced composite is as strong as conventional carbon-fibre but with added elasticity. All this can be found in the exclusive 40-shot gallery, which illustrates the article. |
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2011-02-23: Geneva 2011: New Aston and Jag grand tourers and MINI and Smart concepts ...
At next week's Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin is set to revive the classic 'Virage' name with this Grand Tourer. The luxurious 'two plus two' slots into the range between the DBS and DB9. It is instantly recognisable as a current Aston Martin and features a 490 bhp version of the familiar V12 engine. Interestingly, the car will be delivered with carbon-ceramic brakes fitted as standard equipment. The new Virage will be available as Coupe and 'Volante' drop-top.
Jaguar is set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the E-Type debut at Geneva. The star of the party will be this XKR-S. With 550 bhp and 680 Nm available, it is the most powerful model in the current Jaguar line-up. All this power allows the striking coupe to accelerate to 100 mph in just 8.6 seconds. The 'S' can easily be distinguished by a wild body-kit with flared wheel-arches and a full width rear wing. Bucking the trend of introducing bigger and bigger models, MINI will showcase this very compact Rocketman Concept in Geneva. The beauty of this show car is in the detail, like the Union Jack glass roof, raised tail-lights and the central exhausts. Many earlier MINI concepts have resulted in production cars and the Rocketman would certainly be a welcome and more appropriate addition to the range. Even smaller is this Smart Forspeed Concept. The tiny roadster is powered by a single electro motor and has a range of 135 km (84 miles). It takes just 45 minutes to charge the battery to 80% of its capacity. |
2011-02-21: Geneva 2011: News from Maserati, Bertone, Rolls-Royce and Audi ...
In little over a week the doors will open for 2011 edition of the Geneva Motor Show. The Swiss show is usually the most exciting of its kind and judging from the machines already previewed, this year will be no exception. Over the weekend another four interesting debuts were announced.
First up is the Maserati GranCabrio Sport. Based on the original GranCabrio launched almost two year ago, this is a more poised version. It features a more powerful engine and revised suspension. The GranCabrio Sport also comes in a new colour; 'Rosso Trionfale', inspired by Juan Manuel Fangio's epic German Grand Prix win in this Maserati 250F. Geneva is the show of choice for design houses to reveal their latest work. The revitalised 'carrozzeria' Bertone will showcase this Jaguar B99. The classically elegant machine will be displayed in road and competition trim. Rolls-Royce is set to give 'silent running' a new twist with the introduction of the 102EX. This one-off experimental show car is based on the current Phantom but features a full electric drivetrain. After its Geneva duties, the 102EX will tour the world to show off its technology and most likely also to gauge customer demand. German manufacturer Audi will provide a look into the future with this A3 Concept. Fortunately this concept car is a lot more exciting as the name suggests; it features a new 'notchback' design and more importantly the 408 bhp engine also found in the highly acclaimed quattro Concept shown in Paris last year. |
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2011-02-18: America's last Grand Prix winner and Hyundai rally rocket ...
Roger Penske has been one of the most successful men in American road racing for the better part of five decades now. He started out as a driver but would really dominate as an entrant of other manufacturers' and also his own cars. After he had won the Indy 500 and Can-Am championship in the early 1970s, he expanded his operation to take on the European teams in Grand Prix racing. Penske set up shop in Poole, England and had Geof Ferris design a bespoke Formula 1 car. Taking on seasoned teams like Ferrari, Lotus and McLaren proved to be Penske's biggest challenge yet. In 1976 John Watson did manage to score the 'Captain's' first victory at Zeltweg in this Penske PC4. It was a bittersweet win as Penske's principle driver Mark Donohue had lost his life at the same Grand Prix a year earlier. Despite Watson's victory, Penske left F1 at the end of 1976 and reset his focus on the American road races. The rest, so they say, is history.
John Watson's Zeltweg winning machine was sold to a privateer and it was raced for some time after. Fortunately it has survived and is currently owned by an American enthusiast, who also has an earlier PC3 in his collection. He raced the Austrian Grand Prix winner at the recent Monterey Motorsports with great verve. We captured every angle of this, the last American car to win an F1 race, in a 18-shot gallery. With our eyes caught by the latest muscle cars, we missed another exciting Chicago debut last week; the Hyundai Veloster Rally Car. This pocket rocket has been created by Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) to compete in the American Rally Cross championship. Based on Hyundai's latest hatchback, it features a 500 bhp four cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. Thanks to extensive use of exotic materials, RMR have managed to keep the weight down to just 1205 kg (2657 lbs). |
2011-02-16: Two spectacular Alfa Romeos and more Geneva news ...
The last model to emerge from Alfa Romeo's golden era is the 6C 2500 launched in 1939. Available in various configurations, the range was topped by the 'Super Sport' or 'SS' version, which featured the shortest wheelbase and most powerful engine. Production lasted until 1952 and for a brief period immediately after the War, the 6C 2500 SS was the most expensive new car available. A large number of the chassis that rolled off the Milan production line were clothed by the local 'carrozzeria' Touring but Bertone and particularly Pinin Farina were also commissioned to create coach-work for the six-cylinder engined Alfa Romeo. Today we take a look at two unique creations by these two companies, which are today part of the same collection. First up is a Bertone Coupe built in 1942 on a modified chassis with a lowered front bulkhead. After spending time in Italy and Switzerland, it eventually ended up in the United States where it was acquired by the current owner in rather derelict condition. He commissioned a full restoration and the 6C 2500 SS Bertone Coupe made a very successful debut at Pebble last year. It was lined up alongside this slightly later Pinin Farina Coupe. The most striking features of this elegant machine are the dual headlights that would become really popular in the United States in the late 1950s. We captured this 6C 2500 SS at Villa d'Este in 2008, fresh after a complete restoration.
At next month's Geneva Motor Show, Porsche will expand its hybrid portfolio with this Panamera S Hybrid. It features a new supercharged V6 engine and an electric motor mounted directly on the drivetrain. The two are good for a combined output of 380 bhp but also capable of impressive mileage and emission figures. Slightly less sensible is the Rinspeed BamBoo, which will also debut at Geneva. The brightly coloured machine does look right at home near the beach in the summer. |
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2011-02-14: McLaren MP4-12C full specs revealed and more Geneva news ...
On January 17th, the first McLaren MP4-12C production car entered the assembly hall of the McLaren Technology Centre. With production started in earnest, McLaren have now released the full details of their much anticipated sports car. The hard facts confirm that the bespoke and very efficient V8 engine does indeed produce nearly 600 bhp courtesy of two turbochargers. Impressively, its full 600 Nm of torque is available from 3000 - 7000 rpm. The MP4-12C is the only car in its class to feature a full carbon fibre monocoque chassis and as a result weighs in at just 1434 kg fully loaded. Joining the detailed spec-sheet is a set of sparkling pictures from a recent test at Portimao. To mark the launch of the production MP4-12C, we have also added more pictures of the various Prototypes we saw during the last year. Three examples are featured in various states of development.
The Geneva Motor Show is set to open its doors in a fortnight and as expected, related press releases are quickly piling up. The Swiss show always attracts most sports car manufacturers and design houses and this two have teamed up to create the Gumpert Tornante by Touring. The result is a two-seater sports car that is more luxurious than the similarly engined Apollo. Fellow Germans BMW will showcase the Vision ConnectDrive; a roadster packed with cutting edge technology. Sister companies Nissan and Renault will both display sporty, yet green concepts with the ESFLOW Concept and Captur Concept respectively. Volkswagen is set to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Golf GTI with this Golf24. Powered by a 440 bhp five cylinder engine, it is scheduled to race in the upcoming Nurburgring 24 Hours. |
2011-02-09: New Camaro ZL1 and Charger SRT8 from Chicago and F1 round-up ...
At this week's Chicago Auto Show muscle cars from Chevrolet and Dodge have taken centre stage. The most exciting release in the 'Windy City' is the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Powered by the high performance LSA engine, it is the most powerful and advanced Camaro today. The supercharged V8 produces a staggering 550 bhp and nearly 750 Nm of torque. This is transferred to the rear wheels through a six-speed, manual gearbox. The ZL1 can be easily distinguished from the rest of the range by a very aggressive body-kit. No performance figures have been released. Like the Camaro ZL1, the latest Dodge Charger SRT8 will be available later in the year as a 2012 model. Among the numerous changes the most prominent are the heavily revised body-kit with deep grille and the enlarged HEMI V8. Now displacing 6.4 litre, it produces 465 bhp and 630 Nm of torque.
Tomorrow the Formula 1 teams will resume testing. Since the first session, the remaining teams have revealed their 2011 challengers. The most interesting is the McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes, which will be driven by 2008 and 2009 World Champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. It features very unusual L-shaped radiator inlets and a staggered air-intake. At first glance the exhausts are in the conventional location but there is a strong suspicion that McLaren may also run the side-pod mounted exhausts like Renault. Other new releases include the Force India VJM04, the Virgin MVR-02 and the brightly liveried HRT F111. |
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2011-02-07: 2011 Retromobile report and 170-shot gallery ...
The Paris Porte de Versailles exhibition centre hosted the annual Retromobile show during the past five days. That was considerably shorter than in recent years but nevertheless around 100,000 visitors flocked to the leading classic car show. They were treated to 400 cars from a total of 300 exhibitors. Among them were manufacturers, classic car dealers, clubs and museums, who brought some of their finest cars. Highlight of the show was the world debut of the ROFGO Gulf Collection by Duncan Hamilton. This consists of around a dozen Gulf liveried and/or backed racing cars ranging from the first Mirage M1 of 1967 to the recent Gulf backed Aston Martin Racing GT and sports cars. Another very exiting machine on display was a fully functional replica of the steam-powered Fardier de Cugnot from 1769, which is generally considered the first automobile. In addition to the regular exhibitors, Artcurial Motorcars hosted on auction with over 100 lots, including a spectacular collection of former state limousines.
Our reporters spent the first day in Retromobile and have returned with a detailed report and an exclusive 170-shot gallery. |
2011-02-03: New Peugeot Le Mans racer, more F1 news and a new Renault Gordini ...
Earlier today, Peugeot took the wraps of their highly anticipated new Le Mans challenger. It once again bears the 908 moniker but is a thoroughly different car than its very successful predecessor. This is due to extensive rule changes, aimed at keeping the performance of prototype racers in check. The biggest revisions were in the engine regulations, which saw the displacement limits drop considerably. Peugeot's answer is a 3.7 litre HDI V8 engine, which is officially good for 550 bhp. Audi, by contrast, have opted for a V6 engine for their R18, which is set to be the 908's biggest rival. More subtle changes include the adoption of wider rear tyres at the front and the now mandatory stability fin on the rear deck. Peugeot started working on this car shortly after the 2009 Le Mans victory and the engine ran for the first time in January of 2010. The complete car was first unleashed in July, which means the French team will start the season very well prepared. The 908's first race is the Sebring 12 Hours in March, which will kick off the ALMS and the ILMC season.
All Formula 1 teams were at the Ricardo Tormo track in Valencia track for the first official three-day test session of the season. Most of them fielded their new-for-2011 cars. Close scrutiny revealed that the Renault team had the most intriguing trick on their R31: a blown floor. Key features of this setup are the exhaust exits, which are fitted in the front of the side-pods. This means additional air is blown over the all important floor of the car. Renault driver Robert Kubica clocked the fastest time of the session, so we may soon see similar systems on other cars. Other new cars driven at Valencia included the title-defending Red Bull Racing RB7 Renault, the Toro Rosso STR6 Ferrari, the Mercedes-Benz W02 and the Sauber C30 Ferrari. McLaren, Virgin and Force India will debut their new cars next week at Jerez. Away from the race track, Renault also announced the fourth model in the ever expanding Gordini line-up. This time the quirky Wind has received the blue and white treatment. It will make its debut at Geneva in a month's time. |
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