Paris debuts from Mercedes, Maserati and Lamborghini and two wooden beauts

[Wouter Melissen]

Dear Ultimatecarpage.com visitor,

On the eve of the Paris Motor Show, information on the most exciting releases has hit our desk. Mercedes Benz will bid a final farewell to the SLR range with this limited edition SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S. Only 150 examples are planned to be produced before the plug is pulled in 2009. That is right about the same time as Maserati will enter GT3 racing with this GranTurismo MC. At the moment it is still labeled a concept, but it is unlikely that the competition GranTurismo won't hit the track. That is also the case with the Volkswagen Golf VI GTI Concept. As was the case with the previous generation Golf, the production version of the ever popular GTI should look almost identical. There is a lot less certainty with Lamborghini's release, which is one of the highest anticipated of the show. We believe that it will be a four door sedan and could be called Estoque. We will be in Paris later this week and will publish a fully illustrated report straight from the show floor.
One of the most unusual racing cars on the track during the Goodwood Revival two weeks ago was this Healey Elliott. Designed and built by Donald Healey, it combines a saloon body with racing pedigree.
On our forums there was much talk about this fantastic Hispano Suiza H6C Tulip Wood Torpedo. Built as a racing car, the massive chassis sports a lightweight wooden body constructed by an airplane manufacturer. It was placed sixth in the 1924 Targa Florio. The unique machine inspired one of our members to built this Royce-Hispano, which combines a Rolls-Royce chassis with a massive Hispano airplane engine and a coachbuilt body. The absolute master of wooden bodies was Henri Labourdette and at the recent Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance one of his finest creations graced the field. The Delage GL Labourdette Skiff is believed to be one of only three original surviving Labourdette Skiffs.

Enjoy the links:

1924 - 1928 Delage GL Labourdette Skiff - Images, Specifications and Information

1946 - 1950 Healey Elliott - Images, Specifications and Information

1924 Hispano Suiza H6C Tulip Wood Torpedo - Images, Specifications and Information

2008 HSV W427 - Images, Specifications and Information

2008 KIA Soul Hybrid Concept - Images, Specifications and Information

2008 Lamborghini Estoque Concept - Images, Specifications and Information

2008 Maserati GranTurismo MC Concept - Images, Specifications and Information

2008 - 2009 Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S - Images, Specifications and Information

2008 Volkswagen Golf VI GTI Concept - Images, Specifications and Information

Regards,
Wouter Melissen

[Ferrer]

Is that SLR supposed to be the speedster of which spy pics appeared some time ago?

[mclaren_crazy]

We had the only two Kia Soul production cars in circulation at the autoshow I worked at last weekend. They made a very big deal about it. I personally don't like how they came out. Lots of tackiness, like rice built right in.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Is that SLR supposed to be the speedster of which spy pics appeared some time ago?

I suppose not, otherwise it was pointless to test a car without the windscreen.
I would like to now why they add the "S" badge, the modifications seems the same of the regular 722 Coupe at first sight.

[togos452]

That is a nice Hispano Suiza.