Over the past few years, the has achieved considerable success in touring car racing around the world. The factory-supported Polestar team took the title in the Swedish Touring Car Championship a few years back before switching to the , and K-Pax Racing took the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ trophies in the World Challenge GT Championship with the car last year.
Thing is, the touring car taking the honors is still wearing the bodywork of the old Volvo S60, so it was only a matter of time before its successor would be revealed. And here it is.
Although K-Pax will still use the old S60R in the first few rounds of the 2011 World Challenge, the new all-wheel-drive racer will be rolled out for the fourth round at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, in late April.
Markets in the Far East are increasingly vital for high-end automakers like . The Italian purveyor of exotic supercars has been in the Singapore market, specifically, for ten years. Now, to celebrate the milestone, Lamborghini has produced a very limited run of special-edition exclusive to Singapore.
The Singapore-themed Gallardo was created in partnership between the factory and its Singapore importer. Available in white or black, the Singapore Limited Edition wears a set of red side stripes accented by a badge featuring the – the lion-headed fish mascot created by the Singapore Tourism Board in the 1964.
Only ten examples of the car were produced, and all have apparently been spoken for. Delivery of the entire run recently took place at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Singapore. S$20,000 (about $15k in equivalent American funds) of the proceeds from each Singapore Limited Edition Gallardo sold went to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund to benefit underprivileged students. Follow for more.
Audi A3 Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Audi has released a few sketches of its Geneva-bound concept, and in keeping with previous reports, the automaker is to market.
Audi describes the A3 concept as a “four-seater notchback sedan” and measures in at 174.84-inches long – about six inches longer than the current five-door model. The front fascia is a further evolution of Audi’s more aggressive snout, complete with full LED headlamps and new trapezoidal grille. The greenhouse is suitably squat, with an arching roofline that terminates in a thin, low-slung C-pillar to give it the de riguer “four-door coupe” shape.
More intriguingly, the powertrain is comprised of a turbocharged five-cylinder engine – likely pulled from the TT-RS – outputting 408 horsepower through Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system. We’ll have a full report from the show floor in less than two weeks, but in the meantime, get the full details in the press blast .
Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric – Click above for high-res image gallery
Of all the automakers in the industry, doesn’t exactly have the “greenest” image. Its vehicles are heavy and ponderous, equipped with enormous engines and swathed with more dead cows than a beef processing plant. But its parent company has been pushing into the green space with its EfficientDynamics initiative, and it’s looking to bring the Goodwood division along for the electrified ride… one way or another.
Call this another, then: the Rolls-Royce 102EX. It’s an electric version of the Rolls has been testing for the better part of a year, and now it’s set tomake its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Few details were confirmed in Rolls’ announcement, but after taking its curtain call in Geneva, the Phantom Experimental Electric will go on a world tour to gauge how the public feels about the possibility of a battery-powered Roller. Follow the jump for the official release and keep an eye on , which is set to launch this week as the program’s online base.
Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric – Click above for high-res image gallery
Of all the automakers in the industry, doesn’t exactly have the “greenest” image. Its vehicles are heavy and ponderous, equipped with enormous engines and swathed with more dead cows than a beef processing plant. But its parent company has been pushing into the green space with its EfficientDynamics initiative, and it’s looking to bring the Goodwood division along for the electrified ride… one way or another.
Call this another, then: the Rolls-Royce 102EX. It’s an electric version of the Rolls has been testing for the better part of a year, and now it’s set tomake its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Few details were confirmed in Rolls’ announcement, but after taking its curtain call in Geneva, the Phantom Experimental Electric will go on a world tour to gauge how the public feels about the possibility of a battery-powered Roller. Follow the jump for the official release and keep an eye on , which is set to launch this week as the program’s online base.
Smart Forspeed – Click above for high-res image gallery
Not every is in trouble of vanishing – some will never see the light of production. To wit, Daimler’s minicar maker is bringing an all-electric, roofless version of the Smart ForTwo to the , and the Forspeed concept looks surprisingly similar to the the a few weeks ago.
Overall, the Forspeed echos the that was made in limited numbers in the early 2000s. Just to emphasize that the Forspeed is a pure concept, it comes equipped with some , no external door handles and since it’s sans-roof, there’s a toneau cover that can either coat the entire interior or just the passenger side if you get caught in the rain.
The Forspeed’s 41-hp electric motor can yawn the car all the way up to 37 miles per hour in 5.5 seconds and provide a top speed of 75 mph. That’s not excatly “speedy” as the name implys, but the boost button you offers another seven ponies. More important is the ED part of the clumsy “ForspeED” name; it refers to the Electric Drive powertrain that we also find in the . At least the concept hits 37 mph a second sooner than the standard Fortwo ED.
The range for the Forspeed is estimated to be 85 miles, with an 80-percent charge possible in 45 minutes. This is most likley under DC fast charging conditions, but we’re not sure. We’ll make sure to get more info when we’re on the ground in Geneva.
The flow of technology under the umbrella typically moves from to the other brands. After all, between its road and race car programs, Maranello spends an inordinate amount of time and money on research and development. But it looks like the latest bit of technology in Italy is about to go the other way.
Rumor has it that Ferrari is working on a high-performance version of Fiat’s acclaimed MultiAir system – one of the biggest assets that Fiat brought to the deal. The system allows for an infinitely variable valvetrain setup altered on the fly through hydraulic actuators to optimize performance and efficiency. According to industry speculation on the reportedly leaked schematic above, Ferrari’s system could also incorporate the type of pneumatically-actuated valve control used by the Scuderia to allow its F1 engines to redline over the 20,000 RPM mark, far beyond what a conventional spring-driven system could allow.
Combined, the systems could stand to simultaneously improve the efficiency and the output of Ferrari’s already high-revving powertrains.
Wiesmann MF4 Roadster – Click above for high-res image gallery
Niche manufacturers rarely offer more than a single model line. In Wiesmann’s case, that line consists of the GT, with its various -sourced , and its Roadster counterpart (pictured above). But like fellow German exoticar maker Gumpert, Wiesmann will roll into Geneva with a new model for our consideration: the Weismann Spyder.
Few details are available at this point, but the Wiesmann Spyder will be stripped down, lacking even doors or a windscreen. We assume it’ll be based on the current Roadster, but Weismann stresses that it has not yet approved the Spyder model for production, and is bringing it to Geneva to gauge public opinion. We’ll be watching, and you can follow the jump for the official statement.
The Independence Edition (based on the Aero Convertible) marks the day, February 23, one year ago when Saab left the corporate org chart to once again become an independent automaker (inasmuch as it can be called that, since it’s still owned by Spyker). Expected to debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, the Saab 9-3 Independence Edition has a little early.
Unique Independence Edition touches include a new color called Sunset Red and special 18″ wheels. Meanwhile, the interior gets parchment leather seats with an orange stripe down the middle, an orange needle on the turbo guage, a Super Sport steering wheel and an assortment of other interior bits from Saab specialist Hirsch. The best part, though, is that the 9-3 Independence Edition also gets the 220-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four from the Saab 9-5.
Enamored? Try not to be, because with only 366 individually-numbered examples to be sold worldwide, the likelihood of getting your hands on one is pretty slim indeed. Thanks for the tip, Knape!
Corvette ZR1 tackling the Spectre 341 Challenge – Click above to watch video
In June 1972, Hans Tanner and other members of the Southern California Owners Club set out to the road that’s known today as Nevada Highway 341. Tanner sought to emulate the great hill climb events in which he participated in Europe, and the Virginia City Hill Clmb was the perfect opportunity to take a shot at recapturing that glory. The event ran until 2002, when tragedy struck and organizers decided to discontinue the event.
In 2010, new organizers rebooted the Virginia City Hill Climb, rechristened as the first annual . The second running is scheduled for June 17-20, 2011. Unlike last year’s invitation-only event, the 2011 Spectre 341 Challenge is open to everyone.
Are you ready to take on 5.2-miles of twisty Nevada blacktop? The road features multiple blind corners, near-constant elevation changes and some spots are still waiting on attention from the Nevada Department of Transportation (read: no guardrails). If yyou feel you and your car are up to the task, you need to do two things: have the $341 entry fee ready, and get your butt to Nevada to try and get into the . If ham-fisted automotive journalists like there may be room for you as well. to watch some highlights from the 2010 Spectre 341 Challenge.
Italian chassis manufacturer Dallara has built countless racing cars for teams in innumerable racing series, and with the KTM X-Bow on the road and the reportedly under development, Dallara has done likewise for automakers. New rumors suggest that Dallara is ready to move beyond helping other outfits develop cars, however.
Word is, Dallara is planning a two-seat sports car to be sold under its own name that’s built on architecture similar to what it developed for the X-Bow and Alfa 4C. With carbon-fiber construction and a low curb weight, it would be targeted at the Lotus Elise but come closer in spirit to the original Lotus Seven. In other words, had better pay attention.
Lexus LFA displays serious control on launch – Click above to watch video
Today, it’s almost impossible to buy a new supercar without launch control; the is no exception. It might not be the fastest, with a zero-to-60 time of “only” 3.7 seconds, yet the LFA remains an impressive rubber-footed beast.
The LFA’s V10 wails towards its 9,500 rpm fuel cutoff like an haunting whoever slides behind the wheel. The video posted after the jump focuses on the tachometer as a Lexus LFA bolts from a starting line with the launch control lending its assistance. The driver pushes the car all the way up to 260 km/h (around 163 mph) before letting up on the throttle. to launch into the clip.
2011 Chevrolet Cruze – Click above for high-res image gallery
Both and have something to brag about at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show. The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada named the the Canadian Car of the Year; the took Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year honors. According to General Motors, AJAC members cited the compact sedan’s efficiency, refinement, and price as the key factors, and that added bonuses like 10 standard air bags helped seal the award for the Cruze.
The 2011 Ford Edge crossover, won over journos with its extensive redesign and came out ahead following both road and track tests. Additionally, the Edge’s onboard technology features helped drive home the win. for both press releases.
Honda Civic Ti – Click above for high-res image gallery
fans in the UK can sink their teeth into a special edition of the five-door, with new design elements inspired by the British Touring Car Championship series. The Honda Civic Ti package is available on both the 1.4- and 1.8-liter i-VTEC Civic SE models. Honda will only produce 500 examples of the Civic Ti, with the first cars going on sale in March.
The Civic Ti is a looks package only; there are no performance enhancements. Outside, there’s a GP body kit that includes spoilers at both the front and rear, side skirt inserts and rear body skirts. Premium White Pearl is the only Ti paint color, and it nicely contrasts the 17-inch Pro-Race matte-black wheels from Honda’s BTTC racing partner, Team Dynamics, .
Inside, the Civic Ti gets a standard Pioneer navigation/multimedia system, with iPod/USB connectivity and hands-free calling. (Pioneer is Honda’s main sponsor in the 2011 BTCC series.)
Pricing starts at £15,995 for the 1.4-liter Civic Ti and £16,995 for the 1.8 ($25,985 and $27,612, respectively, based on current exchange rates). for Honda’s official press release.
We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but chances are pretty slim that you’ll ever get the opportunity to slide behind the wheel of the new Pagani Huayra. Blame it on the numbers. Pagani is only planning on cranking out so many Huayra models, and there just so happens to be a shave under 7 billion people on the planet. Throw in the fact that each of the 700-horsepower Italian exotics will carry a price tag of near $1.35 million and the odds start to look even more bleak.
Hey, at least you’re in good company. We’re sitting in the exact same boat as you.
Fortunately for all of us, then, the Need for Speed franchise has come to our rescue. While we may not be able to find out in person just how fast 740 pound-feet of torque can move a 3,000 pound supercar, we will get a shot at flinging the carbon-fiber creation down a few virtual streets in Shift 2 Unleashed. In fact, the game is the only racing outlet to feature the newest addition to the Pagani family, so if you want to play with this bad boy, you’re going to have to pick up the latest addition to the Need for Speed library. for a quick trailer.
Sam Hubinette learns to drive sideways all over again – Click above to watch video
Sam Hubinette is exceptionally good at getting a car sideways and keeping it there. Now, it seems that the drift king wants to learn a new skill, and he needs just two wheels to do it. No, Mr. Hubinette is not switching to motorcycles… he’s learning to drive a car on two wheels.
Someone with his level of car control should be able to pick this up relatively quickly. In fact, Sam Hubinette takes to two-wheeled action like he has been doing it his whole life, and it took preposterously few attempts for him to master the art. Hit the ramp and to check out Hubinette learning a new skill.
Now, we’re thinking we need to try our hand at two-wheeled driving too… anybody got a car we can borrow?
Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum is a Democrat looking at areas where the budget can be cut. Her current target is military spending. More specifically, she is focused on banning the military from spending money advertising in NASCAR. She introduced a measure to this effect, and it was shot down by a vote of 241-148.
The US Army spent $7 million in 2010 to sponsor a car in NASCAR and has a signed contract with Stewart-Haas racing to put its logo on a car for 2011. In contrast, the Marines, Navy and Coast Guard all ended NASCAR sponsorships back in 2006.
McCollum feels that spending money in this arena is an inappropriate use of military funds. Ramsey Poston, NASCAR’s Managing Director for Corporate Communications, sees things a little differently. According to 2009 data gathered by Experian, one in five NASCAR fans have served in the military, while one in three active service members are fans of the sport. Also, the Army states that it received 46,000 recruiting leads in 2010 thanks to the racing team.
And so, we ask you: Should the United States Army sponsor a NASCAR team?
We headed to the Fujitrans warehouse in Carson, California to watch the ultra expensive and exclusive Lexus LFA star in its own kabuki performance. Minus the make-up.
Rumor has it that these super Jaguar XKR prototypes could be named the XK-E in honor of the 50th anniversary of Jaguar’s legendary E-Type. Just try to look past all the swirlies…
De Tomaso SLC Concept – Click above to watch video
Now here’s a question worth racking your precious brain over. If you were asked to choose between the recently unveiled De Tomaso SLC Concept and a , which would you park in your driveway? If you chose a used Audi RS6 Avant, congratulations, you just made our holiday card list.
Still, it’s difficult not to draw comparisons between the recently unveiled De Tomaso and the awkwardly-proportioned 5-Series family hauler. Both vehicles have managed to meld the crossover and sedan realms in a way that few other vehicles have.
While we’ve already been privy to a of the De Tomaso SLC Concept, a video of the vehicle has now made its way to the internets. The quick clip gives us a slightly better look at what the vehicle will bring to the table when it gets an official unveil early next month at the Geneva Motor Show. Here’s hoping it looks better in the flesh. to have a look-see of your very own.
2011 Lexus IS 350C F Sport Special Edition – Click above for high-res image
has just released a limited-edition version of the convertible that will go on sale later this month. Called the F Sport Special Edition, the droptop is limited to a scant 175 units, priced from $55,120, not including delivery and processing fees.
To set it apart from other IS 350Cs, the F Sport Special Edition benefits from a few visual tweaks. It rides on 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a dark graphite finish and the only two exterior colors available are Starfire Pearl (pictured) or Obsidian. Other F Sport touches include Bilstein shocks and lowering springs that bring the IS one inch closer to the ground, and a unique sway bar set has been added, too.
The interior is padded with black and red leather surfaces, and both heated and cooled seats are standard. Navigation is also part of the Special Edition package, encompassing things like a rearview camera, Lexus Enform and the full host of XM infotainment features. for the official press blast.
