Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S with MC Sport Line – Click above for high-res image gallery
MC. The letters are sacrosanct to fans of the Trident marque and its venerable racing prowess. They stand for Corse, and you may recognize them from the , the Enzo-based homologation special that’s still kickin’ ass and taking names in the FIA GT1 series. More recently the Modenese automaker rolled out a racing version of its coupe bearing those same letters, which has since been followed by a roadgoing version of said racer called the . There’ve been MC Sport Line accessories for the GranTurismo S as well, but until now the has been left out of the fun.
Kicking things off for its four-door model, Maserati has unveiled the Quattroporte MC Sport in Sydney at the Australian International Auto Show. So what are we looking at, a road-going version of the touring car currently being flogged around Italy’s best circuits in the series? Unfortunately not. What you’re looking at here is the existing – already one heck of a car – with some added trim: carbon fiber interior accents and aluminum pedals, and little else. Not much on their own, but then this is how Modena kicked off the MC program for the GranTurismo, so we’re hoping this is the harbinger of things to come.
Chevrolet teases vehicles ahead of the 2010 SEMA show – Click above to watch video
is getting ready to unload a slew of vehicles at the 2010 SEMA show and the Bow-Tie brand has released a to give us a taste of what to expect. , and heavy-duty pickup trucks will be taking center stage in Chevy’s booth. The video is quick but features two designers discussing the event, quick cuts of vehicle close-ups and a Corvette prominently displaying the “Jake” logo inside and out. We previously saw the Jake logo make its way onto the , so we’re quite curious to see what has planned for an updated version.
Take a sneak peak at what Chevrolet has in store for this years SEMA show by watching the video .
2011 Suzuki GSX-R600 – Click above for high-res image gallery
You’d be forgiven if you forgot all about the brand spankin’ new motorcycles brought into the States by last year… because there weren’t any. Purse strings were pulled so tightly during the global economic collapse that the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer decided not to bring in any new models for 2010.
However, all of that is set to change for 2011, and the first major announcement from Suzuki are updates to its GSX-R600 and GSX-R750. Interestingly enough, the engines are all new but there isn’t actually any more horsepower than before – 123 horses from the 600 and 148 from the 750.
Instead of more peak power, Suzuki focused all of its efforts on reducing weight, lopping off four pounds from the motor, three pounds from the exhaust and another three pounds from the aluminum frame. Add it all up and Suzuki has cut about 20 pounds from each model, with the 600 coming in at 413 pounds wet and the 750 tipping the scales at 416 pounds.
Another notable feature new for 2011 are the brakes: 310mm fully-floating front brake discs and radial-mount, four-piston Brembo monoblock calipers. Styling closely mimics that of the range-topping GSX-R1000, featuring new vertically stacked headlamps; see for yourself in our high-res image gallery below. Pricing comes in at $11,599 for the 600 and $11,999 for the 750, and full details can be found after the break.
Based on the photo above, you might think that you’re looking at some version of the Ferrari 599. You’d be wrong, though, as this is actually a specially-built rotary supercar from an independent German manufacturer known as – you ready for this? – Rotary Super Cars.
Underneath what appears to be replicated fiberglass and carbon fiber Fiorano bodywork sits a four-rotor Wankel engine developed by RSC with parts sourced from that other House of Rotor, . The supercar is projected to offer four levels of trim including S, RS, RSR and N-Spec, featuring single or twin turbochargers with output ranging from 500 metric horsepower all the way up to 1,200. An in-house eight-speed sequential transmission is also part of the package, along with active aerodynamics and suspension, electronic differential and a carbon-aluminum driveshaft, making its resemblance to its Maranello counterpart (rotary engine notwithstanding) more than passing.
Inside, the RSC Raptor GT is also said to feature a pair of seven-inch digital displays coupled with a five-inch tachometer, gear indicator and shift lights, the entire package supposedly weighing in at a claimed 2,425 pounds. RSC also plans an all-wheel drive, mid-engine project with similar specs, which seems like a lot to bite off while they still appear to be chewing on this one. But in the meantime you can check out the trio of renderings in the gallery below and the press release after the jump.
What’s the most you’ve ever gotten out of a single tank of gas? 400 miles? Maybe 600 miles if you’re under diesel power? wanted to put its Passat BlueMotion to the test and see just how many miles it can cover on one tank. A team from the UK’s Sunday Times set off from Kent, England with a full tank of diesel – then drove to the south of France and back.
Averaging just over 45 miles per hour, the team watched as 1,527 miles came and went. The 1.6-liter TDI-equipped VW Passat BlueMotion used was a standard production model which features a lower standard ride height, Stop/Start tech, longer gearing and low rolling resistance tires. As two witnesses drove behind them to verify the attempt for the Guinness Book of World Records, the Passat rolled along to the tune of nearly 90 miles per gallon – much higher than the 64.2 mpg rating the vehicle carries.
2011 Hennessey V700 Coupe on the dragstrip – Click above to watch video
We think the 304 horsepower is pretty cool and the . The power pundits at Hennessey think any car or truck could use a little more oomph than it leaves the factory with. John Hennessey’s crew has massaged the blown LSA motor under the two-door Caddy’s bulging hood and the results scream for themselves. The 2011 Hennessey V700 Coupe pushes out 700 hp to the rear wheels and makes nearly 740 pound-feet of torque.
How does that all that power do when the car is launched down the dragstrip? The trip from tree to finish takes just over 11 seconds. to see the action for yourself.
Gallery:
Photos by Steven J. Ewing and Chris Shunk / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Lotus Esprit Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s been a while since something took us by surprise at an auto show. Usually we’ve seen the pictures and read the press releases a few days ahead of time, so there’s nothing new revealed we weren’t already expecting. Until today. We were expecting Lotus to reveal a , a , and if we were lucky, maybe the new Esprit. What we got was something much, much better.
As we arrived at the Lotus booth here at the Paris Motor Show, we spotted a total of five cars under cover. Perhaps a concept and some new versions of existing cars? What proceeded to happen was something entirely unexpected. Lotus CEO Dany Bahar addressed the crowd, announcing that Lotus would be entering a new era. In a matter of minutes, the wraps were pulled off the , , , and concept cars, each time with a gasp from the crowd as the next concept’s name was announced. This wasn’t just the introduction of a few concept cars. We were witnessing the complete and utter revitalization, rebranding and rebirth of a legendary car company.
Lotus Elise and Elan concepts – Click above for high-res image galleries
With this new lineup of cars, it’s easy to see that Lotus wants to play with the big boys – , , and . Bahar had announced last year that, but we didn’t expect it to happen so soon or all at once.
One question still has to be asked, though. Is this direction the right one for Lotus? We can appreciate all forms of performance cars, but is there enough room for Lotus to edge its way into each of these target markets? Can the Esprit conquer the or the Ferrari 458 Italia? Will buyers go for a Lotus Elite over the Ferrari 599 GTB or the ?
Lotus Elite and Eterne concepts – Click above for high-res image galleries
Lotus has long been the master of lightweight, nimble sports cars, and many will undoubtedly say that the company should stick to the same cars it’s been building for the last decade. After all, what would Colin Chapman say about a Lotus coupe that weighs over 3,600 pounds? And a grown up Elise? Then there’s the styling. As usual, we’re split down the middle here at Autoblog. Half of us love the styling, while the other 50 percent thinks it looks too generic. In the end, only time will tell whether Lotus fans will like the direction the company is headed.
There’s quite a bit of information on each vehicle, so click the links below to learn more about them.
You can also browse through our live galleries of each concept:
Ferrari SA APERTA – Click above for high-res image gallery
Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina would be proud. The Ferrari SA APERTA has made its global entrance, so stare at it while you can because you might never see one in person. Just 80 sans-roof examples of the front-engined V12 hot-rod will be built. That number serves to honor the 80th anniversary of Pininfarina, just as the letters S and A honor Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina.
It’s not entirely topless, though. It does come with a lightweight soft-top which can be installed if the rain begins to fall. We imagine the procedure for putting that top on is surprisingly difficult and it would be smarter to just drive faster and evade the weather. It would be a shame to muffle the open-air song from that 6.0-liter 12-cylinder engine, even just a little bit.
The Ferrari SA APERTA (aperta is Italian for “open”) is a wonderful way to pay tribute to two men and a company that have played an important role for Enzo’s company.
2011 Honda CR-Z vs. 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Street Cup Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery
What do the , and have in common? They’re all fuel efficient sports cars with technology that’s finally fitted to something worth driving. Also, we can’t buy them… yet. What’s worse, when they do go on sale, mere mortals who don’t log on to an off-shore account to check their net worth won’t be able to partake.
So how can a gearhead tread a little lighter and still get their kicks? .
2011 Ferrari SA Aperta – Click above for high-res image gallery
has pulled back the covers on its rumored topless 599 GTB Fiorano before the roadster’s unveil at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. We’ve got bad news if you were hoping to sink your teeth into this particular convertible, though. The Prancing Horse is only planning to make 80 examples of its newest creation and each one has already been spoken for. The company is calling the drophead the SA Aperta in honor of none other than Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina. Their contribution to Ferrari design needs no introduction.
Ferrari says that the SA Aperta sits closer to the tarmac than just about any other of the company’s products and that the creation is far more than some hacksaw version of the hardtop 599. While a simple cloth top will keep the rain off your back should the weather turn sour, Ferrari says that it has poured substantial effort into developing the chassis to maintain the same level of stiffness that the coupe version of the 599 enjoys. Those lucky enough to get their hands on the car will still find the same meaty V12 mounted up front. for the press release.
Russian-market Hyundai Solaris – Click above for high-res image gallery
The production version of the has officially been christened the Solaris for the Russian market. A slightly tweaked-on-the-outside version of the sedan known elsewhere as the Verna or the Accent, the real changes took place underneath in order to handle Russian climes. A more powerful battery and enduro headlights, heating vents for rear seat passengers, a four-liter washer fluid tank and mudguards all around will help alleviate concerns in Northern Russia.
Further north, Siberians can add more cold-proofing in the form of heated front seats and mirrors, a de-icer for the wipers, and an emergency stop signal that activates in an accident. Engines are suspected to be a 1.4-liter four-cylinder with 109 horsepower, or a 1.6-liter four with 124 horses, working through either a five-speed manual or six-speed auto.
Hyundai would like to see 85,000 Solaris’ rolling out of its Russian plant and into Russian hands every year between the sedan and a five-door hatch. It is expected to be going against the Polo sedan, launched not long ago and also built in Russia, and the Dacia Logan.
2011 Infiniti M56S – Click above for high-res image gallery
The lineup was thoroughly made over for 2011, with new technology and new engines packing more power and resulting in better fuel economy. As you could surely assume, all those improvements came at a cost, and passed along some of the pain to customers. For example, the starting price of M56 variants were edged higher by $5,750 compared to the outgoing M45 and M45x. The price spike apparently wasn’t enough money, though, as Infiniti has again upped the MSRP of all 2011 M models.
Effective immediately, the M56 and M56x are up by another $350, with a sticker price of $58,775 and $61,275, respectively. The M37 and M37x received a $250 bump, with a new starting price of $46,500 and $48,650, respectively. We’re not exactly sure why the price of the M jumped, but it could have something to do with the fact that sales of the flagship Infiniti are up 45 percent on the year, with August 2010 sales more than doubling compared to the same month in 2009. Not a bad problem to have.
2011 Jeep Patriot – Click above for high-res image gallery
has just revealed the first images and details of its , and the compact softroader has received very subtle nip/tuck for the new model year that touch nearly every aspect of the vehicle.
The alterations include a new front fascia with fog lamps integrated with the headlamps, color-keyed grille, a new front fascia that’s lower than before, new 17-inch alloys and a brace of new colors, among other differences.
Under the skin, the baby receives reworked steering and suspension tunings (though the company declines specifics) and 4×4 models benefit from additional inch of ride height to augment its off-road capabilities.
Like other recent Chrysler models, the Patriot’s interior has been a sticking point since the model was introduced for the 2007 model year, and the Auburn Hills automaker has devoted quite a bit of attention to upgrading the cabin in this revised model. Changes include new soft-touch door panels with backlighting for the door and window switches, a new armrest, a new wheel with redundant audio controls (along with Bluetooth and cruise), higher-quality cloth on the seats, and so on.
Analyze the changes for yourself by checking out our high-res gallery below and the official press release after the jump.
Ferrari 599 HY-KERS – Click above for high-res image gallery
Sorry, purists, but even the mighty Prancing Horse isn’t immune to the need to increase fuel economy. According to Autoweek, Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has confirmed that the successor to the Enzo throne will come equipped with a hybrid drivetrain. According to Montezemolo, the electrified supercar will borrow heavily from the company’s 599 HY-KERS concept that debuted at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. That vehicle used hybrid tech derived from the kinetic energy recovery system that Ferrari experimented with on its F1 vehicles.
Previously, Ferrari has said that the incorporation of a battery pack and an electric motor would allow the company to continue to offer high-cylinder-count engines while offsetting fuel consumption and emissions. The company has also made it clear that it intends to begin moving toward smaller models to further reduce weight.
The news came as Montezemolo announced that he has no intention of moving from his post at Ferrari to greener pastures in the Italian government. The chairman said that he fully intends to stay at the company long enough to help craft the vehicles in the next product cycle, each of which will follow in the footsteps of the Enzo successor.
The 2010 is a good looking car, but the is a beautiful car. If you own a 2010 Mustang, first of all, sorry about the 2011, but secondly, there’s a way to try and capture some of that Eleanor styling for your modern pony car.
Cervini’s has released images of its upcoming kit for new ‘Stangs, and the urethane kit includes a hood, front bumper, side skirts, side scoops, a rear valence, a ducktail spoiler, upper and lower billet grilles, a set of fog lights and a side-exiting exhaust system. The image above makes the kit come off a bit over the top, but we’ll reserve final judgement until we see it in person at this year’s SEMA show.
Currently, only the hood and side scoops are available for purchase, while the rest of the kit should be available within two months. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the full C500 kit for 2005-2009 Ford Mustangs is available for $26,155 and in addition to the body mods, it includes go-fast/stop-fast parts that raises the power output to 535 horsepower.
Of course, there is another option if you can’t wait any longer and only have $600, you could always settle for a .
When we were 21, we were happy to ditch the fake ID and score cheaper insurance rates. Life’s a little different for Dhiaa Al-Essa, a 21-year-old Saudi who owns a fleet of exotics that’d turn the average enthusiast’s knees into Jell-O.
His 30-car (not a typo) garage includes enough Italians, Brits and Germans to re-enact World War II. His current stable includes four , five , three , two and a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which he counts as his personal favorite. To wring maximum enjoyment out of his exotic empire, Al-Essa spent this summer flying his fleet around the globe so that he and his friends could create their own driving tours in cities such as London, Montreal, Las Vegas and New York.
How is a young man like Mr. Al-Essa able to afford such amazing machinery? Well, he can’t. His father just happens to be a billionaire who enjoys spending money on cost-is-no-object basis for his son. To prove this point, Dihaa’s father is planning on providing him with the keys to two more otherworldly vehicles. On his 22nd birthday, Dihaa will become the proud owner of a Koenigsegg Agera, which comes with a golden key. It’s like the Willy Wonka of supercars. After the Agera, a will join the family. The price for both cars? Around one under $5 million dollars.
Sadly, Al-Essa’s new Ferrari 458 Italia was recently while housed at Heathrow Airport. Is he crying about it? Nope. He reportedly plans to replace it with one of the Ferrari 599 Roadster models rumored to have been shown at Pebble Beach last month. Thanks for the tip, dood!
Image Copyright (C) 2008 Alex Núñez / AOL
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That didn’t take long. As soon as the went live this afternoon we started hearing from multiple sources that did indeed preview a 599 “Roadster” in a few weeks ago and that the letter posted on is authentic. It shouldn’t be that surprising, after all, we did a predicting the unveiling a while back.
Apparently the invitees had to negotiate a tricky path after clearing a security gate to get to the venue. They all had to sign NDAs and their phones and cameras were confiscated. The car that was presented to them was a 599 convertible with a part-time fabric roof that included a removable glass panel for the back window. It was described as an occasional use roof, making this more of a barchetta than a spider in Ferrari parlance. Actually one person described it as nothing more than a piece of fabric that connected to both sides of the body. We’re thinking a -type arrangement.
This particular 599 roadster was rosso fuoco – a rare and expensive multi-layer red – and had silver buttresses. It also had a new wheel design. The best news about this new model was that the engine will come from the recently unveiled 599 GTO and that the convertible will weigh no more than the current 599 GTB coupe. It will be priced at a premium over the GTO and will be limited to just 100 units. There was no indication of what this new model will be called, but Barchetta and SuperAmerica were used on the 550 and 575 convertibles, so maybe one of those will be resurrected…or possibly another name from Ferrari’s past, like Monza. Sales were tentatively promised for Summer 2011.
