Just how much sport can you dial in to the ? It looks like we’re about to find out.
In one corner we have the Veyron Grand Sport, the targa-roofed roadster of the epic supercar. In the other, the Veyron Super Sport, the even more powerful version that claims the record for the fastest production automobile. Where they meet is what we just last week, and could be what we see in this fresh batch of spy shots: the Bugatti Veyron Grand Super Sport. Or Super Grand Sport. Or Super-Duper Sport.
We’ll have to wait to find out what it’ll be called, but we’re expecting output from the quad-turbo, sixteen-cylinder engine to come in somewhere in between the Grand Sport’s 1,000 and the Super Sport’s 1,200. If you didn’t need a toupée before, you probably will after unleashing that much power on your bare scalp.
Is the not big enough for you? Then you’ll probably be interested to learn that and announced a partnership today to develop a new hybrid system for SUVs and light trucks. The “equal partners” deal should result in a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain that will be ready “later this decade” – in other words, in time for that the U.S. government just announced.
The exact models that will use the new powertrain are, unsurprisingly, not being revealed. Instead, all we know is that Toyota and Ford will develop a rear-wheel-drive hybrid system that will improve the efficiency of trucks and SUVs while still allowing them to be driven in the way customers expect them to. The powertrain’s architecture will most likely not be the same as what is used in the dominant Hybrid Synergy Drive that Toyota has refined over the past 14 years in the .
The reason no one knows for sure? All that Ford and Toyota have as this moment is a Memorandum of Understanding. The next step will be a feasibility study to figure out what the exact implementation path will be, with the general outline being that the companies will work together on a powerplant that will be used independently in models that are specific to each company (i.e., this is not about sharing a platform or models, just a RWD hybrid powerplant). The two automakers will also work together on in-vehicle telematics.
Today’s announcement could further confuse some people’s understanding of the history of hybrid technology, since it has long been an urban legend that Ford licensed its earlier hybrid tech from Toyota. This did not happen, .
Ask anyone in the country to name the state that they believe is the best place to build automobiles. We’d wager that Michigan would be the first state uttered by most – it’s the home to , and , after all). The correct answer, however, according to Business Facilities, is Tennessee, which has been crowned the champ with regards to automotive manufacturing strength. Make that defending champ, since this is the second year in a row that Business Facilities has recognized Tennessee as the top spot to build cars.
Why Tennesse? Just ask and about their state-of-the-art facilities, happy workers and the burgeoning crop of supply companies flocking to the state. Another major plus for the automakers is that Tennessee is a right-to-work state, which allows them avoid tangoing with unions. Both automakers employ non-unionized teams, and their employment numbers are growing.
So where does Michigan rank on the Business Facilities list of the top ten states for automotive manufacturing strength? Sixth, behind South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Alabama. The rest of the the top spots are held by Ohio, Mississippi, Texas and Indiana.
The Formula 1 circus is still a little more than a month away from sailing in to Marina Bay for the 2011 Singapore Grand Prix, but an outfit like McLaren isn’t accustomed to sitting around and waiting. So they’ve brought a little bit of Singapore to them.
The move revolves around one Peter Lim. The billionaire Singaporean businessman owns, among other properties, a series of bars and restaurants across Asia themed after the famed soccer team Manchester United, but after failing to acquire the team with a half-a-billion-dollar bid, has apparently turned to supercars instead.
With an undisclosed investment, Lim has joined the likes of chairman Ron Dennis, TAG founder Mansour Ojjeh and Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company in sharing ownership of McLaren and sitting on its board of directors. Lim apparently hopes to help McLaren Automotive expand into the Asian market, where it is preparing to launch the new MP4-12C late next year. Press release .
is officially killing the this week, which the UAW fears may lead to nearly 150 hourly positions getting the chop. The move has already spelled the end for 39 temporary positions at Chrysler’s Warren Truck Plant.
Chrysler brass say they still haven’t figured out who’s getting cut, but if says if there are layoffs, the workers would likely be reassigned to another operation.
According to Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, the Dakota will likely be replaced with a Chrysler sold a scant 13,000 Dakotas last year. By contrast, Dodge moved 177,000 of the compact pickups in 2000.
It’s difficult to choose where to be on Friday during the Monterey Car Week. Various car shows vie for our attention, including the Quail Motorsports Gathering, Concorso Italiano and . Deciding where to spend our time on Saturday, however, is easy. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the place to be, with the Monterey Motorsports Reunion hosting hundreds of vintage race cars at the famous 2.24 mile racetrack.
was this year’s featured marque, highlighting the 50th anniversary of the E-Type. We generally think of the famous Jag as a beautiful road car, but it was a fierce competitor on track as well. An entire race category was dedicated to the E-Type, which made for an incredible sight.
Of course, not all of the race groups were Jaguars, and some of our favorite regulars were back at the track for another year. We always enjoy seeing the Shelby Mustangs and Cobras battle it out with the Corvettes, the IMSA racers, and of course the ever-competitive Trans-Am cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s. We only wish we could stay at the track all weekend to see every race.
Couldn’t make it out to Laguna Seca for the Motorsports Reunion? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Just browse through our high-res photos in the gallery above.
The Pebble Beach Concours might be the most prominent event during the Monterey Car Week, but the hottest ticket in town is to the Quail Motorsports Gathering. Set on the picturesque lawn of the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley, the event follows the mantra of “less is more” – fewer people and fewer cars, all in the name of exclusivity. The result is that you don’t have to rub elbows with fellow spectators to look at the cars, every one of which is spectacular.
As with many other events this week, Jaguar played a large part of the Quail. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the E-Type, some incredible examples were on display, and even a few of the race cars from Laguna Seca took a trip down to Carmel Valley to make an appearance at the show.
Legendary American race car driver Phil Hill was also honored with 2011 marking the 50th anniversary of his Formula 1 championship. On display were a Ferrari TR/59 that he drove at Riverside in 1959, as well as the 1950 Jaguar XK120 that he piloted to victory in the very first Pebble Beach Road Race.
Additional highlights included a a class dedicated to the Ferrari Superamerica and a .
You can see all of these cars and more in the high-res gallery above.
Drew Phillips and I were looking over the RM docket for tonight’s auction and realized something: There are going to be more $1m+ vehicles going up on the block tonight than any other night we can remember. Among the highlights include 300 SL coupes, Daytona Spiders, a Ferrari 750 Monza and one magical Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadsterthat’s sure to hit upwards of $5,000,000.
We’ll be live-blogging it all , and just as an explainer: all prices listed include a 10 percent commission for the auction house, so if something – say, the 300SL above – hammers at $760,000, the final price would be $836,000. We’ll just be listing the gavel price. And with that, .
Leave it to the Germans to build one of the best-looking at this year’s Concorso Italiano. When we first walked past this 599 in the Meguiar’s booth we initially mistook it for the race-only 599XX. And that’s the point. Deutsch aftermarket company Vörsteiner felt the Ferrari 599 GTO didn’t look aggressive enough and developed a body kit for the standard 599 GTB Fiorano to make the car look more like its track-going brother. The result is the Vörsteiner Ferrari 599-VX.
The makeover is achieved via an eight-piece body kit that includes a new front end, hood, side skirts, rear decklid, rear intake panel and rear bumper with integrated diffuser. All components are constructed in lightweight carbon fiber, and a closer look revealed that the fit and finish is top notch and worthy of the Italian marque. Everything is finished off with a beautiful matte white vinyl wrap from 3M.
You can take a closer look at the Vörsteiner Ferrari 599-VX in the high-res gallery above.
In addition to the , has rolled out another new model here in Monterey: the 2013 IPL G Convertible.
Like its , the IPL (for Infiniti Performance Line) is more about handling and appearance than outright power. The 3.7-liter VQ37HR V6 benefits from the same breathing mods, delivering 348 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque through either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox. The body has been festooned with the same angular front and rear fascias, along with 19-inch wheels and a reworked suspension with stiffer springs at all four corners.
The that debuted in earlier this year (and pictured above at Infiniti’s tent in Pebble Beach) is almost exactly what will be available when sales begin in the spring of next year. Hit the jump for the full details.
There are literally hundreds of models of all ages and description at Concorso Italiano, so how does one stand out? Surely not with a bright color, as that would just blend in with the crowd. No, you go for a color that no one else has. Like brown.
Now, some will say that such a “boring” color doesn’t belong on an exotic car like the the Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SV. will say it’s more than acceptable. We think it’s awesome.
This car started out with a pearl white paint job, but the owner of the car, Cats Exotics, a dealer specializing in high-end sports cars, wanted it to match one of their other Lamborghinis, a Diablo 6.0 SE finished in brown. A matte brown wrap was created especially for the car, the wheels were changed to a gold finish, with a matching SV logo on the doors.
Check out our photos of the car in the gallery above and let us know what you think of it by leaving your comments.
Concorso Italiano is a celebration of all things Italian. That means plenty of amazing cars, delicious food and drink, and good music. It’s mostly about the cars, though. and dominated the lawn, but spectators are also able to enjoy dozens of , De Tomasos, Alfa Romeos and Fiats.
Previous years of Concorso Italiano saw several changes of venue, but 2011 marked the third year that the show was hosted at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch. That stability seems to have helped the event, and the organizers have started to figure out how to make things run smoothly. Parking was a breeze (for us, at least), and the organization of the cars was the best it’s been in several years.
The last two years of Concorso have featured gatherings of Ferrari supercars – and – and this year an F50 reunion was announced. Unfortunately only three cars were in attendance, although one was the ultra-rare F50 GT.
Otherfeatures of this year’s Concorso Italiano included the 40th anniversary of the De Tomaso Pantera and a collection of original-condition and barn-find cars, our favorite being an still in the same condition it was found after being stored since the early 1970s.
You can see those cars and more in our high-res gallery above.
Since its inception, has made a living making its customers feel very, very special. Given the average net worth of its buyers and the custom-tailored nature of their vehicles, this sort of approach makes good business sense. That said, some customers are clearly more special than others. Michael Fux, a businessman and philanthropist who commissioned the unusual purple seen here, is clearly one of the latter.
Fux is one of Rolls’ very best customers, and he’s also known for being one of its most outlandish, perpetually giving Goodwood’s Bespoke department specialists a workout. Rolls has debuted one-off Fux cars during past Monterey weeks, and this year, they’ve teamed up again to reveal this striking purple and white Phantom. While the visuals that Fux pushed for certainly won’t be to everyone tastes (we’re more accustomed to seeing these sort of aesthetic choices among aftermarket firms like ), there’s no denying the quality of the workmanship, from the matching purple roof to the customized engraved sill plates and relentlessly white leather interior. And Fux isn’t the only Rolls buyer whose tastes require an increasing degree of personalization – earlier this month, the automaker to keep up with demand.
Fux’s custom Rolls-Royce commissions have never been known for their subtlety. In the past, he’s ordered a screaming yellow Phantom Convertible (), as well as a candy red Drophead that featured Rolls’ first-ever black-and-red carbon fiber inserts. That car was such a test for the English automaker’s bespoke team that they not only named the paint for Fux (and guaranteed its exclusivity), they produced a 2010 video about it that you can watch .
The , otherwise known as Korea’s answer to the and , has sold 65,118 units so far this year, close to twice as many as last year, and is now consistently racking up sales every month of over 10,000 units. The will throw gasoline on the fire with updated engines, styling tweaks and new infotainment options, and Kia has confirmed it won’t be messing too much with one of the Soul’s best selling points: its low price.
A base 2012 Kia Soul will start at $13,900, not including a $750 destination charge, which is $600 more than a 2011 model. Kia can justify the price difference because it’s upgraded the Soul’s anemic 1.6-liter base engine with the company’s GDI direct injection technology that not only makes it more powerful, but also helps it reach 35 miles per gallon on the highway, four mpg more than before. The five-speed manual transmission has also been ditched for a six-speed, and you can now order the base Soul with an automatic transmission for the first time: a six-speed unit that replaces the prior four-speed. The new base Soul with the six-speed automatic starts at $15,700.
Kia has discontinued the range-topping Soul Sport model for 2012, which leaves the Soul + (Plus) and ! (Exclamation) models above the base Soul. A Soul Plus with a more powerful 164-hp (+22 hp) 2.0-liter engine starts at $16,300 for a manual and $17,300 for an automatic, while the Soul Exclamation now starts at $19,600. Each Soul costs a little more than last year’s model, but they all still fall under the all-important $20K mark and come well equipped before options, including new ones like an ECO package, the brand’s UVO infotainment system and a rear-view camera.
Kia has also confirmed that the Soul will get “Idle, Stop and Go” (ISG) technology, essentially a start/stop system, later in the model year that will further improve its fuel efficiency numbers.
The Vancouver riot was a disgraceful act that played out in an otherwise wonderful Canadian city. Violent rage filled the streets, and misguided idiots turned their furious attention to local property in the form of store fronts and automobiles. One particular automobile was a black belonging to Jazmin Perez, who . Unfortunately for Perez, the ruthless mob didn’t relent and her expensive machine burnt to the ground. Her saga doesn’t end there, however, because Jazmin Perez is now on the hook for thousands of dollars worth of damages.
The BMW M5 in question was leased to Perez, who had insurance to cover the market value of the car. With her car now torched and ruined, Perez now needs to pay the difference between the insurance payout (fair market value) and the remaining balance she owes on her lease. The total she owes is reportedly in the thousands of dollars. Her insurance company and the leasing company both say they understand this was not her fault, yet contracts are contracts and Perez is the one who signed on the dotted line.
We feel for Perez in this situation. Mostly because she now owes thousands on a car that was destroyed by idiots, but especially because that car was a BMW M5.
What kind of person would order an $8 million ? The same sort who’d take another Maybach and hack it up with a saw and blowtorch. That’s right, a hip-hop mega star.
Long before Jay-Z and Kanye West shot , Bryan “Birdman” Williams had for his very own Maybach Exelero. The price tag: a whopping $8 million. Pocket change for a guy worth over $100 million with a and a in the garage. But now he seems to be running into some trouble.
Apparently, Birdman still owes money on his other seven-figure rides, and has yet to fork over the eight mil to the Exelero’s current owner Arnaud Massartic. Until he does, it remains the European entrepreneur’s property, though Birdman very well might find a way to work it into his next video just the same.
Every year on the Thursday before the Pebble Beach Concours, each of the entrants is given the opportunity to prove its roadworthiness on the scenic roads of 17 Mile Drive and Highway 1. A good selection of cars are usually up to taking on the challenge, although some are better equipped than others.
The Tour d’Elegance, as it’s known, also provides car enthusiasts the opportunity to get a look at the all of the amazing vintage metal without having to pay the $175 ticket that allows access to Pebble Beach’s 18th fairway on Sunday. Many would also argue that seeing the cars out on public roads is better than seeing them parked in rows on grass.
The big news for this year’s Pebble Beach Concours is the 50th anniversary gathering of the Ferrari 250 GTO, and several stunning examples participated in the tour. Fortunately we’ll see more of the cars throughout the next few days including on track at Laguna Seca and on the lawn at Pebble Beach on Sunday. You can see the 250 GTOs and more cars from this year’s Pebble Beach Tour in the high-res gallery above.
It’s a sad sight when iconic institutions in local neighborhoods fade far from their former glory. Along Detroit’s famed Woodward Avenue sits the Vinsetta Garage, which officially its doors closed in 2010. This story doesn’t have a sad ending, however, as the garage has been given a new lease on life, and will continue to serve customers in a whole new way.
Curt Catallo and wife Ann Stevenson are hard at work turning the classically styled building into a new place to eat delicious food. The pair own two other restaurants in metro Detroit, Clarkston Union and Union Woodshop. Stevenson fell in love with the wonderful architecture inside and states that she has no plans to change it.
The husband and wife team aren’t alone in their Vinsetta Garage culinary adventure. AutoWeekpublisher KC Crain has signed on to partner with Catallo and Stevenson. Crain plans to throw a party in the garage during the Woodward Dream Cruise to celebrate the new venture. To prep the building before the festivities, Crain replaced the roof, repaved the parking lot, removed the garage equipment and had the place thoroughly cleaned.
Detroit foodies and automotive enthusiasts plan to keep your eyes peeled and your stomachs ready for the opening slated for sometime next spring.
has chosen the backdrop of this week’s classic car festivities in Monterey, California to debut a new concept convertible called the Ciel, which means “sky” in French. The four-seat, four-door drop top was designed to be the ultimate carriage for a drive up the coast, as well as hints at Cadillac’s aspirations to offer flagship luxury products in the future.
The Ciel is powered by a 425-horsepower, twin-turbocharged version of GM’s 3.6-liter V6 engine with direct injection that’s augmented by a hybrid system using lithium-ion batteries. Those massive 22-inch wheels may not look that large because the Ciel itself is a big boat with a wheelbase 12 inches longer than a CTS sedan and overall length cresting 200 inches. Cadillac says the car’s shape is more natural and organic than its current design language, perhaps expressing more Art than Science with smoother lines and softer curves than we’re used to seeing. We particularly like the slightly rising chrome accent line along the rocker panels that stretches the length of the Ciel.
Exterior aside, inside the Ciel is where we want to be. Passengers are absolutely coddled in their individual bucket seats with unique niceties like pull-out blankets to ward off an evening’s chill, aromatherapy controls in the armrests and a drawer containing sun screen, sun glasses and a towel. Of course, technology is ever-present in the cabin with each seat having its own suite of connectivity options and the center dashboard being topped with an inductive charging surface.
Check out Cadillac’s official images as well as our own live shots in the galleries below. Two official videos and Cadillac’s official PR can be found .
seems to think the world needs another seven-passenger, three-row luxury crossover. And their answer is the JX, first shown this evening in concept form in Pebble Beach before the production model debuts at the this fall and sales begin in the spring of 2012.
We’re hardly enamored with the design, but its specs are sure to appeal to a certain subset of families looking for a premium alternative to a minivan or SUV. Infiniti claims class-leading interior space, with a second row that tilts and slides forward (up to five and half inches) to allow access to a rather commodious set of seats in the way, way back.
Although Infiniti is sticking with its “Inspired Performance” mantra, a V6 fitted with a CVT and sending power through either the front or all four wheels doesn’t strike us as particularly sporting. But where the JX should excel is in the features and safety department. In addition to the automaker’s Blind Spot Intervention, the JX will come equipped with a new Backup Collision Intervention system, which can detect objects when the crossover is reversing and automatically engage the brakes to avoid a crash.
Other amenities include a 14-speaker Bose stereo system, Infiniti Connection Telematics and the recently launched Personal Assistant program, which provides owners with 24-hour access to a team of living, breathing reps that can do everything from supplying navigation instructions to booking a hotel.
We’ll pass final judgement on the styling once we get an eyeful at tonight’s reveal, but judging by the shortened time frame between the concept and production model, this Shiro Nakamura design study should be incredibly close to what we’ll see in LA this November. for the full details.
UPDATED with live pics. It’s better in person… if just.
