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FV Frangivento Sorpasso

We all think about Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini when someone mentions ‘Italian supercar’, but there are many more car builders in Italy, like FV Frangivento, located in Turin, and they just introduced their latest creation, the FV Frangivento Sorpasso, and while the ‘base’ model is called the Stradale, they also have a GTXX model, and it’s this one that comes with an interesting option.

As a special customization option, you can opt for the FV Frangivento Sorpasso GTXX to come with your choice of numbers for the ‘XX’ in the name, so you could have it as GT40, or GT63, or whatever number you like, and that’s not even the best part … there is also Programma Sviluppo and Programma Ego, this will give you 30-day access to the stylists at FV Frangivento to actually design you very own Sorpasso Stradale or Sorpasso GTXX.

The car in these press renders is in fact the FV Frangivento Sorpasso Stradale, the more elegant supercar, in this case, finished in ‘Grigio Hermes’, the Sorpasso GTXX will come with a GT3 inspired, more aggressive design and boast two-tone paint finish, for the interior a combination of Alcantara and leather is possible, and FV Frangivento lists an optional Avatar Driving Assistant. Which should become an AI technology-based co-pilot or travel assistant.

The FV Frangivento Sorpasso comes with four-wheel drive and a V10 engine, while the Stradala makes do with 610 hp, the GTXX will get a supercharger installed to raise the power output to 850 hp, the latter will be able to reach 100 km/h from a standstill in 2.9 seconds and won’t run out of breath until her maximum speed of 345 km/h (215 Mph) is reached.

No pricing yet, but FV Frangivento already has orders in, and plans to have the first of their latest Sorpasso delivered to their clients by July …

April 4, 2021 / Comments Off

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From Race to Road

Hispano Suiza and competition have gone hand in hand since its foundation in 1904. Back then, taking part in the most prestigious races not only gave the brand national and international visibility, but also allowed Hispano Suiza to learn about the behavior of its vehicles, when they were tested to the highest level of demand: it was vital to continue offering its customers increasingly powerful, reliable and, ultimately, better cars.

In its new stage, Hispano Suiza has maintained this philosophy. Both the Hispano Suiza Carmen, as well as its more powerful version, Carmen Boulogne – whose name honors its triumphs in the George Boillot Cup, in Boulogne, a century ago – have been designed by racing engineers, and their development carried out by professional racing drivers. Likewise, Hispano Suiza takes part in the new 100% electric SUV championship, Extreme E, an innovative concept that promotes values such as sustainability, equality, and electrification, and that will also provide the brand with valuable knowledge to be applied in future models.

A motto that defines the brand

“From Race to Road” is the motto that perfectly defines the philosophy of Hispano Suiza, the same one that has accompanied it since its foundation more than a century ago and that has forged its legend on circuits and roads around the world. The aim of the brand has always been to transmit through its new cars the passion for driving, high performance, luxury, craftsmanship, and ultimately, excellence on wheels.

When the historic Spanish manufacturer resurfaced in 2019, it did so together with its technological partner, Spanish engineering company QEV Technologies, bringing together a group of professionals with a wealth of experience in the main automotive championships all over the world. Hispano Suiza decided to return to the automotive world with Carmen, a hyper-luxury sports car, 100% electric. It needed that know-how to offer its customers a product that lives up to the brand’s legacy, with a design inspired by its own history, cutting-edge technology, dreamlike features, and unlimited customization possibilities that turned each car into a work of art on wheels.

Many of the technologies present in Carmen and Carmen Boulogne derive directly from Formula E, the first 100% electric racing championship where the members of Hispano Suiza’s technological partner achieved the first Drivers’ title in history, with the NEXTEV team and Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet Jr behind the wheel. Formula E has evolved enormously since that first 2014-2015 season, a period in which cars had to be replaced mid-race due to lack of autonomy, and during which they barely reached 270 hp of power. Now, the single-seaters are much more spectacular aesthetically, they complete the races without even having to stop to recharge the batteries, they exceed 340 hp and reach a top speed of 280 km/h, 55 km/h more than the previous generation.

Hispano Suiza has not only been a direct witness of this evolution but has also used this experience to build one of the most beautiful and innovative vehicles ever made in the world. Among the technologies derived from Formula E that are part of Carmen and Carmen Boulogne is its power train, with four permanent magnet synchronous motors, housed in its rear axle. The impressive torque of each engine is controlled through sophisticated vectoring systems developed in-house with experience gained in Formula E. From 0 to 6,500 rpm, the engines are capable of reaching a maximum of 1,160 Nm of torque, enabling breath-taking acceleration, from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 2.6 s, and seemingly endless power and traction.

The lithium-ion polymer battery has a capacity of 80 kWh that allows it to develop a homologated range of up to 400 km. Batteries are designed and produced in-house and include a complete temperature control system to ensure that the cells can operate optimally. They have a fast charge capacity of more than 80 kW DC, requiring only 30 minutes to charge 30-80% through a CCS2 fast charger.

The exterior is made of carbon fiber, a material that guarantees maximum resistance and lightness, and which began to be used in Formula 1 in the 80s. In total, the Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne weighs 1,630 kg, which together with its 1,114 hp of power, guarantees a magnificent power-to-weight ratio of 1.5 kg/hp. The suspension also comes from Formula E: it is optimized to guarantee the maximum possible lightness. It’s design and architecture are the meeting point between the asphalt and the driver. It preserves the Racing DNA, also guaranteeing reliability and safety.

Another important technological feature is the software, responsible for transmitting more than 1,000 hp of power to the wheels, and which has been developed – also based on experience gained in Formula E – so that any customer can get behind the wheel of a vehicle with these characteristics without being a professional driver. Through the software, different driving modes (Sport, ECO, and Comfort) can be selected to guarantee the best sensations and performance at the right time.

“We have tried to transfer our six years of experience in Formula E to a vehicle that is unrivaled,” says Joan Orús, CTO of Hispano Suiza. “It is not a car made to break records but to convey the passion for driving and, above all, to make everyone who climbs in it, fall completely and utterly in love. It is a vehicle designed to enjoy. Its more than 1,000 hp of power, located on the rear axle, ensure exceptional performance, and together with a magnificent exterior and interior design, unique and handcrafted, we achieve an innovative, beautiful, and at the same time comfortable vehicle ”.

“Thanks to this project we made a dream come true”, adds Orús. “We have been able to shape a sketch made on a blank sheet of paper. It is the dream of any automotive engineer: we have taken all the technology from Formula E and we have brought it to a road car. We have built a high-performance supercar and added details of pure luxury, hence our concept of hyperlux ”.

Luis Pérez-Sala, at the forefront of development

For the development of its vehicles, Hispano Suiza chose to have authentic racing drivers, who were used to pushing competition cars to the limit to discover where they can improve, continue to evolve, and who knows how to transmit the feedback of the vehicle to the engineers. as precisely as possible. During the development process of Carmen and Carmen Boulogne, the brand relied on the expertise of Luis Pérez-Sala, former Formula 1 driver and two-time Spanish Touring Car Champion, and Pablo Suárez, technical specialist in electric vehicles and racing driver.

Over the past year, Pérez-Sala and Suárez have travelled more than eight thousand kilometres on roads throughout Spain and on circuits such as Calafat, the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya and even Le Mans. All this to achieve the best performance, reliability and thus be able to transmit to the driver of the Hispano Suiza Carmen the authentic sensations of a unique car born on the circuit, prepared and developed by professionals and racing drivers, and that, in addition, can be driven on the road.

April 3, 2021 / Comments Off

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Bugatti in Paris

Unique hyper sports cars demand an extraordinary backdrop. The former monastery, Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay, lies at the heart of the forest of Rambouillet around 50 kilometers southwest of Paris. Parts of the complex were established in the 11th century as a Cistercian abbey. Nowadays it is one of the world’s most charming hotels – and thus the ideal place to highlight the Chiron Sport and Chiron Pur Sport to French passion.

“We are delighted to share, with an authentic simplicity, this passion that keeps us together”, explains Edouard Schumacher, CEO of Groupe Schumacher and LS Group. “La Maison Bugatti Paris has the purpose to create special experiences, that bring people to live the French Art de Vivre. The Chiron Sport and Pur Sport are extraordinary vehicles, with superlative performances, a real dream that links together all the automotive passions.”

Since its creation in 1947, the family Group has developed a representative network of roughly twenty automotive brands throughout France and has carried on the historical tradition and presence of sports cars brands in the Paris metropolitan region.

“For myself personally, it’s a particular pleasure to be part of this Bugatti Paris event and showcase the Chiron Sport and Chiron Pur Sport to our customers”, says Guy Caquelin, Regional Director Europe at Bugatti. “After long abstinence and merely digital presentations, aficionados of our brand finally have the chance here to test and experience the two hyper sports cars. Customers need to be able to see, drive and feel Bugatti vehicles so they can internalize their unique and special character.” The test drives in Paris have been the kick-off of a Bugatti Road Show for the Chiron Sport and Pur Sport in Europe.

The Chiron Sport, launched in 2018, refines the Chiron and relies on lightweight components and firmer running gear – for even more direct handling and impressive agility. With the Chiron Pur Sport Bugatti engineers developed a hyper sports car uncompromisingly geared towards lateral dynamics, boasting maximum agility, driving performance, and excellent handling. Ideal for fast cornering and appropriately matched with the 8.0-liter W16 engine generating 1,500 PS and 1,600-newton meters of torque. It propels the Chiron Pur Sport from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 2.3 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in 5.9 seconds. The series-production version of the Chiron Pur Sport has been limited to 60 units and comes with a price tag of 3 million euros (net). Just like the Chiron Sport, the Chiron Pur Sport is being built in the Atelier in Molsheim in the Alsace region of France.

Paris site of historic significance to Bugatti

As a French luxury brand, Paris has always been a special place for Bugatti. Ettore Bugatti established the brand’s first showroom here in Avenue Montaigne almost 100 years ago. Even though the founder chose Molsheim as the company headquarters and production site in 1909, he frequently visited Paris, the center of the intellectual avant-garde. He spent pivotal parts of his professional and personal life here. Today Bugatti lives on in the spirit of Ettore Bugatti at the recently inaugurated, new showroom in Neuilly-sur-Seine – situated only 500 meters from where Ettore Bugatti spent his last days in 1947.

April 2, 2021 / Comments Off

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The MG Cyberster

MG Motor UK Limited just published the first images for their upcoming MG Cyberster, a new concept for a sportscar that reminds us of the classic MG roadsters, the intention is to unveil this concept at the Shanghai Show later this month.

Developed by the team at the MG Advanced Design Centre in London, the MG Cyberster will be a 2-door, 2-seater sports car, featuring the classic-looking round MG headlights, together with a slim grille design, along with interactive ‘Magic Eye’ headlights that open when switched on. Another striking detail on the MG Cyberster Concept is a ‘laser belt’, an LED strip along, the side of the car and the outline of the door, which follows the direction of the LED strip.

The side profile MG Cyberster shows a distinctive two-stage shoulder line, together with a ‘kamm tail’ rear design, and LED taillights that clearly show MG’s British heritage by their design inspired by the UK flag, the Union Flag.

Carl Gotham, Director of SAIC Design Advanced London, said:

“The Cyberster is a bold statement that looks strongly into MG’s future, touching on our heritage but more importantly building on our cutting-edge technology and advanced design. Sports cars are the lifeblood of the MG DNA and Cyberster is a hugely exciting concept for us.”

The MG Cyberster will be an electric vehicle, with the new intelligent architecture MG intends to offer an EV range of up to 800km (500 miles) while acceleration figures from 0 to 100km/h time (0-62mph) will be below the three seconds mark. Detailed specifications will only be made public after the unveiling at the Shanghai Motor Show (April 21-28, 2021).

April 2, 2021 / Comments Off

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McLaren Geneva

McLaren already had two dealerships in Switzerland, in Zurich and in Lugano, but now they opened up the third one in the famous city of Geneva, famous for the yearly Motor Show, this new dealer is better located for clients in the Romandy cantons of Switzerland. Operated by luxury brand specialist, Pegasus Automotive Group SA, this is the 37th official McLaren showroom in Europe, the Middle East, and the Africa region.

To celebrate the grand opening of McLaren Geneva, there was a very impressive gathering of various models, including the new McLaren Artura, but also one of the rare McLaren Senna as the ultimate representative, but the Mclaren line up available once the dealership opens in Q2 of this year will also include cars like the 720S, 720S Spider and the two-seater Elva Roadster, a car created to distill driving exhilaration to its purest form, symbolized by an open cockpit with no windscreen or windows, but with a world-first Active Air Management System to shelter occupants by manipulating the airflow over the car.

April 1, 2021 / Comments Off

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The One-off Bentayga Hybrid

The options list on a Bentley Bentayga might be impressive for most people, but still, they offer the ultimate personal touch for your luxury SUV through the Mulliner Guide, where the sky is the limit when it comes to personalization options for their more demanding customers that have the bank account to cater to their every need.

At the Shanghai Motor Show Bentley will be showcasing their latest example of Mulliner’s handcraftsmanship, this Viridian painted Bentayga Hybrid isn’t just a show car, it has been customer ordered by a Chinese client through the Bentley Mulliner Personal Commissioning Guide to create a true one-off, bespoke SUV.

The dark emerald hue from the Mulliner Extended paint range for the body is complemented with 22-inch machined, Mulliner driving specification wheels with Viridian color-coded spokes, Viridian is a stunning, dark emerald green, created specifically for the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept, it contains metal flakes of amber and gold to embody a sense of luxury.

While the stunning interior is finished in Cumbrian green leather with a piano-finished veneer in the same shade, an amazing-looking white cross-stitch pattern is hand-stitched on the green seats, door panels, and even in the piano Cumbrian Green veneer via a unique overlay.

Bentley Mulliner added a handcrafted design to the passenger fascia using a silver metal overlay to create a beautiful geometric diamond design of the EXP 100 GT concept car. Note that the hand-stitched pattern found inside this bespoke Bentley Bentayga took a total of 44 hours to complete.

For such a large and a rather heavy car as the Bentley Bentayga, the performance figures from the combination of an electric motor and a 3.0-liter V6 engine are impressive, acceleration from 0 to 60 mph takes 5.2 seconds thanks to the 443 bhp, with a top speed of 158 mph.

Enjoy some more images of this stunning one-off Bentley Bentayga Hybrid in our image gallery below:

March 31, 2021 / Comments Off

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Bugatti Chiron 300 of 500

The Bugatti Chiron is hand-built in Molsheim, France, and with a limited production run of only 500 units, it is noteworthy they’ve just completed construction of the 300th units, a stunning black Chiron Pur Sport, a shade known as ‘Nocturne’ in Bugatti language.

As which each of these 500 Bugatti Chiron, this number 300 is a one-off, bespoke build for the enthusiast owner, remember the Chiron Sport ‘Alice’ we’ve covered a while ago, a white and pink combination that seemed to be a stunning Valentine’s gift, or the even more impressive Bugatti Divo ‘Lady Bug’ with that amazing, faded pattern scheme that took 18 months to complete.

Back to the Chiron Pur Sport, number 300 in the Chiron production, as mentioned, finished in Nocturne with several exterior details in grey carbon fiber, while the famous Bugatti logo comes in ‘Gris Rafale’ while wheels and the famous ‘C-line’ have a ‘Gun Powder’, the stunning engine cover shows carbon fiber again.

On the inside, the dark and intimidating shades make their return, for the leather and Alcantara upholstery the customer opted for ‘Beluga Black’ while the seams come in Gris Rafale to complement the same shade on the outside, while the optional ‘Sky View’ adds large glass panels in the roof of this Chiron Pur Sport, and you can admire the tribute to Ettore Bugatti’s younger brother Rembrandt, a drawing of the famous dancing elephant on the head restraints.

From the 500 Bugatti Chiron that will be made, only 60 will be the amazing Pur Sport version, with the fixed rear wing and 1,500 PS from the 8.0-Liter W16 engine … the Pur Sport can reach 300 km/h in only 12 seconds! Most of the 60 Chiron Pur Sport will be delivered to their customers in 2021, but next to the Pur Sport they are also building the Chiron Sport and the Divo this year.

Remember La Voiture Noire? Bugatti presented this very special car in March 2019, but now they are finally producing this return to the coachbuilding tradition of this luxury automotive manufacturer with the most exclusive and most expensive car in the world in 2021.

March 31, 2021 / Comments Off

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FOR SALE: 2018 Porsche GT2 RS Weissach

Up for sale on BringATrailer is this beautiful 165-mile 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS that was originally delivered to The Porsche Exchange of Highland Park, Illinois. At the time of writing, this Porsche has a bid of just $275,000.

This Porsche GT2 RS is finished in Guards Red over black leather and Alcantara and is powered by a 700-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.8L flat-six coupled with a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transaxle.

This car was factory optioned with a Weissach Package ($18K option), the Chrono Package, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, satin black staggered-diameter magnesium wheels. This beauty also features a factory Bose surround sound system – in case you plan on reminiscing to Daft Punk’s greatest hits or the latest revived Fleetwod Mac classic from TikTok.

This GT2 RS will come with the original window sticker, four spare wheels, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Ohio title.

Based upon the contemporary 911 Turbo, the 991 GT2 RS features a carbon-fiber hood, front fender vents, side air intakes, and a fixed rear wing. Weissach Package weight-saving measures include a carbon-fiber roof panel and carbon-fiber anti-roll bars.

Other amenities among the over $40K in options include Alcantara-covered sun visors, a leather-wrapped steering column, and carbon-fiber illuminated door sills.

This GT2 RS was also optioned with the extended range 23.7-gallon fuel tank – perfect for your next cross country rally. The car features a water-injection system that sprays the intercoolers to lower intake temperatures.

The auction is set to close on this pristine 2018 GT2 RS on Thursday, April 1 at 4:07 pm EST. This gives you a couple of days to figure out what you need to sell to make room for this track slayer.

March 30, 2021 / Comments Off

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A $165,000 Audi RS e-tron GT

Some might consider the new 2022 Audi e-tron GT as a cheaper alternative to the Porsche Taycan, and while prices start at $99,900 for the Audi Premium Plus, a comparable 522 hp version from Porsche would be the Taycan 4S at $103,800, so there isn’t much difference in price at that level … but when you delve into the options list for the new Audi, things quickly change, and you get into Porsche pricing in a heartbeat.

A sample of the Audi exclusive special paint

Go for the impressive RS e-tron GT and the base price already jumps to $139,900 … that’s a $40,000 premium, and that’s before options, but now you get 637 hp with 612 lb-ft of torque, a top speed of 155 mph, and an acceleration figure of 3.1 seconds thanks to dual synchronous electric motors with 93 kWh Li-ion battery, so that’s close to Porsche Taycan Turbo specifications, but that one starts at $150,900.

Fear not, on the 2022 RS e-tron GT you can opt for the impressive Year One package at $20,350, which includes among other things 21-inch, 5-twin-spoke concept car design wheels, lots of visible carbon fiber, RS seats, RS steering wheel, carbon-ceramic brakes with red calipers, and those amazing HD Matrix-design LED headlights with Audi laser light and animation … just so you can have a show when you open or close the car.

One final way to really make your brand new Audi RS e-tron GT stand out from the crowd is to add the $3,900 Audi exclusive special paint color, which might be a good idea as the standard color palette isn’t really too extensive, to be honest, a white, some silver, a few greys, a black, a blue, a bright red and a strange shade of green they call Tactical Green metallic, and that’s it.

But this way you will end up with a bespoke Audi RS e-tron GT in an exclusive paint, if you want to stand out of the crowd with a serious counterpart from Porsche, you’ll end up with the Taycan Turbo S that starts at $185,000 but can quickly go well beyond the $200,000 mark when you start adding options to that one too, but for some, the brand will be important too at this price level … and in the end, driving an Audi just isn’t the same as driving a Porsche.

March 30, 2021 / Comments Off

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BRABUS 92R

If you really want to make a statement, this new, limited edition, BRABUS 92R might just be the right car to add to your collection, they claim it is the new Urban Supercar anyway, also known as The electrically powered “pocket rocket!”.

The BRABUS 92R is an exclusive edition of only 50 units of a convertible city sports car, 92 hp and 180 Nm of torque while being fully electric, with a top speed of 130 km/h and a range of up to 125 kilometers (78 miles), depending on the driving style, while an almost silent acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes 10.9 seconds in “Sport +” mode, but I guess that will considerably limit the range you’ll be able to reach on a single charge, but that is not what this Urban Supercar is intended for.

There is a “driving fun switch” for the driver to select one of four modes. The production level from the base vehicle, the Smart EQ ForTwo Cabrio is the Basic level 1, when switching to “Eco’ you get more energy recovery when braking, ‘Sport’ is the third mode, with improved accelerator pedal response, and reduced energy recovery rate to the production level, the fourth mode is ‘Sport+”.

We wouldn’t be talking about a real BRABUS if this little 92R didn’t come with bespoke aero parts, like the new front bumper with large air intakes, a red detail is added to the center front, and to the side sills, while an athletic-looking rear diffuser sets the BRABUS 92R apart from the Smart she’s based on, carbon fiber design door mirror covers add the final touch.

Naturally, this BRABUS 92R comes with bespoke Monoblock wheels, in this case, the IX alloys showing eight double spokes mounted in 6Jx16 at the front with size 185/50 R 16, and 7Jx17 rims at the rear with size 205/40 R Yokohama tires, a one-inch lowering suspension is also fitted.

On the inside, the finest red BRABUS leather is used in a stunning ‘Ultimate Ellipse’ design quilted stitching pattern, black topstitching is used while the BRABUS logos in both backrests are an amazing touch, to complete the custom look of the BRABUS 92R, the convertible’s electric soft-top comes in a similar bright red.

The BRABUS 92R starts at €46,284, being a fully electric vehicle you might want to check your local subsidy plan, usually, you can get part of your investment back from the government when you register an electric car … in a world full of Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bentley, and Rolls Royce, this little ‘pocket rocket’ might draw more attention for being so … different.

March 28, 2021 / Comments Off

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200,000 Bentley cars built

It took Bentley just over 101 years to build their 200,000th car, founded in 1919 in Crewe, these hand-built cars have been known for their luxury and performance … the 200,000th car to be completed was a Bentley Bentayga Hybrid.

To celebrate this milestone, Bentley posed the light blue metallic SUV next to its oldest sibling, an EXP 2, it’s also interesting to note that over 150,000 Bentley cars were built during the last 18 years, in fact, today Bentley builds 85 cars each day, back in 2000 they made that same number over an entire month.

To make this figure even more impressive, between 1919 and 2002 they built a mere 44,418 cars, 38,933 in Crewe … these include masterpieces like the Bentley Blower, the R-Type Continental, and as a testament to just how good a Bentley is, 84% of Bentley cars sold in the UK are still driving around today.

In 2003 a major boost in production came around with the introduction of the Bentley Continental GT, back in January of 2021, the 80,000th unit of these amazing Grand Tourer was built.

While the Bentley Bentayga was only introduced in 2015, it has already received its first facelift redesign, and as mentioned is now available as a hybrid model, to date a total of 25,000 units of this luxurious SUV have left the factory doors, while 40,000 units of the Flying Spur luxury sports saloon have been built too.

The next step in their evolution is to move to electric vehicles, they intend to be fully PHEV or BEV only by 2026 and achieve an entire model range of battery-powered cars only by 2030.

March 27, 2021 / Comments Off

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Street legal LMH from Glickenhaus?

For the 2021 edition of the 24h of Le Mans, Glickenhaus Racing already has a car on the test track, called the SCG 007 LMH, and they intend to enter two of these next-generation hypercars into the most famous endurance race in Europe … but things got even better, Glickenhaus also has at least one customer put in an order for an SCG 007 LMH too, so we might be seeing three or more of these cars battle it out on the Circuit de la Sarthe in late August this year (the initial date for June has been postponed due to COVID 19).

There is a Prologue for the 2021 FIA WEC championship on the famous Belgian track at Spa Francorchamps in late April (26-27), but at this point, it is uncertain if the SGC 007 LMH will be present at the prologue with all the restrictions and regulations in place worldwide these days, the first actual race in the 2021 World Endurance Championship is the Total 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps on May 1.

In a recent Instagram post by Glickenhaus we learned something really interesting … aside from the SGC 007 LMH race cars they will be building, the intention is to also offer a limited production run of 24 street-legal versions, called the SGC 007S, it will be closely related to the race car, but come with all the requirements for it to be allowed on the open road, initially for the US market, but Glickenhaus is thinking about making it meet regulations for other markets too.

Glickenhaus calls it a “once in a lifetime chance” to obtain a race car for the road, and he’s thinking about a three-seat configuration for the cockpit, with the driver in the middle … now where did we see that before? But it gets even better, while the race car is powered by a 3.5-Liter, twin-turbo V8 engine that has to be limited to 680 hp to comply with FIA WEC regulations, there is no limit set for a street version … and for the SGC 007 Stradale they list a massive 1,400 hp … in a 2,800 lbs car!

The Glickenhaus SGC 007S will come with aerodynamics almost identical to the LMH race car, the intention is you can just drive your SGC 007S to the track on street tires, pull into a pit box and raise the car on its own, onboard air jacks to fit racing slicks so you can to lots of laps on the track, only to come back into the pits, replace the tires with the threaded once for the street … and drive home, all while enjoying bespoke Traction Control, ABS and even ESC.

But there is one catch … Glickenhaus requires all 24 SGC 007S to be ordered in advance, at US$2,300,000 each, with a deposit, before they even start on the first chassis, with a delivery time of two years, starting when the 24th order is signed and paid for … so taking delivery of your SGC 007S might be a while.

It seems Glickenhaus already has three signed orders for their SGC 007S, only 21 more to go … and in case they don’t reach their 24 car goal, the deposits are refundable … and all this before anyone has even seen a 3D render on how the street-legal SGC 007S will look.

March 26, 2021 / Comments Off

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New BMW ALPINA B8

ALPINA has been around for over 50 years now, founded by Burkard Bovensiepen in 1965 in Buchloe, Germany, ALPINA is synonymous with some of the world’s most renowned BMW based automobiles, in 1983 ALPINA became an automobile manufacturer, registered by the German Ministry of Transport, the Kraftfahrtbundesamt, so this new ALPINA B8 isn’t just a tuned BMW, it’s an ALPINA.

Deliveries of the new ALPINA B8 are foreseen to start in July 2021, at a base price of €161,200, which includes the 19% German VAT (this is a little over US$ 190,000 at today’s exchange rates), but this does give you a ticket into a very exclusive club of ALPINA owners, with the new B8’s 4.4-Liter V8 twin-turbo engine delivering 621 bhp (457kW) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque, a top speed of no less than 201 Mph (324 Km/h) is reached, and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h only takes 3.4 seconds … that’s supercar territory.

And because we all appreciate a good sounding car, the ALPINA B8 comes with a new sports exhaust system with dual, twin tailpipes in stainless steel, in COMFORT mode the sound is sophisticated and restrained, while in SPORT mode the valves inside the exhaust open up and the V8 soundtrack becomes emotional and sonorous.

The new ALPINA 8-speed Switch-Tronic Sport Automatic Transmission takes the latest 8HP76 from ZF to the next level, with raised shift dynamics to offer a new level of smoothness and comfort ALPINA stands for, settings from COMFORT and SPORT mode influence the driving performance, while in SPORT mode the gear shifts are more dynamic, in MANUAL mode you can shift gear with buttons on the back of the steering wheel, or you can reach for the optional ALPINA shift paddles milled from a single piece of aluminum.

The BMW ALPINA B8 impresses in a myriad of driving situations with its harmonious, balanced chassis and a high sense of safety thanks to Eibach springs, and this car also comes with Integral Active Steering, so the rear wheels also steer to improve overall agility thanks to the ZF Active Kinematics Control System, naturally, the B8 comes with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive, while the rear axle limited-slip differential lets the BMW ALPINA B8 tap into its full dynamic capabilities.

Pirelli developed tires specifically for the new ALPINA B8, 245/35 ZR21 for the front, and even wider 285/30 ZR21 for the rear, and it wouldn’t be an ALPINA without their trademark look, 20 spoke custom wheels that come with a lockable wheel hub cover with the ALPINA emblem to protect these lightweight forged wheels from being ‘borrowed’.

You know you are looking at a full-blown ALPINA B8 when you see the blue brake calipers with their white script, over massive, drilled Brembo disk brakes, 395mm (15.6 inch) at the front, and 398mm (15.7 inch) at the rear.

ALPINA Blue Metallic and ALPINA Green Metallic are exclusively reserved for BMW ALPINA automobile, but you can also opt for any shade from the BMW or the BMW Individual line to cover your amazing B8, that comes with the typical front addition under the bumper that incorporated a large air intake, but also a new rear diffuser and a very distinct rear wing, all in the well-known, understated ALPINA style.

Naturally, the amazing workmanship from the ALPINA artisans is also visible on the interior, with the standard Walnut Anthracite high-gloss trim, illuminated ALPINA door sills, or that stunning, crystal glass iDrive Controller with a laser-engraved ALPINA logo, while the custom steering wheel is finished in untreated LAVALINA leather for an incomparable tactile experience on every journey.

An ALPINA is a car made specifically to fulfill the customer’s wishes to drive something more special than a full option BMW model it is based upon, exclusivity comes with a price, but seeing this amazing green metallic B8 might just make it worth every cent spent.

March 25, 2021 / Comments Off

438

The new Continental GT Speed

Bentley just released their most performance-focused luxury Grand Tourer ever in their 101-year history, inspired by the 3-Liter Speed models from the 1920s, the first generation Continental GT Speed from 2007 was already a very impressive interpretation of a two-door, four-seat luxury car, but today’s third-generation continues this bloodline as the most powerful expression of Continental GT values, exciting and dynamic, with unique Speed detailing to enhance the ownership experience and offering customers more control over the character of the car.

“The world’s most luxurious Grand Tourer is now truly more capable than ever before, with a new sportier edge which will appeal to performance-focused drivers. The Speed is the latest chapter in the Continental GT story, helping Bentley customers to create their own extraordinary journeys.” Dr. Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for Engineering at Bentley Motors

The new Bentley Continental GT Speed comes with Electronic All-Wheel steering, meaning not only the front wheels turn, but also the rear wheels steer in a direction depending on speed, at low speed they turn in the opposite direction for a shorter turn radius, while at higher speeds the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the front wheels for more stability, combined with the Active All-Wheel drive this offers an unparalleled driving character for such a large GT.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed offers different driving modes to be selected by the driver, while for the BENTLEY mode and the COMFORT mode, power is balanced between the front and the rear wheels, for the SPORT mode there is a more rear-biased torque–split offered.

This is also the first Bentley to come with an electronic rear differential (eLSD), which together with the traction control and active chassis offers better lateral capacity, more longitudinal stability, enhanced on-throttle adjustability, and boasts improved traction in less-than-ideal road conditions.

The impressive Bentley three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping and Dynamic Ride greatly contributes to the level of precision and confidence behind the steering wheel of this new Speed version, this 48V active anti-roll control system features powerful electric motors within each anti-roll bar to resist body roll. In their firmest setting, the motors can deliver 1300 Nm in 0.3 secs to counteract cornering forces and keep the body level.

Optionally you can have new Carbon Ceramic brakes on the Bentley Continental GT Speed, massive braking power comes from ten-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers, adding this option to your order will cut 33kg of weight, and help you to keep those stunning 22-inch wheels clean.

The new Continental GT Speed comes with the famous W12 TSI engine, 6.0-Liter delivers 650 bhp and an impressive 900 Nm of torque, a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h) is reached almost effortless, while acceleration figures come in at 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds).

Even the 8-speed transmission has been modified for the new Continental GT Speed, which offers twice as fast shifting in SPORT model on the Speed compared to the regular W12 powered Continental GT.

There is no denying a Bentley Continental GT looks decent enough as is, but for the Speed version, things got developed even further, with a darker treatment of both the front grille and the lower intakes. But also the side sills are bespoke to the Speed model, as are those stunning Speed scripts on the side.

Also bespoke for the GT Speed model are stunning 22-inch wheels finished in silver, optionally available in dark tint or glossy black, while the fuel and oil filler caps come in a ‘Jewel’ finish, and the doorsills show an illuminated Bentley script with the Speed addition.

For the interior of this Continental GT Speed, Bentley went with a special, two-tone combination of smooth leather and Alcantara on the seats, the door panels, and even on the steering wheel. Bentley offers you the option of 15 main colors and 11 secondary hides for the interior, not a fan of Alcantara? No problem, you can opt for a full leather-covered interior too, and the renowned Bentley ‘Diamond in Diamond’ quilting just looks amazing inside the GT Speed.

Why not pay your local Bentley dealership a visit to admire this amazing new GT Speed and possibly put in an order for one?

Our extensive image gallery on the new Bentley Continental GT Speed:

March 24, 2021 / Comments Off

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The final McLaren 620R

If you would like to add a brand new McLaren 620R to your garage, you might need to act quickly, McLaren just confirmed the last one for the North American market arrived in the USA, one of only 70 units available for that market (out of 225 units worldwide), the McLaren 620R was a limited edition model in the ‘Sports Series’ from Woking.

McLaren started their Sports Series with the 570S in 2015 as an opportunity for customers to acquire a special edition car with inspiration taken from the race track, over the years a total of 8,500 Sports Series left the factory doors in Woking, the UK, including models like the 540C, the 570S Spider, the 570GT, the 600LT Coupe, the 600LT Spider, and finally the current 620R.

The McLaren620R is a racecar that’s legal to drive on the open road, derived from the McLaren 570S GT4, the 620R takes all the technology from the track onto the public street while not having to adhere to FIA regulations, with 611 bhp, the 620R is also the most powerful model from the entire Sports Series range.

“As the McLaren range has matured, we’ve tailored our North American model line-up to closely match customers’ requirements, with a car suitable for every personality,” explained Tony Joseph, President, McLaren, the Americas. “Limited-numbers models with the highest levels of performance – cars like the 620R, which feels like a race car on the street or at a track day – are in demand not only because of the driving experience they offer but because they have even greater exclusivity. You can see how this has played out with the 765LT as well, with all of the available volume sold.”

The McLaren 620R is a rare car in the world, only 225 units worldwide, a mere 70 cars for the North American market, and they are all but sold out already, just a few units are still available brand new. The 620R for the North American market all come with a bespoke MSO upgrade package featuring a glossy Visual Carbon Fibre roof complete with the roof scoop to maximize engine intake and exhaust sound, MSO Defined gloss-finish carbon fiber roof cantrails, and the McLaren Track Telemetry system with lap time function and three cameras to record those exhilarating track moments as standard fitment.

March 23, 2021 / Comments Off

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MSO means bespoke in McLaren language

MSO, short for McLaren Special Operations, takes care of special requests and bespoke options on new McLaren sportscars ordered by customers worldwide, and we find a stunning trio of the now sold-out McLaren 765LT that was just delivered to their owners in Poland that all come with MSO options, considerably raising their base MSRP of €402,500 when these customers placed their order shortly after the global launch last year to make sure they could take delivery ahead of the 2021 summer track day season.

These three McLaren 765LT MSO come in some truly impressive shades, Volcano Yellow, Volcano Orange, and Paris Blue, the blue car adds multiple MSO options, includes the MSO Clubsport Pro Pack (consisting of Super-Lightweight Carbon Fibre Racing Seats, Track Brake Upgrade, and MSO Defined Satin Finish Carbon Fibre Air Vents). The Paris Blue 765LT is also the only one from this trio to come with the MSO Black Pack (front splitter, rear bumper, rear diffuser, air intakes, side skirts, and door mirror casings are all finished in black). Probably the nicest option on the exterior is the clear carbon fiber front hood and rear wing among others.

“Providing the tools to our customers to design, develop and create their own unique interpretation of the McLaren 765LT, MSO is able to make our customers realize their vision of the perfect McLaren.”

Bastian Luehmann, Market Director – Central Europe

The McLaren 765LT is 80kg lighter compared to the already lightweight 720, among others thanks to special carbon fiber aerodynamics that are made by the McLaren Composites Technology Centre in the Sheffield area, a first for McLaren, and let’s not forget where the ‘LT’ stands for: ‘Longtail’, the 765LT comes with an active rear wing that allows this 1,229 kg car to reach 100 km/h in less than three seconds … 200 km/h is reached in 7 seconds, thanks to 765PS and 800 Nm.

March 22, 2021 / Comments Off

603

The Vantage F1 Edition

Previously we already published the return to Formula One by Aston Martin and the fact they would bring along the official 2021 F1 Safety Cars for the first time in history, because the special Aston Martin Vantage F1 Safety car was a modified version of the ‘normal’ production model, Aston Martin deemed it interesting to offer their wealthy customers the possibility to obtain a similar car to be driven on the road instead of on the track.

In comes the Vantage F1 Edition, a track-focussed road car based on the Vantage as an Official Safety Car of Formula 1 that comes with the uprated engine, modified chassis, and naturally the special aerodynamic upgrades as seen on the Safety car, the first deliveries of the Vantage F1 Edition are foreseen for May 2021 already.

The Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition is a celebration of the return to Formula One racing after six decades, this model is now the top-of-the-line offering in the Vantage line up at Aston Martin, the most sporting Vantage in the product range and in essence, a replica of the Vantage Official Safety Car of Formula 1.

The Vantage F1 Edition comes with a 25PS power increase, to 535PS in total, and while the maximum torque of 685Nm is the same as the base Vantage, on the F1 Edition this number can be maintained for longer in the 8-speed automatic transmission by implementing an optimized torque cut during upshifting.

A modified suspension comes with reworked dampers and more structural stiffness for the front, the result is less vertical body roll, both at speed and over crests while still maintaining a relatively comfortable driving experience at low speeds, while the larger 21-inch wheels for the Vantage F1 Edition come with bespoke Pirelli tires specifically developed for this F1 Edition to ensure progressive on-limit handling to give maximum confidence in even the most extreme track driving scenarios.

While the rear diffuser is taken from the base Vantage, the full-width front splitter, the front dive planes, and the underbody turning vanes are specifically designed for the F1 Edition, as is that impressive rear wing … with these modified aero parts, the Vantage F1 Edition creates 200 kg more downforce at top speed compared to the regular Vantage.

With every special edition model comes a bespoke color palette, and the Vantage F1 Edition is no different, so your first option for the bodywork of this new Aston Martin is naturally the famous Aston Martin Racing Green color scheme, which mimics the Formula One team car and the Safety Car livery … on the Vantage F1 Edition you can opt for either a glossy finish or a satin topcoat.

Other options are either Jet black or Lunar White, while no matter what color you choose, you’ll get Solid Matte Dark Grey racing graphics on your F1 Edition, while for the interior you have the option of Obsidian Black Leather and Phantom Grey Alcantara upholstery and trim, with a choice of Lime Green, Obsidian Black, Wolf Grey or Spicy Red contrast stripe and stitching.

MSRP in the UK is set at £142,000 while for the German market they list at €162,000, a price for the US market hasn’t been listed at this moment … and just in case you prefer top-down driving, fear not, this new Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition is also available as a Roadster next to the Coupe version.

March 22, 2021 / Comments Off

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Dähler BMW X5 M50i

The BMW X5 is a large SUV in European standards, it might not be considered large in the United States market, but you have to admit the M50i version that comes with a 4.4-Liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 530hp and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque isn’t underpowered, but there is also an X5 M available with even more power … 600hp and a 0 to 60mph time of only 3.8 seconds, for a large SUV that weighs 5,425 lbs, that’s a train coming down the street at that speed.

But what if you want something a little different than a factory original X5 M, and preferably with more power? In comes Dähler Competition Line AG, located in Switzerland, they offer a ‘Power boost level 1’ option for the cheaper X50i model (MSRP $82,800 against $105,100 for the X5 M) that boosts the power from 530hp to 630hp and adds 90Nm on top too, 840Nm in total now, which betters the X5 M from BMW.

And the best part is that, even with the increased, limited top speed of 270 km/h, the X5 M50i DCL Dähler Competition Line has been WLTP-E6d-temp tested and approved for sale in the EU and Switzerland, with a corresponding supplementary warranty in addition to factory warranty … but wait, there is more … Dähler is already working on a ‘Power boost level 2’ package that promises even more power … 700hp here we come.

The X5 M50i “babbles” and “blubbers” with the unmistakable, unadulterated V8 sound that so many fans love, and Dähler created a 4-pipe stainless steel exhaust system for their car, with four ceramic-coated tailpipes that show some impressive size … 101mm in diameter, not only does it look amazing, it also works in perfect harmony with the factory-installed gasoline particulate filters (GPF).

Unfortunately, the CAN bus-controlled valves in the exhaust, allowing the driver to control the sound level at any rpm or speed, isn’t EU/CH approved, so you can’t use it on the open road … but it will wake up the neighbors if you start your Dähler BMW X50i in the morning with the valves open.

The BMW X5 M50i comes with an EDC electronic damping system, so the lowering springs from Dähler had to be custom made for this car, they not only lower the car to the tarmac, but they also increase driving stability, decrease rolling movements … and they just make the car look better, at the moment Dähler is even working on a complete coilover suspension that will come with adjustable height and hardness.

Standard fitment on the BMW X5 M50i are 20-inch wheels, the X5 M comes with 21-inch from the factory … naturally, Dähler had to top those, so they came up with massive 23-inch forged wheels, called CDC1 FORGED these 11-inch wide wheels receive massive 305/30 R23 tires, and they are still up to 35% lighter than conventional light-alloy wheels.

March 21, 2021 / Comments Off

449

MANHART MH3 and MH4 600

The new BMW M3 (G80) and M4 (G82) are only now available for customers around the world, but MANHART Performance already presents their vision on how these high-performance M-cars will look in their traditional black and gold finish, and they will also come with more power compared to a factory standard M3 or M4.

If you start with the regular BMW M3/M4 that comes with 480 hp from the factory, MANHART will install their MHTronik Powerbox to raise power output to 590 hp, but MANHART really wants you to bring in your M Competition version of these cars, base power is already a healthy 510 hp (610 Nm), but the Powerbox ups this to an impressive 620 hp and 750 Nm of torque.

The thundering soundtrack comes through custom-made cat-back and OPF-back exhaust systems, with twin carbon tailpipes, as an option you can get middle silencer replacement pipes for your MH3/MH4, while MANHART is working on special aero parts for these new M-cars from BMW, these will include a new engine cover, front splitter, side sills and naturally an aggressive rear diffuser.

MANHART will install H&R springs to lower their MH3/MH4 600 to allow those beautiful Concave One forged wheels to come out even better, 9×21 inch at the front and 10.5×21 inch at the rear, shod with 265/30R21 and 305/25R21 tires respectively, available in several finishes, but gold and black do look really nice on these cars.

Phase 1 of the tuning program already includes a wide variety of parts and options, which will allow clients to upgrade their beloved new car, but MANHART Performance will go a step further with a Phase 2 version, taking both the M3 and M4 to the next level.

March 20, 2021 / Comments Off

499

IS 500 F SPORT Performance Launch Edition

5.0L V8 delivers 472 hp and 395 lb.-ft. of torque
Exclusive Incognito – All-new to the Lexus color palette
Unique two-tone Black & Gray Ultrasuede^® trimmed seats, door accents, and center console
19-inch seven-spoke forged alloy Matte Black BBS^® wheels
Unique serialized Launch Edition badge included

Hot on the heels of last month’s IS 500 F SPORT Performance world premiere, Lexus is proud to unveil the 2022 IS 500 F SPORT Performance Launch Edition. Only 500 serialized vehicles will be produced, and they will be sold exclusively in North America.

The IS 500 Launch Edition will be powered by the same naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine introduced in the standard IS 500. Generating 472 hp at 7,100 rpm and 395 lb.-ft of peak torque at 4,800 rpm, this engine offers the linear acceleration and V8 muscle that driving enthusiasts crave. However, buyers that desire additional distinction will find numerous interior and exterior enhancements in the IS 500 Launch Edition.

Standing apart from the standard IS 500, the 2022 IS 500 Launch Edition interior builds upon Takumi craftsmanship with elevated interior materials, including sporty two-tone Black & Gray Ultrasuede^® trimmed front and rear seats, door accents, and center console. Additionally, the heated leather-wrapped steering wheel receives a unique silver ash wood treatment with black F SPORT Performance badging, and the interior will be appointed with a serialized Launch Edition badge to further highlight the vehicle’s exclusivity. Moreover, the F SPORT combination instrumentation meter has been updated with an exclusive Launch Edition startup animation to further set this model apart from the standard IS 500.

Outside, the IS 500 Launch Edition is sure to turn heads with standard 19-inch split-seven-spoke forged alloy Matte Black BBS^® wheels from the IS F SPORT Dynamic Handling Package. Not only are they impressive looking, but the 19-inch BBS® wheels are also approximately 4 pounds lighter per wheel compared to the standard 19-inch IS F SPORT wheel. The vehicle will be sold exclusively in Incognito, an all-new color for the Lexus lineup.

More information regarding MSRP and available options will be made available closer to launch. The 2022 IS 500 F SPORT Performance and IS 500 F SPORT Performance Launch Edition are expected to arrive in dealerships later this Fall.

March 20, 2021 / Comments Off

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