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Ferrari SP51 is a V12 roadster with gorgeous paint based on the 812 GTS Spider

Ferrari says it spends an average of two years on its one-off Special Project cars such as the SP48 Unica from earlier this year, which was based on the F8 Tributo. Here’s another before the year is out, the SP51 that rides on the bones of the 812 GTS convertible. A Taiwan-based client and collector had the idea and the funds to make it happen, working with the Ferrari Styling Center on a highly advanced and proper roofless roadster that nods to historical Ferrari roadsters as well. A reshaped front fascia houses a black, carbon fiber insert below smaller headlights. Another large section of exposed carbon fiber piece below the windshield reaches forward to the hood vents, framing the center of the hood. Along the flanks, the 812’s upswept sculpting is redirected, scalloped sides rising gently to the middle of the door then descending toward the rear wheels. Above that, a pair of flying-buttress-like cowls help shape the dark lines of rear intakes behind the cabin. A carbon fiber wing runs across the car above the cowls, concealing the roll hoops.

A custom set of rims are set off by carbon fiber wing profiles in the front fenders. In back, the quad taillights peek out from below the decklid spoiler and above the deep, layered diffuser. Ferrari said it took a heap of “CFD simulations, wind tunnel and dynamic testing” in order to imbue the “ultimate in comfort in the cabin, but also the same standard of acoustic comfort and wind feel as the car that inspired it.”

That color seen outside and in is Rosso Passionale, a custom hue applied in three layers. The blue and white stripes running over the body and through the cabin pay tribute to the blue and white livery inspired by a 1955 Ferrari 410 S, an early race car powered by a 5.0-liter V12. A 410 S with chassis number 0592CM shows off that paint scheme, the roadster driven by Carroll Shelby to wins in Palm Springs the year it was delivered to owner Tony Parravano.

The cabin continues the blue and red theme, with Rosso Passionale offset by blue striping and white cross stitching on the instrument panel lower, seats, center tunnel, and doors. It can’t be bought so the price doesn’t matter, making the only real question: Would you have this, or the Ferrari Special Projects roadster from 2014, the F12 TRS?

September 28, 2022 / Comments Off

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Delage D12 gets two new open-top treatments, Speedster and F1

Delage spent a long, hot American summer showing its D12 to local audiences. The reborn French brand wants to sell nine cars here and one in Canada, and it seems the job is nearly done, with CEO Laurent Tapie saying seven of the U.S. offerings have been spoken for. Unlike in other parts of the world, American owners will need to import their cars under the Show and Display exemption. Tapie said his company has already starting filling out the forms on behalf of future owners that will compel their D12s to be driven no more than 2,500 miles per year and to be stored in secure locations when not in use. We suspect those prohibitions won’t be difficult for any supercar owner to obey.

It’s possible that Delage’s stirring up the model mix helped move a few more cars. We knew there would be GT and Club versions, a 7.6-liter naturally aspirated V12 sitting behind the tandem cockpit in both. In the 3,086-pound GT, it makes 990 horsepower by itself and is aided by a 110-hp electric motor, sending the combined 1,100 hp through an eight-speed single-clutch automatic to the rear wheels. The Club’s electric motor only adds 20 horses, but the Clubsport is 200 pounds lighter than the GT and faster around a track, its e-motor for street driving, reversing, and parking. A more relevant stat for the Cars and Coffee crowd is a claimed 0-to-60 mph time of 2.4 seconds thanks in part to carbon fiber wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber.

The new variation is that the roof can come in three treatments. There’s the standard coupe that’s been shown, joined by two open-top versions. The D12 Speedster turns into a targa, losing the portion of its roof aft of the windshield. The D12 F1 option (pictured) sheds even that full windshield, making do with a wind deflector and a fancy helmet, which will be required when driving. Those options cost $190,000 apiece, but they are modular, so they can be bundled for the low, low price of $260,000.

Delage still plans on production commencing before the end of this year, deliveries to start in the last quarter of next year. Each of the 30 examples Delage will make for global consumption will cost €2 million ($1.94M U.S.). It’s possible that before delivery, Delage will make the Nurburgring passenger car lap record attempt we’ve been hearing about. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS wears the crown now with a time of 6:43.300. Tapie said he wants the D12 to stop the clock at 6:40.

September 26, 2022 / Comments Off

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Williams Advanced Engineering reveals EVR electric hypercar platform

Deus announced its Vayanne electric hypercar earlier this year as conceived in Austria, designed in Italy, and electrified in the UK. That last bit refers to the battery-electric powertrain sourced from Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), which we now have more information on. WAE took its new EVR turnkey electric vehicle platform to the Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle Show for a full reveal. Designed specifically for hypercars, the targets were versatility, lightness, power and speedy recharging. It appears the only fixed element for the time being is the 85-kWh battery set into a carbon housing between the wheels, and two motors. WAE says it can be refilled in less than 20 minutes, and powers a range of up to 279 miles. After that, OEMs and boutique makers can choose rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, hardtop or targa body styles, and road-legal or track-only configurations.

Peak output is 2,213 horsepower from the dual motors, explaining Deus’ publicized target of more than 2,200 horsepower for the Vayanne earlier this year. Depending on body style and aero, WAE believes the platform could push a hypercar to 248 miles per hour given an ideal form. We’re told it will be possible to build a finished product with such specs that weighs less than 3,637 pounds, carbon being used for everything from the pack enclosure to the double wishbone suspension. For comparison, the 640-hp Porsche 911 Turbo S weighs 3,636 pounds.

The list of in-house innovations on the EVR chassis includes a Scalable Battery Module that opens up flexibility for custom packs and sub-pack systems, controlled by battery management software that rationalizes the amount of electronics needed to run the powertrain. The company says each module has a capacity of 1.08 kWh at 50 volts maximum or 43 volts nominal, and an energy density greater than 240 Wh/kg. The individual cells are wrapped in carbon fiber, too, claimed to improve crash resistance. Battery cooling is run through the energy-absorbing side sills.

Theoretically, a purchaser could cut prototype development time to 12 months, and entire vehicle development time to 24 months. The Vayenne will provide the first test, Deus having said it will go into production in 2025. WAE has a hydrogen fuel cell version of the EVR on the way next.

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September 9, 2022 / Comments Off

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Koenigsegg building more CC850s because it sold out fast

The Koenigsegg CC850 is sold out. That’s completely unsurprising, as these special supercars are snapped up almost as fast as a Jesko’s transmission can shift. But what’s interesting is that the company sold the 50-unit run so quickly, it ended up deciding to expand the production run by almost half.

Instead of just 50 cars, Koenigsegg announced it would expand the run by another 20. According to the company, that initial allocation sold fast enough that a number of long-time Koenigsegg customers missed out on a chance at the supercar. It ended up going back to some early order holders to check if they would be all right with the expansion, and obviously it must’ve gone over fine.

The 50-unit run was based on founder and owner Christian von Koenigsegg’s 50th birthday. The extra 20 was based on the 20th anniversary of the company’s first production car, the CC8S. That’s also the same car that the CC850 is celebrating with its manual-ized version of the nine-speed automatic Light Speed Transmission and more than 1,000 horsepower.

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August 25, 2022 / Comments Off

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1,600-hp Bugatti Mistral roadster marks the end of the line for the W16 engine

Bugatti’s mighty W16 engine will retire in the coming years, but it’s not sailing off into the sunset quietly. It will power one final street-legal car: a roadster named Mistral that stands proud as the first convertible of the Chiron era. Built due to customer demand, the Bugatti Mistral is a striking, limited-edition model that looks ready to add another speed record to the French firm’s trophy case. I sat down with some of the people who created it, including Bugatti design director Achim Anscheidt and head of design Frank Heyl, to get the droptop’s full story.

“For the final road-going appearance of Bugatti’s legendary W16 engine, we knew we had to create a roadster. Well over 40% of all Bugatti vehicles ever created have been open-top in design,” said Bugatti-Rimac CEO Mate Rimac. Heyl added that customers “begged” Bugatti to create a Chiron-derived convertible, and that granting them this wish was a “bucket-list” item for the members of his team.

Power for the Mistral comes from the same 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged 16-cylinder engine that propelled the Chiron Super Sport 300+ to a record-breaking 304.773 mph in 2019. It’s rated at 1,600 horsepower, and it spins the four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Bugatti estimates that the Mistral’s top speed will check in at approximately 261 mph (420 kph). Will this number get verified? Hell, yes! “There can only be one goal in mind: to become the fastest roadster in the world once more,” Bugatti pledged in a statement.

While the Mistral is Chiron-based, Bugatti made several important structural changes to offset the inevitable loss of structural rigidity caused by chopping off the roof. Heyl explained that the monocoque’s sills and transmission tunnel were reinforced and that the a- and b-pillar structures are new, though the front crash structure is the same. And, the two models intentionally share no exterior styling cues.

“We had the pressure of creating something that is precious and valuable in a car collector’s garage. It’s not just a fashion statement: ‘Oh, let’s do a roadster!’ Or, even worse, ‘Let’s take a Chiron and just cut it open,’ which would have looked terrible. This burdens us with the responsibility that this is the last of its kind of that generation and how that’s going to sit in those collections,” Anscheidt told Autoblog.

Up front, the Mistral wears a redesigned rendition of Bugatti’s horseshoe grille and headlights with four LED strips (a configuration chosen as a tribute to the four-wheel-drive system and the four turbochargers) while the X-shaped lights characterize the rear end. There’s a lot more to the design than initially meets the eye, however. Heyl explained that his team added air curtains behind the headlights, for example. And, they separated the intakes that feed air into the engine from those that feed air into the oil coolers to avoid making the Mistral too wide. The former are now right above the front passengers, while the latter remain on the quarter panels. This setup brings a few unexpected benefits.

“The driver hears the air intake system and the turbo blow-off valves, and it’s very nice stylistically; it reminds us of the Vitesse,” Heyl said.

Interior designers kept the Chiron’s basic layout with a handful of exceptions such as new, more ergonomic seats. Check out the gear selector, too: It’s made of wood and features an amber insert with a replica of Rembrandt Bugatti’s “dancing elephant” sculpture. Bugatti told me this part is “just a proposal for the show car,” though it added that it will find a way to bring it to production if customers request it.

What if it rains? Act fast; The Mistral will come with what Anscheidt described as an “emergency roof” but it will not feature a fixed top.

Bugatti will cap Mistral production at 99 units, though it will build an additional car for testing purposes. Pricing is set at €5 million before taxes and options are factored in (about $5 million at the current conversion rate) and the entire production run is already spoken for. And, while many hypercars are only street-legal via loopholes, Bugatti went to significant lengths to fully homologate the Mistral around the world.

Is the Mistral the end of the W16? Sort of. It’s the last W16-powered street-legal car, Anscheidt explained that ever-stricter regulations are escorting the big engine off the stage, but the engine will also power the limited-edition Bolide that was developed exclusively for track use.

“To be honest, I can do all of the design talking that I want, but if we didn’t have the W16 engine [these cars] would not be worth half the money,” Anscheidt said. “The W16 is the ultimate [unique selling proposition] for the modern-day Bugatti brand, from 2005 to today. It means something to us. [The Mistral] is a tribute to this engine, and now we go on to the next generation and think about something else,”

Koenigsegg CC850 shown with 1,185 horsepower, fascinating gated manual

This is a big year for Koenigsegg. It’s the 20-year anniversary of the Swedish supercar builder’s first production car, the CC8S. It’s also the 50th birthday of the founder, Christian von Koenigsegg. To celebrate, the company has put together the CC850, which is a reimagining of that original supercar, but using modern technology. It looks very much like the old car, but packs way more power and some wild features.

The exterior is quite close to the original. The biggest changes are the switches to more flowing LED lighting up front and in the rear. It has reworked wheels with the phone-dial round openings and has a smooth, uncluttered design. Part of that is due to the hidden rear wing that deploys at speed. The car has the signature tumble-forward doors, powered hood and engine cover, and it has a removable top that can be stowed in the car just like the CC8S. The interior is much more modern Koenigsegg, and the highlights include the beautiful analog instrument dials and the gated shifter in the middle. That shifter features a wood knob with a Swedish flag, again like CC8S.

As is often the case with Koenigseggs, the parts that make it go are as interesting if not more so than the swoopy shell. The CC850 is powered by a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8 that makes 1,185 horsepower and 1,022 pound-feet of torque on gasoline. Put E85 ethanol in it, and power climbs to 1,385. Christian von Koenigsegg noted that these numbers are a bit lower than for the Jesko, which provided the base for much of the CC850. The reason is because the company went with smaller turbos for better response and less lag, since the car has a manual transmission, sort of.

Ok, so let’s talk about the transmission. It’s a version of the Light Speed Transmission, which has a set of seven clutches and nine gear ratios and can jump from any gear to any other gear, unlike most dual-clutch transmissions that have to shift sequentially. In the Jesko, it’s an automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Here, it has an automatic mode, but it also has a manual mode, complete with clutch pedal. The clutch pedal does actuate the transmission’s multiple clutches, and it is possible to stall the car if you’re not balancing your clutch and throttle inputs. And the shifter will tell the car which gear you want. Curiously, there are only six gates for the manual mode. Christian von Koenigsegg said that having to pick through nine gates would be complicated, so the company stuck with six. Depending on what drive mode you’re in, though, the different gates will get you different ratios. So hypothetically, you could have a set of closer ratios for a track mode, and more widely spaced ones with a tall top gear for street and highway driving.

Naturally, the CC850 is also light. With its carbon fiber construction, it weighs in at just 3,053 pounds. It actually has the same power to weight ratio as the Koenigsegg One:1 when measured in metric with the ethanol output. The car also features adjustable ride height and damping.

Only 50 CC850s will be built. No price was given, but we’re sure buyers don’t care. We also imagine that the car will be sold out very soon after this reveal.

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August 19, 2022 / Comments Off

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Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster has coupe power, removable roof

As promised, the Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster was revealed during Pebble Beach week. It’s also nearly identical to the coupe it’s based on, albeit with a removable roof and a few subtle tweaks here and there to make it more unique.

The roof is of course the centerpiece, and Hennessey wants that to be the case whether it’s on the car or not, since it comes with a fancy carbon fiber display stand for when it’s removed. There also is a soft travel bag for it, just in case you insist on bringing it along. The insulated top is made of carbon fiber and features an Alcantara lining. It weighs just 18 pounds.

Hennessey also fiddled with the exterior. Most notable is the new engine cover. Instead of a simple vented carbon fiber panel, the Roadster gets large piece of glass framed in carbon fiber and aluminum to make the twin-turbo V8 visible. The aluminum panels and carbon fiber surround are both vented, with holes in the carbon surround formed to match the rear heat extractor. The Roadster also gets unique wheels. They’re milled from forged aluminum billet and have the Hennessey logo cut into one spoke on each wheel.

Mechanically, the F5 Roadster is basically identical to the coupe. It has the same twin-turbo 6.6-liter V8 making 1,817 horsepower and 1,193 pound-feet of torque with a seven-speed automated single-clutch sequential transmission. No 0-60 mph time was given, but Hennessey is still aiming for a 300 mph top speed. At the very least, the company expects it to top the 265-mph top speed of the Venom GT Roadster.

Hennessey will build 30 examples of the roadster, 6 more than the coupe. Each one will come in at $3 million and can be customized to the customers’ desires. The company expects the model to sell out quickly after this reveal. Production will start later this year.

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August 18, 2022 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin DBR22 is a retro roadster for the lucky few

It’s Pebble Beach Concours week, and you know what that means: high-end automakers showing new exotic machinery. Kicking things off is the Aston Martin DBR22. Aston calls it a concept, but that’s more of a stretch than Honda with its “prototype” car reveals. The company has said it will build some. The exact number hasn’t been given, but don’t expect many. The company highlighted a couple of its previous special models such as the Vulcan and V600, each of which were made in numbers below 30 units.

The car is more specifically from Aston’s “bespoke” division, Q, and it’s a celebration of the division’s tenth anniversary. It takes its design inspiration from far longer ago, though. The DBR22’s dramatic curves, lack of a windshield and towering cowls are all based on the company’s 1950s race cars, particularly the DB3S and DBR1 (which already inspired another low-production Aston). The grille is even based on the latter’s. The entire exterior is unique to the DBR22, down to the headlights and full-width tail light bar. It’s all made of carbon fiber, too. The interior is also unique with leather wrapping most surfaces including the carbon seats. And being a product of the Q division, the handful of buyers will be able to customize pretty much every facet of the exterior and interior to their preferences.

No matter how an individual’s DBR22 looks, they should be the same under the skin. Aston’s twin-turbo 5.2-liter V8 sits below the vented hood and makes 705 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. It sends power through an eight-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. Top speed is 198 mph, and it will hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. No mention was made of what platform the DBR22 is built on, but it likely shares similarities with the DB11 and DBS. It boasts upgrades, though, such as shear panels front and rear for greater rigidity, plus unique tuning for the adaptive shocks. Most interesting is the rear subframe. It’s made of multiple 3D-printed aluminum parts that have been bonded together. It’s a preview of future Aston Martin production techniques and the company says it has allowed them to make a lighter subframe than normal with the same rigidity. It also lets the company more easily produce custom parts for low-production models.

Aston Martin made no mention of when it will start building customer DBR22 models or when it will take orders. We wouldn’t be surprised if the company has already lined up buyers. And if not, well, potential buyers surely know whom to contact. For everyone else, the DBR22 will be on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this weekend.

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August 15, 2022 / Comments Off

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Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster headed to The Quail

Monterey Car Week is like a debutante ball for supercars, each high-horsepowered hopeful announcing itself to be of good age, etiquette and parenting, and looking for a worthy home. Next up for a planned introduction to the suitors who will crowd the Monterey Peninsula next week is the Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster. The debut happens August 19 at Monterey Car Week’s The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. The teaser image gives us a clue of what to expect, filling in the blanks should tax too much of the imagination.

Behind the airier cockpit is the same 6.6-liter twin-turbo V8 apparently based on GM’s LS architecture. With a redline at 8,000 rpm, the mill nicknamed “Fury” will spin out 1,542 horsepower and 1,193 pound-feet of torque on regular premium gas, 1,817 hp when given E85 to drink. Those prodigious mechanical facts are shunted through a seven-speed automated manual transmission to the rear wheels only. In the coupe, that results in accelerating acceleration up to 124 miles per hour; it takes 2.6-seconds to get to 62 mph, 4.7 seconds to hit 124 mph. Assuming enough runway and courage, 15.5 ticks of the second hand can see a driver to 250 mph. Hennessey claims a 311-mph practical top speed for the hardtop and a theoretical 328-mph terminal velocity, but so far as we know, prototypes have “only” touched 271.6 mph to now.

The Texas car creators began delivering the Venom F5 coupe late last year, the entire run of 24 examples already sold. According to Top Gear and Autocar, the Roadster will field a more populous run of 30 units, around seven of which are claimed at a rumored price of $2.75 million apiece. If that’s true, shoppers who like their hair mussed the natural way are paying a $1.15 million premium over the Venom F5 coupe’s price to have that done. We’ll get all the details from the source next week. Also, with a high-downforce version of the F5 supposedly planned after the Roadster, there’s probably a dais at next year’s Quail already reserved.

August 10, 2022 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin bringing two surprises to Pebble Beach

Aston Martin has at least three treats planned for its “strongest-ever presence” at this month’s Pebble Beach shindig. Two are surprises, including a “very special, ultra-exclusive” vehicle that will celebrate the first decade of the company’s Q by Aston Martin personalization service. The department that turns individual taste into automotive reality has done something said to “encapsulate the brand’s winning track bloodline, with a nod to success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.” We don’t know what the model will be based on. Some muse it could be another limited-run special like the V12 Speedster DBR1. The cynic in us won’t be surprised to find a DBX with special colorways, leather embossing and checkered flag motifs resting on a northern California plinth.

The second surprise is a “high performance model” — as if Aston Martin makes anything else — that will go into series production, expected to be the V12 Vantage Roadster. The coupe dropped in March, a wild sendoff to the littlest 12-cylinder, front-engine sports car in the company’s lineup and the last Vantage to get the twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12. The note about series production wouldn’t mean unlimited production, though. There will be only 333 examples of the V12 Vantage, Roadster numbers could be even further restricted. Whatever it is, this one’s going to be revealed on Friday, August 19 at the English maker’s private Aston Martin Club 1913 that’s been relocated to provide a better view of the lawn during the Concours.

The final goody is an update on the progress of the Valhalla, the mid-engined hybrid supercar with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and three electric motors producing 937 hp and 738 lb-ft. We hear there will be a mockup of the revised interior that potential buyers will be able to sit in, experiencing the driver-focused, F1-like seating arrangements. Assuming nothing has changed since the Valhalla prototype exterior made its U.S. debut at last year’s Pebble Beach, the coupe will be limited to 999 examples, first deliveries planned for just two years from now.

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August 5, 2022 / Comments Off

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2022 Bentley Continental GT Mulliner steps to the top of the line

The shifting in the lineups coming out of Crewe continues with the reveal of the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner. The English luxury maker introduced the most recent GT Mulliner two years ago when there were still a 626-horsepower standard W12 and a 650-horsepower GT Speed. With the GT Speed now the only W12, the introduction of the indulgent Azure trim “for those prioritizing wellbeing and on-board comfort,” and the arrival of the coming V8-powered S models, the new Mulliner steps in at the head of the pack. Starting from the bottom, the current Continental Range is the V8, Azure, S, Speed, and Mulliner.

What does a buyer get with the flagship Conti? The GT Speed chassis dressed in Mulliner jewelry and coachwork. The 6.0-liter W12 makes 650 horses and 664 pounds of twist, clocking 3.5 seconds from standstill to 60 miles per hour, acceleration unwilling to relent until 208 miles per hour. Dynamism at less furious speeds benefits from adaptive dampers, an electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle, all-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring.

The cosmetic package is effectively handed down from the previous version, which we can’t find fault with. The double diamond matrix grille stands proud up front, wearing either bright chrome or the Mulliner Blackline Specification gloss black. The are also specific 22-inch Mulliner wheels, satin silver mirror caps shrouding Mulliner welcome lamps, and illuminated treadplates.

The interior picks up unique three-way colorways that rearrange the way primary, secondary, and tertiary colors are split throughout the cabin. Mulliner offers eight standard combinations all lashed up with diamond quilting, paired with 88 choices in Piano wood veneers and heaps of thread options for the contrast and accent stitching. Gauges in the digital instrument cluster have been designed with a technical finish to go along with the diamond milling on the center console. Even the occupants’ feet get treated to floor mats edged in complementary piping. Overhead, roofs without the panoramic glass get trimmed with indented hide, roofs with the glass top get smooth hides.

For now, the Continental GT V8 Mulliner remains available. The new model debuted at the Goodwood Festival of Speed along with the S trim and the first historic Blower Continuation, called Blower Car Zero, and it can all be livestreamed here.

June 24, 2022 / Comments Off

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Maserati teases MC20 Cielo debut for May 25

A while back, Maserati’s product roadmap penciled in an MC20 Spider to hit the market this year. In December 2021, the Modena automaker teased frontal views of the droptop supercar wearing camouflage full of fluffy clouds. In a series of Instagram posts over the last week, Maserati posted photos from the point of view of someone with an uninterrupted view skyward — the same kind of view one would experience in a convertible, say. One of the captions was, “You will admire the sky in a new way on Wednesday 25 May.” That will be the reveal date for what the automaker is now calling the Maserati MC20 Cielo, with that last word being Italian for “sky.”

Since we got no views of the rear of the camouflaged car, we have no idea what design changes we’ll see in a little more than a week. Looking closely at the photos of the camouflaged prototype, it’s clear there’s are temporary panels between behind the B-pillar all the way to the decklid spoiler. An odd feature on the prototype is a trio of ribs running from the A-pillar to the rear of the car, with the middle protrusion looking like a papered-over roof scoop. That seems like a lot of work to hide a form we’re already familiar with, and a convertible mechanism we don’t expect to hold any surprises, so we’ll see what we see on May 25.

Maserati’s usual Spider formula hasn’t traditionally altered a car’s underpinnings, so the same carbon fiber monocoque should come bolted to the same 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 making 621 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. The skylight does traditionally jack up the price, so expect to pay more than the coupe’s $210,000 MSRP. We figure the model will arrive in showrooms late this year at the earliest, an appearance in the U.S. likely in 2023. After this, we know there’s an even more powerful electric version on the way that will be the flagship of the range.

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May 16, 2022 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini builds 20,000th Huracan, looks back on eight years of production

Lamborghini is celebrating a significant milestone: It has built 20,000 examples of the Huracán, its entry-level supercar. While that number might not sound impressive, it cements the V10-powered Huracán’s positioning as the Italian firm’s best-selling supercar by a wide margin.

Finished in an eye-catching color called Grigio Acheso Matte, the 20,000th Huracán is an STO model that was built for an anonymous buyer in Monaco, so you won’t find it basking under the spotlights in Lamborghini’s official museum. Reaching the 20,000-unit mark also gives the Raging Bull the opportunity to look back on an eight-year-long production run. As of writing, 71% of Huracán buyers have chosen the coupe while 29% have selected the Spyder. The model’s main market is the United States; that’s where 32% of examples built have been sent.

Lamborghini has gone to significant lengths to keep the Huracán fresh and competitive since it started building the model in 2014. An updated variant called EVO was released for 2020; it’s available with rear- or all-wheel drive, and the aforementioned STO joined the lineup shortly after to bridge the gap between the production model and the cars that Lamborghini builds for various racing series around the world. The range grew again in 2022 with the unveiling of the Huracán Tecnica, which offers a 631-horsepower V10 engine and rear-wheel drive.

Keep in mind that the Huracán remains a niche model made by a small company that used to be even smaller; building 20,000 cars is an impressive feat. Lamborghini manufactured an average of 250 cars annually during the first four decades of its existence. Precisely 1,999 units of the Countach, one of the Raging Bull’s most emblematic models, were built during a production run that lasted for 17 years.

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April 22, 2022 / Comments Off

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Ferrari F8 Tributo order books already closed

With everything else going on, well, everywhere, it’s easy to forget about that sensational little number known as the Ferrari F8 Tributo. The coupe isn’t even three years old, the Spider barely two, and word has come down they won’t be in production for much more than another year. Automotive News Europe reported last month that Ferrari stopped taking orders for the duo. The folks in Modena didn’t offer any reason, but Ferrari Australasia told Australian outlet Drive that the F8 is off the menu because of “the volume of orders received,” and that “currently there are no plans to recommence orders for either model.”

The automaker’s mid-engined supercar line is without a non-hybrid V8 for the first time in nearly 50 years when the 308 GTB appeared in 1975. The only place to get an unelectrified V8 in Maranello is the Roma or the Portofino M, placed down in front. The powertrain flow chart for mid-engined cars now forks up to the SF90 Stradale PHEV and down to the 296 GTB PHEV. Both outdo the 711-horsepower 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 in the F8 for output, the SF90’s 4.0-liter V8 and three electric motors good for 986 hp, the 296 GTB’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 and single electric motor spinning out 819 hp.

We could consider the 296 GTB the F8’s successor, but Ferrari hasn’t said anything about such positioning.

With Ferrari CEO CEO Benedetto Vigna telling analysts his firm is working through “the strongest ever order book in its history,” with enough demand to keep lines busy “well into 2023,” it’s unlikely the F8 will get another chance at life. It’s also unlikely the car will get the same kind of hardcore variant that has elevated its predecessors going back to the 360 Challenge Stradale.

Although the Australasia spokesperson told Drive “the brand will re-evaluate [F8 production] again at a later date,” we don’t see much coming of it. The Purosangue is due shortly, the new SUV a lock to become Ferrari’s most popular vehicle, perhaps pushing the overall order backlog into 2024.

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April 5, 2022 / Comments Off

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McLaren 765LT Spider Road Test | Clearing the air on Angeles Crest

LOS ANGELES — A sunny L.A. spring day is the ideal complement to taking possession of a nearly $500,000, Ambit Blue McLaren 765LT Spider. Add to that an hours-long midday stint on a nearly empty Angeles Crest Highway and a recipe is crafted for a nearly utopic automotive experience.

The presence of my boyfriend in the right seat was the proverbial cake frosting, save for the fact that he dislikes convertibles and driving quickly. We compromised. If he would join me for the ride, I would attend a museum tour with him at the Lanterman House in La Cañada Flintridge – a suburban town at the road’s western terminus – and treat him to lunch afterward. Drive, Discover, Dine: Date Day.

Dr. Jacob Lanterman moved to sunny Southern California from dreary western Michigan in the early part of the 20th century, seeking and espousing the health benefits – and relief from pulmonary illnesses like tuberculosis – believed to be offered by the lovely weather and fresh air. He became a major landholder in the Crescenta Valley, at the base of the San Gabriel mountains, built himself and his family a 10,000-square-foot Arts and Crafts-style home out of concrete and steel in 1915 to defend against the fire and earthquakes he’d witnessed in San Francisco, and began subdividing and selling parcels. But the valley’s lack of access to a year-round water supply choked the process.

His grandson, Frank, who lived in the house for his entire life, became a long-serving Republican California state assemblyman, and managed to pass legislation allowing the town access to the same fresh water supply that served Los Angeles, ushering into his pockets loads of cash, and ushering into the valley sprawl, traffic, and smog. Rep. Lanterman countered by introducing the nation’s first legislation mandating pollution reduction devices on cars. California thus became the first state to create tailpipe emissions standards, and require the componentry needed to scrub (some) harmful soot and fumes from the always-inefficient burning of fossil fuels. (Frank sponsored many less helpful initiatives as well.)

Speaking of the inefficient burning of fossil fuels, the McLaren 765LT Spider, which is able to pump 91 octane through its mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 and produce 755 horsepower. And while it sports four gargantuan exhaust portals – lined up (and sounding) like the business end of a mortar – it at least spews far less air-corrupting garbage into the atmosphere than your grandmother’s LeSabre thanks to those tailpipe emissions standards, which allow the air surrounding Angeles Crest, while not perfectly clear, to generally no longer feel like grime stew.

This was a bonus for me during my reverential drive up and down the highway, as deep breathing is requisite when piloting a half-million dollars worth of peak British exotic through about 1,000 hairpin turns already occupied by hostile bicyclists, ripping motorcyclists, tumbling granite and suicidal wildlife.

It is difficult to enunciate the perfection of the 765LT Spider. I could critique the extortionate pricing like the $730 car cover, the $5,500 paint color or the $2,120 carbon fiber front license plate plinth. I could gripe about the fact that a car that costs this much doesn’t include Apple CarPlay. I could note that clambering into the car, and its highly-bolstered carbon-shell seats, requires contortions that would challenge a champion ecdysiast. I could whine that once you’re in there, there’s literally no place to put your stuff except a little webbed pocket on the firewall. But that would be nitpicking.

This car is an absolute blast, in the literal and figurative sense of the word. Acceleration is blistering – 0-60 mph arrives in 2.3 seconds, 100 in just twice that – enthralling and eminently repeatable. Though the car’s belt line was around my neck, forward visibility is shockingly ideal; one can practically see the road as it appears just beyond the front bumper, important when attacking the aforementioned blind curves. The braking, with ceramic composite discs, and calipers borrowed from the trackable Senna hypercar, is immediate, wonderfully balanced, and perfectly modulated.

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission works telepathically in automated mode, but is far more alluring to rifle off shifts with the steering wheel-mounted paddles; in the sportiest setting they replicate a chiropractor’s adjustments. Grip is nothing short of agglutinate, aided by Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires, developed especially for McLaren, in sizes 245/35/R19 (F) and 305/30/R20 (R). Approaching their limits is like approaching the limits of the universe. And the engine, while not the most melodious, certainly sings. There is not so much a power curve as an inexhaustible reservoir of omnipresent vigor. One can mash the accelerator any time in any gear and experience the exhilaration of takeoff.

The last time I drove this road was in the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. The experience was very different, and it helped me understand why billionaires have more than one exotic. The Ferrari’s plug-in hybrid powertrain and all-wheel-drive grip made for even more astounding acceleration and handling. But the McLaren was more engaging, more of a connected partner. The Ferrari drove better, but the McLaren made me feel like a better driver. (Don’t ask my boyfriend if he would concur. He said his eyes were closed most of the time.)

Also, the McLaren is a convertible, which – despite the protestations of bitter naysayers who despise joy – makes every road car better. It allows occupants to be immersed in the world, to exhilarate in life-giving energy as the scenery rips by. And it allows them to enjoy the air. We can thank Frank Lanterman, in part, for that.

March 10, 2022 / Comments Off

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NHRA’s drag racing rules now allow faster street-legal cars

Up until now, rules laid out by the National Hot Rod Association required any car that was capable of running the quarter mile in less than 10 seconds to have a roll cage. That means a sturdy set of metal tubes welded together to internally brace the interior of a vehicle, thereby making it safer in the event of a serious crash. As of today, however, that rule has been altered to allow for faster street-legal cars to compete.

Vehicles like the Dodge Demon, Tesla’s Model S and X Plaid, Chevy Corvette ZR1, Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 and possibly some other Hellcat-badged or supercar competitors may have been too fast to legally compete at NHRA-sanctioned drag racing events, depending on the driver’s ability and determination. The revised NHRA rules state:

2014 and newer OEM model-year production cars to run as quick as 9.00-seconds and/or 150-mph (5.65-eighth mile). In addition, racers with 2008-2013 OEM model-year cars will still be permitted to run as quickly as 10.00-seconds and/or 135-mph (6.40-eighth mile).

The rules do stipulate that the car’s factory safety equipment has to be installed and operational, including things like the brakes and airbags, and that DOT-approved tires are fitted. Drivers will have to have the appropriate competition license to race, and convertibles and cars with T-tops have different regulations. Stickers celebrating the racing accomplishments will be offered.

“At NHRA, we very much support their commitment to performance and recognize that there is still a very large market for performance cars,” Lonnie Grim, NHRA National Tech Director, said in a statement. “At the same time, we acknowledge that NHRA needs to keep pace with the current trends, which is why we’ve announced these rules adjustments.”

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March 3, 2022 / Comments Off

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2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Stingray offer bounteous options

Someone with access to GM’s Work Book system to order new vehicles decided to put together some sample orders for the new 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and 2023 Corvette Stingray. Since the automaker won’t accept orders for the coming coupes until March 24, this person decided the best thing to do was take screenshots of the options sheets and send them to Corvette Action Center. That is how we know Chevrolet’s coming superstar Z06 will offer a terrific range of personalization. We already knew about the 14 exterior colors, confirmed when Chevrolet debuted next year’s 70th Anniversary special editions. But how about 11 varieties of exterior striping, with three stinger stripe packages for the hood and eight full-length versions, one of them part of the 70th Anniversary package? Z06 buyers can also choose from seven wheel types and finishes bolted over brake calipers that can be had in six colors, including dark gray metallic and orange, four kinds of wheel locks, and get center caps with the Jake logo. And have we mentioned the three possible colors for the rear badge alone?

Or how about 21 interior treatment choices? Twelve come dressed in leather, nine in suede, some in solid colors like black or natural, some with contrasting seats like the suede in Jet Black with Sky Cool Gray seats, and one leather cabin with two-tone seats in Tension Blue and Twilight Blue. Six more splashes of contrasting color are possible depending on seat belt color, the permutations blown out again thanks to yellow or red contrasting stitching. Chevy’s outdone itself in offering individual power options for the seats; after checking the two boxes for eight-way power seats for driver and passenger, there are also individual boxes for power bolster and lumbar adjustment, and a memory package.

The Z06 comes with a few more optional treats than the C8 Stingray, like exterior ornamentation in a high-gloss woven carbon fiber finish, but not by much. And in one case, the C8 gets more choice than the Z06, offering a red full-length racing stripe, which the Z06 doesn’t.

The Work Bench pages don’t include pricing, not that the buyers still lining up to buy every Corvette the Bowling Green Assembly Plant will be deterred even when pricing does appear.

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February 28, 2022 / Comments Off

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9 cool things about the 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06’s LT6 engine

The 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is home to the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engine ever in a production vehicle. The 5.5-liter V8 produces 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, and it’s going to scream like an Italian exotic thanks to the flat-plane crankshaft.

After working on it since 2014, and knowing how special this engine is, the GM engineers who poured their sweat and time into it set aside an afternoon to go into detail about everything someone might want to know. From this, we give you the 9 coolest things about the LT6 in the upcoming Z06.

Race car (and Ferrari 458) learnings

Yes, Chevy initially let on that an exotic flat-plane crank engine was coming via its C8 R race car a long time ago. Since then, we’ve learned that the 5.5-liter V8 in said race car is hugely similar to the one going into the production Z06 — they share the cylinder block, heads, valvetrain and fuel system. We all know the saying: “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” GM has taken this mantra quite literally, as the racing program has helped engineers develop the street car engine to a certain degree. What is perhaps even more intriguing, the Z06 street car engineers have helped the racing team improve their version of the Gemini, too.

The main benefit to the production car team was all of the validation data they were able to glean from the race team running the engine in competition over thousands and thousands of miles being pushed to the limit. Engineers got data on wear surfaces, heat management, operating parameters and more. The race and production car teams even shared parts at times, swapping between each other when one wanted to test something new that the other came up with. Even to this day, the two teams are collaborating to finalize what will ultimately end up in buyers’ driveways.

As for the Ferrari 458 learnings, you’ll enjoy learning that GM bought a wrecked 458 from Europe for $25,000 years ago, completely tore it down to learn what makes the Ferrari flat-plane crank so good, then applied that knowledge to its own V8. So yes, there’s definitely some Italian flair hidden inside this American supercar. A modern 458, anyone?

Cooling and oiling

If you recall the C7 Z06, Chevy had all sorts of cooling issues with that vehicle on-track. Engineers were determined to keep that from happening with the C8 Z06, as its cooling capacity looks over-engineered to the max. The total cooling capacity is increased by 50% over the standard Stingray with the Z51 pack, and it features five total radiators that are augmented by more powerful fans. The front bumper even features a removable aero panel that increases the front grille’s opening by 75% — Chevy suggests you remove this panel for track use. The real kicker is that Chevy was able to add all of this cooling without reducing storage anywhere in the vehicle, including the front trunk.

Track rats will be happy to know that the Z06 has a new and bespoke dry-sump oiling system. It features an engine-mounted plastic oil tank, and the system ultimately provides 85% more cooling capacity than the one in the C7 Z06. It features six scavenge pumps, a bottom-mounted oil cooler and is designed for excellent scavenging even at the high lateral g’s the Z06 is capable of pulling. Chevy claims the Z06 with the Z07 package can pull 1.22 g of lateral acceleration on a skidpad.

A mechanical valvetrain with high-tech materials usage

One particularly intriguing aspect of the Z06’s engine is its use of a mechanical (not hydraulic) valvetrain that GM claims will never require maintenance or adjustment throughout the life of the engine. It’s lashed at the plant, and the clearances are measured three times throughout the life of the engine build, but it should never need service. GM says this is possible through the use of today’s modern materials. For example, the finger followers are highly polished with a diamond-like carbon coating and made of hardened steel. The exhaust valves are hollow cavity sodium-filled nitrided steel valves, and the intake valves are made of titanium. Everything is designed to resist wear to an extreme degree. Even in GM’s high-mileage validation runs, engineers say that everything remains in spec.

This all goes to underline that while the Z06’s engine might be an exotic design, GM says it won’t require an exotic level of maintenance and short service intervals. It’s been subjected to all the same GM validation tests that the Stingray goes through, so expect it to perform just the same in extreme conditions.

Of course, it’s a flat-plane crank design

Ultimately, the reason this Corvette will scream like an Italian exotic is down to its flat-plane (not cross-plane) crankshaft design. This gives you a different firing order and a balanced air and exhaust flow. Chevy says the crankshaft is made of forged steel, and it’s 33% lighter than the crankshaft in the Stingray’s LT2 engine.

Every engine is hand-built by a single technician

Plus, each Z06 engine gets a plaque that is signed by the single technician who put it together. Chevy says that it takes approximately 3 hours to build a single engine, and all of them will be assembled at the Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, KY.

Once built, every LT6 gets shipped to a local dyno facility where it’s put through a 20-minute procedure that runs the engine under full-load and high engine speed. Similar to the standard Corvette, the break-in period is 500 miles long. Torque in first and second gear is automatically limited during this time.

The air conditioning system is track-rated

GM’s target for its air conditioning system in the Z06 was to enable proper cabin cooling during track use with an ambient temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If that isn’t the most American supercar target to hit, we don’t know what is. To achieve that goal, Chevy had to engineer a new air conditioning system that is different from the C8 Stingray. To run the compressor when the engine is screaming at 8,600 rpm, Chevy used a lower pulley ratio. However, this slowed the pulley down too much at low speeds and at idle, so the team had to increase the A/C compressor size to make up for the change. GM suggests that the air conditioning in the Z06 is actually slightly better than the Stingray now because of this switchup. Plus, you can be nice and cool running on track in extreme conditions.

The exhaust system’s adjustable valving is a first for GM

The exhaust of the Z06 is such a key factor to enjoying the car, and GM didn’t overlook its importance. Instead of a normal adjustable exhaust where the valve has two settings, open (loud) or closed (quiet), the valving in the exhaust system is highly adjustable through many settings. The valves — found in the center pipes — are controlled by the engine ECU using patented software, and it allows GM to tune them in 2 degree increments. The outboard pipes are the Corvette’s “low-flow” pipes and do not feature valves. In total, GM allows three different valve preset positions that are selectable by drive mode: Tour, Sport and Track. As expected, Track is the loudest setting, though GM says it’s loud enough that you may have to dial it back on racetracks with strict noise regulations.

As for the exhaust performance, GM says its new exhaust architecture results in a 21% backpressure reduction versus the C7 Z06, and the muffler itself is 20 pounds lighter than the C8 Stingray’s muffler. Just as you’ve seen in the photos, it features a center exit that GM says was a last-minute change to drastically improve the sound.

54 Gemini rockets can be found throughout every LT6 engine

Chevy’s internal name for the LT6 project was Gemini, in reference to NASA’s Gemini space program. The team sees this as a moonshot of an engine, so therefore it wanted to imbue it with some space tributes. If you look hard enough, you’ll be able to find a total of 54 Gemini rockets throughout every single engine. Happy hunting!

Chevy still calls it a Small Block

This one’s weird. The only thing the LT6 has in common with the traditional Chevy Small Block V8 is its 4.4-inch bore centerline spacing. Also, it’s been engineered and designed by the same team responsible for the traditional Small Block V8. Besides that, this engine is a totally new, clean-sheet design. Formally, GM engineers say it’s a “Gemini Small Block.” In practice, there’s nearly nothing similar between this advanced DOHC engine design and the old push-rod V8 found in the regular Corvette Stingray. So go ahead, get to the comments and give us your thoughts on whether this should still be referred to as a “Small Block V8.”

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February 18, 2022 / Comments Off

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GM to dealers: Stop playing games with 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06

It wasn’t even two weeks ago that Ford’s VP of sales for the U.S. and Canada decided he needed to tell the dealer body to stop squeezing 2022 F-150 Lightning buyers for more reservation money. The shenanigans risk alienating the very important new customers of a very important new truck. Corvette Action Center reports that now Steve Carlisle, General Motors‘ president for North America, has done the same thing with the Chevrolet dealer body to stop the same kinds of antics happening with the 2023 Corvette Z06. The problem according to Carlisle is “a small number of Dealers [that] have engaged in practices that do not support a positive sales experience for our customers.” Those dealers who don’t end such practices will risk losing their Z06 allotments.

The letter identifies three unwelcome tactics. The first is dealers insisting customers pay more than the $1,000 reservation fee that GM set for the Z06. This problem is already years old, with some dealers opening up their own reservations lists in 2019, more than two years before GM announced the car. While some dealers only took $1,000 for a reservation, a dealer in New Hampshire claimed to have more than 1,300 potential buyers who had put down $2,000.

The second game Carlisle wants to take down is the dreaded market adjustment, dealers having “requested customers to pay sums far in excess of MSRP in order to purchase or lease a vehicle.” We’re not sure what recourse GM has against this. We’re sure Ford isn’t happy about F-150 Lightning markups, either, but Ford specified in its letter that it wouldn’t tolerate gaming the reservation system as opposed to ADMs. Carlisle insists that these methods can be “harmful to the reputation of Dealer, General Motors, or its Products,” and “puts our collective interests at risk and generates negative press that reflect poorly GM’s brands and your dealership.”

The third offense is dealers reselling vehicles to brokers; having a broker volunteer fat sums over MSRP is an easy way for a dealer to sidestep having to ask for more money. Carlisle notes that this practice is explicitly outlawed in the dealer’s sales and service agreement with GM.

It will be interesting to see how dealers respond. With the prodigious sums on offer, we expect some dealers will continue to explore where the line is and whether it can be nudged further into the black. Surcharges have been around as long as there have been more buyers than product, and in a market where a dealer feels justified asking a $38,000 ADM on a regular 2022 Corvette — which GM hasn’t said anything about, remember — stopping all of these practices could be a mighty challenge. GM has to put up a fight, though. Just like Ford, it has additional, crucial new products arriving soon that are trying to attract crucial new audiences, and it needs to be seen doing its best to provide the best experience.

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January 20, 2022 / Comments Off

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2023 Chevy Corvette, including Z06, reportedly a few months away

After getting eyes on a memo General Motors sent to Chevy dealers, the Corvette Action Center site has posted some key dates and information concerning the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette. We’re not sure if it’s because of the new generation or “the new normal” in the state of world affairs, but the coming model transition won’t be like those in recent memory.

First, the dealer order guide for the 2023 Corvette is two months away, coming out on March 21. Three days later, on March 24, dealers will be able to begin placing orders for next year’s coupe and convertible. CAC says the online configurator for keyboard tire kickers will launch that day, too. On March 31, dealers will be able to begin pairing orders with their Corvette allocations.

Six weeks later, on May 6, 2022 Corvette production is expected to end.

Here’s the first departure from the norm: Instead of Bowling Green Assembly Plant taking the traditional one- or two-week gap between model years, 2023 Corvette production is slated to begin on May 9, three days after the last 2022 leaves the line. That May 9 date matches the date Corvette Blogger and GM Authority posted as the commencement of 2023 Corvette production in November 2021.

That brings us to the second switchup in Corvette production. In previous years, GM kept allocations of standard Corvettes separate from the Z06. For the C8, Corvette allocations won’t be separated. This suggests that 2023 Corvette Z06 production will begin on May 9, the same day as the standard car. Furthermore, with the C7 Corvette Z06, GM based dealer allocations on how many Z06s the dealer had sold the previous year. With the C8, GM will use a dealer’s Average Daily Supply to gauge how quickly that dealer is selling Corvettes, then determine how many of each Corvette the dealer gets.

If all of these dates hold, the 2022 Corvette would have spent just eight months in production, having started down the lines on September 6, 2021. With the 2023 Corvette Z06 having sucked all the air out of the room — in part to power its brand new and massively powerful V8 — we don’t expect much beyond small cosmetic and option changes for the standard Corvette for the coming model year.

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January 19, 2022 / Comments Off

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