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All posts in “coupe”

McLaren recalls Senna and several other models over potential fire risk

McLaren is recalling multiple models due to a potential fire risk. The models in question include the 2016-2020 720S, 2019 Senna, 2020 GT and 2017-2019 570GT. In total, that amounts to 2,763 cars.

The Senna being part of this recall caught our eye, since so few of those will ever be sold. McLaren says that 157 Sennas will be subject to recall. As for the issue itself, the fire risk stems from an NVH foam pad that is placed underneath the fuel tank. McLaren says there is a possibility that this pad collects and retains corrosive moisture from the environment while driving. Over time, this could corrode the surface of the fuel tank where the pad is in contact with it. Those “micro-porations” in the fuel tank could trigger the release of gas vapor or fuel liquid. McLaren says this wouldn’t immediately cause a fire, because the fuel would be exiting into a “cool part of the vehicle” (not the exhaust or powertrain). However, fuel could ultimately leak onto the ground under the vehicle, increasing the risk of a fire under the car.

McLaren says it first learned of the issue from a Latvian customer who claimed to smell fuel coming from his 570GT. The customer’s car was a former press car, “subjected to high mileage, wear and tear and greater range of road conditions than a typical vehicle of the same type and age.” Yeah, we can attest to that. After another similar complaint from a UK customer, McLaren opened an investigation, and this recall is the result.

To fix the 720S, Senna and 570GT, dealers will be removing the NVH pad from the car and inspecting all the gas tanks for corrosion. If McLaren deems it necessary, the fuel tank will be replaced. As of now, that NVH pad is just being removed from the car with no replacement part. McLaren hasn’t specified a remedy for the McLaren GT yet, suggesting that something else is going on there. McLaren also states that there is no defect in the design or the materials used in the fuel tank. The foam pad is the potential issue here.

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April 29, 2020 / Comments Off

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SCG 007 hypercar to swap twin-turbo V6 for twin-turbo V8

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus began the long tease to its SCG 007 LMP1 hypercar with a set of sketches in June 2018 that clearly incorporated cues from the SCG 003. Refining that original sketch for 18 months produced a longer, smoother design with pontoon-like front fenders and a rear wing seamlessly integrated into a more tapered rear end. The first powertrain mentioned for the 007 was a twin-turbo V6 with 800 horsepower and a 200-hp hybrid component. In the WEC’s Hypercar class where SCG will try to win Le Mans outright, regulations cap maximum combined output at 740 horsepower, and electric assistance can only power the front wheels above 80 miles per hour. Late last year, Jim Glickenhaus told us SCG decided to shed the hybrid portion, since “We can make max allowed HP from our ICE, and our powerplant will be lighter and less complex.” A new announcement last week means the end of the V6, too, SCG partnering with French engine developer Pipo Moteurs on a “whole new custom V8 twin-turbo engine.”

Pipo Moteurs opened for business in 1973, and has a track record of wins mainly in World Rally Championship with teams like Peugeot and Ford, and European hillclimbing with BMW. We expect the 007 to mark the first time SCG takes a V8 into top-level racing; the SCG 003 road car was powered by BMW’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, but the road car housed a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 from Honda.

SCG plans to get the 007 down near the WEC’s minimum weight of 1,100 kilograms (2,425 pounds). Evo reports that the first wind tunnel tests are finished, the engineering program scheduled to continue through to summer 2020. Subsystems should enter production in August 2020, the first shakedown runs happening a month later. The math so far shows the hypercar regulations enabling laps times of three minutes and 30 second around the Circuit de la Sarthe, about 15 seconds off the best qualifying lap for the pole-sitting Toyota Gazoo Racing TS050 Hybrid at Le Mans last year, 13 seconds adrift of the fastest lap set during the race by the second-place Toyota.

Next year’s a long way away, though. The hypercar class only has three entries for the moment, Toyota, SCG, and ByKolles scheduled to run after Aston Martin dropped out, and many wonder if that will be enough to keep a top-level worth running. The ACO and IMSA announced a new class to integrate the former’s LMP1 with the latter’s DPi into a new category possibly called LMDh, the first race the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Lamborghini had been examining a hypercar entry and Peugeot had committed, but Peugeot pulled out after the LMDh announcement. Being able to race internationally and run Daytona, Sebring, and Le Mans with one car is a huge lure to automakers. It’s not clear yet if the hypercar rules can be shoehorned into the new category, of if ACO will want to try.

Assuming the 007 makes it to Le Mans at some point, SCG will produce at least 20 roadgoing versions to satisfy homologation rules, priced around $2.1 million, roughly the same price as the SCG 003.

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April 27, 2020 / Comments Off

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McLaren P1 GTR-18 by Lanzante takes its inspiration from the F1

The McLaren P1 GTR is already one of the most exclusive hypercars ever built (McLaren made only 58 of them), and now Lanzante is making it even more special. The storied British racing company has decided it’s going to convert six P1 GTRs into what it’s calling the P1 GTR-18.

Lanzante applies a longtail style body to the P1 GTR, increasing the length and adding even more aero equipment. It has a larger front splitter and modified rear wing to create additional downforce. The appearance is the biggest draw to go with the Lanzante P1 GTR-18, though. All six will get their own special McLaren F1-inspired paint scheme, meant to match the liveries of Lanzante’s racing efforts with the F1. This car is finished in the Gulf Team Davidoff No. 28R scheme, which is the livery from the last McLaren F1 GTR ever produced by Lanzante to compete. Here’s a Bonhams listing for that car, so you can compare and contrast.

Paint codes and samples were taken from that F1 so as to make the colors identical. Even the carbon fiber has a special tint to it, different from the regular P1 GTR. Lanzante does throw in some interesting extras, too. You get a headset (to talk to your passenger on track) finished in the same paint scheme as the car, and a set of “bespoke dust bags” and tinted carbon fiber keys to match the car. Powertrain details are not final yet, but the GTR made 986 horsepower combined from its gas engine and electric motor from the factory. It probably doesn’t need anything more.

All great stuff, and it will likely cost untold amounts of money. Lanzante didn’t say how much, but anybody who had enough cash to pick up a P1 GTR can likely spring for this special Lanzante treatment if they want it.

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April 24, 2020 / Comments Off

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McLaren hybrid sports series prototype spied, possible 570S successor

McLaren has repeatedly said it plans to go hybrid with all of its vehicles in the future. The latest rumors out of Britain point at plans to reveal the first of this new hybrid lineup sometime this year. This heavily camouflaged prototype could be the one we’re waiting for — it even says “hybrid prototype” on the side sill.

Its size and general shape means it’s likely part of McLaren’s Sports Series. The camo does an excellent job of disguising what the sheetmetal underneath looks like. If we had to guess, this car looks like it’d be a replacement for the 570S model. Assuming we’re right about that, it’s probably hiding McLaren’s yet-to-be-revealed twin-turbo V6 engine. Add the electric power into the equation, and it’s likely going to be making much more combined power than the twin-turbo V8 is able to produce on its own now. McLaren’s hybrids are also rumored to be of the plug-in variety, capable of driving about 20 miles off electric power.

The camouflage over top of the engine bay appears to be tented, and it looks a bit like the McLaren GT because of it with the gently sloping line to the back. We don’t even get to see how large the side air intakes are since McLaren has covered these up quite well, too. The high-mounted dual exhaust has us giddy. Its placement reminds us of the 720S exhaust pipes. Under all that is a giant diffuser and wide rubber pushed to the edges of the car.

Last we heard, McLaren was going to release a hybrid model this year, and it would go on sale in 2021. We wouldn’t be surprised if these targets are pushed back due to delays stemming from the coronavirus.

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April 17, 2020 / Comments Off

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Rare 1999 Acura NSX Zanardi Edition sells for $135,000

Somebody just bought a 1999 Acura NSX Zanardi Edition for $135,000 on Bring a Trailer. And to that we say, we’re jealous.

The Zanardi Edition is one of the more sought-after NSX models out there. Acura only ever sold 51 of them (named after racer Alex Zanardi), and they were sold during a time that nearly every NSX sold here was an NSX-T with the T-top. The hardtop Zanardi Edition features a number of performance improvements over a typical 1999 NSX.

Acura took a sizable chunk of weight out of the car. Versus a hardtop coupe, it’s about 54 pounds lighter. Compared to the more popular NSX-T, it’s 149 pounds lighter. This was done in a few ways, but the single biggest weight reduction was due to the power steering delete, making it more like the older NSXs that never had power steering. Lightweight BBS wheels, a lighter battery, single-pane rear glass and a lighter rear spoiler also helped to reduce weight.

It received a “racetrack-tuned suspension” that was considerably stiffer than the regular NSX. The shocks, springs and bushings were all revised, and Acura lowered the ride height (0.6 inch in front, 0.3 inch in rear). A stiffer and larger rear stabilizer bar was fitted, too.

The Zanardi Edition is rather distinctive looking because of its New Formula Red paint and dark BBS wheels. Acura added red stitching to the all black interior, and owners also got to use a sweet titanium shift knob. And of course, there’s a special edition plaque on the interior to officially declare it a Zanardi.

Acura did nothing to the engine or transmission. Therefore, it retains the 3.2-liter V6 (290 horsepower and 224 pound-feet of torque) and six-speed manual. We don’t get to see many Zanardi Editions go up for sale, but when they do, they get the big bucks. At 57,000 miles, this one is still on the low side, hence the $135,000 final bid.

A regular (albeit newer) 2004 NSX-T with 1,900 miles just sold for $133,000 earlier today. So yeah … NSX values don’t seem to be going anywhere but up these days.

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April 9, 2020 / Comments Off

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2020 Lamborghini Huracan Evo has the biggest price discount in America

Right now, buyers of the 2020 Lamborghini Huracan Evo are paying an average of $248,000 to drive the brand-new supercar off the dealer lot. That’s a hefty chunk of change, but it represents $16,269 off the car’s average $264,969 retail price, according to data provided to Autoblog by Truecar. That’s the largest discount in America on a new vehicle for the month of April, 2020 when judged by the dollar amount in savings off the sticker.

It’s not all that uncommon to see a lot of money taken off the sticker price of expensive luxury cars. This month, right behind the Lamborghini sits the 2019 BMW 8 Series with a few bucks shy of $11,000 in savings, which is hardly surprising. Though it’s a very sleek and entertaining car in some of its various incarnations, it hasn’t exactly proven to be a hot seller for the German automaker. The fact that there are a total of 15 (!) possible configurations probably doesn’t help. Two other BMWs, the 2020 7 Series ($10,164 in savings) and the 2019 i8 ($10,145) are also on the top 10 biggest discounts list.

In between that BMW sandwich are the 2019 and 2020 editions of the Acura NSX. It doesn’t really matter which one a buyer chooses to drive off the lot, either way lopping off more than $10,000 off the sticker price means the electrified supercar will cost just under $150k.

For a look at the best new car deals in America based on the percentage discount off their suggested asking prices, check out our monthly recap here. And when you’re ready to buy, click here for the Autoblog Smart Buy program, which brings you a hassle-free buying experience with over 9,000 Certified Dealers nationwide.

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April 9, 2020 / Comments Off

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Koenigsegg Gemera and Jesko Absolut strut on the supercar maker’s runway

The world seems like a pretty terrible place right now, but there are good things in it, like the two monster Koenigsegg supercars the company revealed a month ago. The Koenigsegg Gemera four-door supercar and the Jesko Absolut high-speed hypercar were showstoppers from the Geneva Motor Show that didn’t happen. And now Koenigsegg released more photos of each at the airfield where its headquarters is located.

Leading the galleries is the Gemera, the newest of the two cars. Besides its unusual shape, a result of having four seats all suitable for adults but still just two doors, it has remarkable technology backing it up. It’s a plug-in hybrid using three electric motors and a turbocharged three-cylinder engine with no camshafts. And it makes a total of 1,700 horsepower. It even has heated and cooled cupholders for each passenger. It’s brilliantly outrageous.

The Jesko Absolut is also wild. It’s aiming to be the fastest car in the world, which would mean a top speed in the 300-mph range. It has potential with the same 1,600-horsepower twin-turbo V8 from the regular Jesko, but is more aerodynamic by losing the rear wing and other drag reductions. It also gets the nifty automatic transmission that can shift to any gear immediately, even out of sequence.

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April 9, 2020 / Comments Off

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Supercar driver totals Gemballa Mirage GT in massive NYC wreck

Police arrested the driver of Gemballa Mirage GT — an ultra-rare exotic based on the Porsche Carrera GT — after it struck several other vehicles and left a trail of destruction on 11th Avenue in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan Tuesday morning.

Police did not release the name of the driver, but said he was the owner of the vehicle and charges are pending, per reports. Road & Track did some sleuthing and reports that it was likely Benjamin Chen, a supercar collector and the co-founder of Gold Rush Rally, an annual rally of exotic and luxury vehicles that he once described as a “rolling party with over 200 of your friends.” And sure enough, the car looks just like the one he talked about in 2014 with the DuPont Registry Daily. There’s even an Instagram video of the hoodie-wearing driver, who resembles Chen, being ordered out of the vehicle. He initially appears to stumble when exiting the cockpit.

The car, a modified Porsche Carrera GT that can cost north of $750,000, had Massachusetts plates reading “Nine 80” and came to a stop at 11th Avenue and 44th Street on Manhattan’s west side, just north of the Javits Center, which is being used as a makeshift field hospital for coronavirus patients. The car looks to be a total loss, its entire front right corner sustained heavy damage, with the panels missing and the body structure badly mangled. Other photos showed the wheels cocked at different angles, windshield shattered, part of the rear fender missing and its hood lying on the sidewalk. Helicopter footage from Fox 5 in New York showed it surrounded by ambulances and other emergency vehicles after it was stopped.

One video showed it careening out of control at high speed down a mostly abandoned 11th Avenue and slamming into a white Toyota Sienna minivan, but then trying to flee.

Chen was involved in a wreck while driving a McLaren 12C Spider during the goldRush Rally in 2013 in Texas.

April 7, 2020 / Comments Off

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McLaren 765LT: How limited-edition longtail got its $385,000 price

The McLaren 720S starts at $299,000 in the U.S. before the $2,500 destination charge that takes a buyer over the hump to $301,500. McLaren has announced the new, limited edition 765LT will start at $385,000 before destination and any other fees, a number guaranteed to encourage parsing as buyers and enthusiasts try to figure out if the 765LT represents $86,000 in extra goodness. Before whipping out your abacuses, however, the Woking carmaker wants all to know that the 765LT comes standard with options that would add roughly $50,000 to the price of a 720S. These include upgrades like the Exterior Carbon Fiber Pack, normally $7,070, the 10-spoke super lightweight sport wheels, normally $5,490, the parking sensors and rearview camera that together add $5,770, and colored brake calipers with a machined McLaren logo, normally $1,380.

The rest of the dosh pays for extras that can’t be optioned from the factory, like the redesigned front fascia and longtail rear end with the bigger active spoiler that help increase downforce by about 25% compared to the 720S. The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 gains 45 horsepower and 22 pound-feet of torque, totaling 755 hp and 590 lb-ft, shifting through a transmission that houses F1-derived materials and provides 15% quicker in-gear acceleration. Overall weight, assuming the buyer orders the carbon fiber racing seats — saving another $6,390, as a no-cost option on the 765LT — drops DIN curb weight by 176 pounds versus the standard sibling (DIN weight is fluids and 90% full fuel tank). And the suspension has gotten even more precise, which defies belief since McLarens are already so good, thanks to knowledge from the Senna and Speedtail.

If you’d like to crunch the numbers yourself, a poster at the McLaren Life forum has graciously uploaded the 765LT options list and ordering guide. We might skip the $8,470 Double Glazed Engine Window that offers a view into the engine bay, but the $36,340 MSO Defined Gloss Finish Visual Carbon Fiber Roof Scoop would be a great place to start jacking up the price with gusto.

McLaren will make 765 examples of the 756LT for global consumption. We’re not sure how many will make it to the States, but the ones that do will begin arriving in September.

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April 7, 2020 / Comments Off

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Bugatti put three generations of legendary supercars into one photo

The modern era of Bugatti has seen dozens of special-editions, limited-editions, and bespoke one-offs, but the core of the company is defined by three models that have spanned the past three decades. The EB110 marked the ’90s, the Veyron ruled the ’00s and early ’10s, and the Chiron dominated the end of the ’10s into the present. Bugatti calls the trio the “Holy Trinity” and recently brought all three supercars together for a photoshoot in Dubai.

Against a backdrop of sweeping sands and a spiky skyline tipped by the Burj Khalifa tower, Bugatti placed a black EB110 next to black examples of a Veyron and a Chiron. It’s an awe-inspiring sight, even in photos, though it is a bit strange to see the models dressed like they’re going to a funeral rather than sporting any of the numerous iconic color schemes they’ve worn throughout the years.

Despite the 30 years between the EB110, and the Chiron, all three vehicles are built with the same three key components: a carbon-fiber monocoque, four turbochargers, and all-wheel drive. The technologies within these three pillars have drastically changed, but the idea of what makes a true super sports car has remained the same.

The EB110, which denotes Ettore Bugatti and his 110th birthday, debuted on his birthday, September 15, 1991, in Paris. It packs a mid-engined quad-turbo 3.5-liter V12 that has a 8,250-rpm redline. The lowest-powered EB110 had 560 horsepower, while the most powerful model made 611 horsepower. The EB110 claimed a zero-to-62-mph time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 218 mph.

The Veyron entered the scene for the 2005 model year. This time around, Bugatti slapped the four turbochargers on an 8.0-liter W16, and that engine makes a whopping 987 horsepower (1,001 PS). With the added power, the zero-to-62-mph time dropped to 2.5 seconds, and the top speed increased to 253 mph, and that was before more powerful variants were released.

The Chiron, Bugatti’s current model, debuted in 2016 and continued to build on the power and speed records its relatives had set before it. The Chiron carries on with a quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16, but it now makes 1,479 horsepower. It can sprint from a stop to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds, and in 2019, Bugatti used a Chiron to reach 304.773 mph, the fastest speed for a production car ever achieved.

To truly appreciate the greatness of these vehicles requires an in-person visit, but for now, photos will have to do. Check out the family photoshoot in the gallery above.

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April 4, 2020 / Comments Off

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Gordon Murray’s T.50 gets a soundcheck and a website

Gordon Murray Automotive isn’t slated to begin building the T.50 supercar until late next year, with deliveries scheduled for early 2022. Thankfully for us, the next step on the march to that goal is a website and a soundcheck of a portion of the 3.9-liter V12 which will power the three-seater coupe (watch that video here). We say “a portion” because Cosworth — the engineering firm developing the mill — put just three of the 12 cylinders on the dyno to verify emissions output and ensure the components can handle 12,100 rpm, said to be 300 rpm short of a 12,400-rpm “hard limit” redline. That figure is 1,400 rpm beyond the north wall of the 6.5-liter V12 Cosworth built to propel the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Murray told TopGear that the air pulses sucked into the ram-air intake above the cabin will result in magnificent sound. The English engineering legend tuned the thickness of the roof panel on the McLaren F1 to enhance the engine sound, and he’s done the same thing on the T.50. Based on the short snippet of the dyno run, the free-breathing V12 will excite blood and bone.

Output checks in at 650 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, meaning ten hoses more than the 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S but 184 lb-ft less. Unlike just about every other supercar out there today, the T.50 will weigh no more than 2,161 pounds, a stunning spec that’s 1,475 pounds less than the Turbo S, 899 pounds less than the Lotus Evora 400 Lightweight, 180 pounds less than an entry-level Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport. The V12 will utilize two engine maps, one that loads up torque at the bottom of the rev range for potting about town, dropping the redline to about 9,500 rpm and horsepower to roughly 600, the other unlocking every rev and joule. A 48-volt mild hybrid system powers the 15.7-inch rear fan and active aero panels, and employs a small electric motor to add 30 ponies in certain aero configurations. Power in the 100 units of the T.50 road car is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual with an exposed linkage; the 25 units of the T.50 track-only car will use paddle shifters.

The coupe serves up five aerodynamic maps, two automatic and three driver selectable. Auto mode moves the under-floor and diffuser panels and active rear spoilers automatically as needed. Braking mode — as on a Bugatti Chiron or any McLaren — stands up the rear spoilers and powers the fan to suck air from under the car, improving downforce and therefore traction. Selectable High Downforce mode is made for the track and wet roads, boosting downforce by 30% over Auto mode. Streamline goes the opposite direction, closing aero inlets to reduce drag by 10% compared to Auto mode, and it “activates the fan at high speeds to extend the trailing wake of air behind the car, in effect creating a virtual long-tail.” VMAX mode starts with Streamline and kicks in extra boost from the 48-volt system to get to about 680 hp. Murray said the T.50 tops out somewhere around 220 miles per hour.

The carbon-intense supercar has moved into wind tunnel testing in Silverstone, using the Racing Point F1 team facility. At the same time, Gordon Murray Automotive is finishing its customer experience and service center in Dunsfold, England next to the factory that will build the T.50. Have a listen to the engine and imagine what’s to come for what it’s designer calls the “last and the greatest analog supercar ever built.” We also recommend checking out TG‘s piece on the car, where Murray admits that driving dynamics have been benchmarked against the Alpine A110, power steering will only work at low speed and in parking lots, the V12 flips from idle to 12,000 rpm in 0.3 seconds, and the rear tires are just 295-section (911 Turbo S rubber is 315-section out back).

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March 28, 2020 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin confirms 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 for Valhalla

When the Aston Martin Valhalla hits the scene in 2022 (hopefully), it will be powered by an all-new 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine that will be fortified and electrified in a hybrid configuration that we don’t yet know much about. Interestingly, Aston Martin says the V6’s hybrid element will be tuned and sized for each specific vehicle in which it’s installed. In the Valhalla, the dry-sump engine will be mounted directly behind the passenger compartment, and its so-called ‘hot V’ design will allow for relatively compact dimensions. And compact also means lightweight — the automaker says the complete engine weighs less than 440 pounds.

Just the fact that the British automaker is investing the engineering effort to produce a new engine is significant. The company hasn’t engineered its own in-house powertrain since 1969, when Tadek Marek’s 5.3-liter V8 engine found its way under the hood of Aston Martin’s aptly named DBS V8. The new 3.0-liter V6 is codenamed TM01 in Marek’s honor. With that in mind, we expect this powerplant to serve in various Aston Martin models for a number of years.

We look forward to further details in the future, especially the all-important horsepower and torque figures. In the meantime, feel free to peruse the high-resolution image gallery above, where you’ll see intricately milled castings along with the engine undergoing dyno testing and running red hot with the lights down low.

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March 23, 2020 / Comments Off

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Listen to a twin-turbo 2020 Corvette built by Hennessey

Hennessey has built the first twin-turbo 2020 Chevy Corvette that we know of, and it’s released a short video to let us listen to the fruits of its labor. To nobody’s surprise, the turbocharged C8 sounds spectacular. In addition to the traditional meaty rumble from Chevy’s small-block V8, we’re treated to a cacophony of turbo whooshes and whistles.

Back in December, Hennessey revealed its plans to sell a 1,200-horsepower version of the standard Corvette. It’s called the HPE1200, and it’s going to be ludicrously quick. Hennessey says the twin-turbo C8s will have upgraded internals, an upgraded dual-clutch transmission and a Brembo brake system installed. All we know about this particular car in the video is that it has two massive snails attached, and it does in fact run. For how long, that’s anybody’s guess.

The sound it’s making may not be entirely accurate, too. There doesn’t appear to be much of an exhaust system fitted. Instead, we can see a short pipe post-turbo pointing toward the left rear wheel that’s acting as a makeshift exhaust for the time being. Hennessey previously said it would offer a stainless steel exhaust with the new twin-turbo system, so expect something similar to this noise for a finished car. As long as we get to keep most of this turbo Vette’s extremely loud noises, we’ll be happy.

Hennessey still hasn’t indicated any performance numbers or detailed specs on the HPE1200. A stock 2020 Chevy Corvette with the Z51 package will hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and do the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds. Assuming Hennessey is able to translate some of this power into actual forward momentum, we can expect some quicker times.

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March 23, 2020 / Comments Off

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2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S dressed up with Exclusive Manufaktur parts

The last time the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur overhauled a 911 Turbo S, the result was a more powerful limited edition called the Exclusive Series, with carbon fiber racing stripes and carbon wheels. Stuttgart’s couturier is at it again with the 2021 911 Turbo S, this time to show off what’s possible with off-the-shelf Exclusive Manufaktur components, the same way it did recently with the Taycan’s SportDesign Package Carbon.

The makeover begins with a coat of Indian Red paint. As far as we can tell from perusing Porsche forums, Indian Red has a long and convoluted history with, but little difference from, Guards Red. The naming seems dependent on international market, model year, and which Porsche factory built the car. We make the point because the Porsche USA configurator offers Guards Red but not Indian Red.

The configurator does, however, present the choice of the staggered, center-lock Exclusive Manufaktur wheels that were fitted to that low-volume 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. The rims add $2,490 to the price. Normally painted Platinum Silver, for this application the wheels receive a silver and black finish that could cost more. The exterior comes with additional alterations including black-rimmed LED Matrix Design headlights for $970, clear taillights for $990, and rear side air intakes in high gloss black for $600.

Plenty of Indian Red has bled into the cabin, the hue running along the doors, the length of the instrument panel, and around the center console. That is a no-cost option, which is pretty special from a carmaker that charges $370 for a rear windshield wiper and considers the $900 painted black brake calipers an exterior performance option. There are no such gimmies for the extended red accents in the tachometer ($420) and dash-mounted Sport Chrono clock (also $420). Deleting the “S” logo on the seat headrests in order to put the Porsche crest there requires $290. In case that switcheroo causes occupants to forget the particular model they left the garage with, embossing the center console lid with the Turbo S logo can be done for $340.

Those aren’t the only upgrades being prepared for the new GT. CarBuzz found early photos of a new SportDesign Package and Aerokit designed for the Turbo S. On the Carrera Coupe, the optional SportDesign Kit costs $4,890 to add a new lower front bumper and splitter, deeper, body-colored side sills, and new rear bumper with a matte black diffuser. Carrera buyers can also get just the SportDesign front fascia for $3,240, while the Aerokit includes all of that and adds a fixed, high-rise rear wing for $6,910. We don’t have detailed info yet on the breakdown of the Turbo S packages, but combined, they install the new lower front fascia, sharp side sill extensions, new rear fascia with a reshaped diffuser, two large oval exhaust pipes instead of the four square pipes, and a new active rear wing design with curled-up edges.

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March 21, 2020 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin Valkyrie heads to public roads for the first time

The Aston Martin Valkyrie may not be headed for the WEC racing series anymore, but it is finally hitting public roads. Aston Martin shared some images of the start of public road testing and tuning with a production prototype. The car is undisguised because, well, we’ve seen it a number of times before, but it’s still interesting to see it in such mundane settings.

Public roads really emphasize how alien the Valkyrie looks. In particular, the shot of it in front of other production cars show that it’s about half their height. It also doesn’t look especially longer or wider than some of the somewhat small cars in the background such as that Hyundai Kona. And of course the Valkyrie’s deep diffuser openings, undulating fenders and little cockpit all look outrageous on the street. We mean that in the best way possible.

Aston still plans to begin delivering Valkyries to customers in the second half of this year. It will make at least 1,000 horsepower and rev to over 11,000 rpm. It will be street legal, though not when equipped with the track package or if it’s the 1,100-horsepower AMR Pro variant.

March 18, 2020 / Comments Off

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GFG Style evolves Giugiaro design in the Bandini Dora and Vision 2030 Desert Raid

Fabrizio and Giorgetto Giugiaro, the father-son duo who paired up to create automotive company GFG Style, have been swept up in the wave of the times and gone all-in on electric. In the past four months, GFG Style unveiled three new concept vehicles, all of which use batteries and electric motors for propulsion. The Vision 2030 and Vision 2030 Desert Raid offer new perspectives on off-road-ready supercars, and the Bandini Dora evokes Italian history in a stylish barchetta.

GFG Style started in 2015 and has been hard at work envisioning the future of the automobile. Since opening its doors, the design and consultation firm has crafted seven concept cars, including the Kangaroo, an electric all-terrain supercar that was one of the coolest and most interesting vehicles at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It seems Fabrizio and Giorgetto couldn’t get the core conceptual nature of the Kangaroo out of their minds, as they debuted another all-terrain EV called the Vision 2030 in November 2019 at the Riyadh Motor Show in Saudi Arabia.

Vision 2030

Pegged as a zero-emission all-wheel-drive hypercar designed for Saudi Arabian roads, the Vision 2030 is named after Saudi Vision 2030, a plan to help the country diversify its core businesses and move away from an independence on oil. “Saudi Arabia asked us to design a model that would perfectly adapt to their region, made up of completely new and decidedly wide roads, but also of deserts with dunes and rough terrains,” Fabrizio said in a press release. Fabrizio continued that the point of the car was a design study in wheels and suspension, which largely dictated the shape of the carbon fiber and aluminum car.

To accommodate the multiple types of terrain, the car’s suspension automatically adjusts based on driving conditions. The Vision 2030 also offers three driving modes, Race, Road and Off-Road, which change the ground clearance between 5.5 to 8.7 inches. Inside, six different digital screens ensure the car is properly connected and the driver is properly informed.

GFG Style says the two-seater Vision 2030 has a 90-kWh battery pack and a single-charge electric range of more than 280 miles. It makes a claimed 510 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque, good for a 0-62-mph sprint in 3.8 seconds.

Vision 2030 Desert Raid

The Desert Raid is one of two concepts that were originally intended to debut at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show before it was canceled due to precautions surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. As indicated by the name, the Desert Raid is an alternate variation of the Vision 2030. GFG Style says the Desert Raid underlines “the true capacity of this project: not to become a hypercar but a hyperSUV.”

The Desert Raid has the same battery, power, and general performance specifications as the Vision 2030, as they share the same electric powertrain setup. The bodywork, save for the rear, is also the same, but small tweaks make this vehicle specialized for off-roading. Whereas the Vision 2030 had multiple driving modes, this version only has one setup skewed toward handling rough terrain. Thus, it remains at 8.7 inches of ground clearance at all times. It also has a wider track, smaller wheels, new carbon fiber mudguards, and a visible spare tire integrated into the top rear portion of the car.

Bandini Dora

The second prototype meant for Geneva is the Bandini Dora. Like the other prototypes, it has a space frame aluminum chassis, carbon fiber bodywork, and a 90-kWh battery pack that provides a claimed range of more than 280 miles per full charge. Compared to the Vision 2030 cars, however, the Dora is slightly more amped up. Two electric motors, one on each axle, account for 536 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. Equipped with all-wheel drive, the Dora has a claimed 0-62-mph time of 3.3 seconds.

Riding on 21-inch wheels, the Dora is the work of a collaboration with Bandini, an Italian manufacturer founded by Ilario Bandini that originally ran from 1946 until 1992. The company was resurrected as Bandini Automobili s.r.l, thanks to Ilario’s great grandson Michele, and this car is meant to be an ode to Bandini barchetta race cars of decades past. GFG Style’s Geneva stand was planned to include a Bandini 750 Sport Internazionale from the Mille Miglia Museum.

The Bandini Dora is an open-top two-seater, but its clever design is unlike anything of the past or present. Look closely, and the lines reveal that the windshield and encapsulated cockpit are entirely separate from the car’s roof arches. This was the result of blending old design with new safety standards.

“Today, it is difficult to conceive a Barchetta without considering the evolution there has been in the car concerning safety,” Giugiaro was quoted in the press release. “Inspired by the Halo of Formula One, we thought about creating a car that had a clean windshield as it used to be used with no reinforcements, thus being as linear and light as possible. To solve this need, I thought of an out-and-out superstructure that would integrate into the style with an accentuated structural and protective function for both the driver and passenger.”

To properly appreciate the affect this design has on the car, it must be looked at from all angles. The prominent lines extends from the front bumper, curve over the front wheels, and swoop inward toward the rear to become part of the active aerodynamics. Because they don’t connect with the glass at any point, they creates all types of negative spaces, intersections, and design features that you just don’t see on normal cars. From the front, it almost looks as if one car has overtaken another car that lives beneath it.

For now, all three vehicles are just prototypes. The video below shows a press conference in which GFG Style announced the new designs.

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March 16, 2020 / Comments Off

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The Apex AP-0 is a 649-hp EV that weighs 2,645 pounds

Apex Motors sounds like a brand new name in the game, but the Hong-Kong-based company’s been around for more a few years and through a few transformations. In 2015 a maverick outfit of car designers banded together under the name Elemental to reveal the RP1, powered by 1.0-liter and 2.0-liter EcoBoost engines. By 2017, the 1,278-pound coupe could produce 2,205 pounds of downforce and was running Goodwood. By 2019, the Elemental RP1 had turned into the even-more-evolved Apex AP1, putting out 400 hp from a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder and blitzing from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.5 seconds.

The brand new AP-0 is the follow-up. As the naming scheme suggests, it takes the top spot in the lineup ahead of the AP-1 by having battery-electric power, a single electric motor turning the rear axles with 649-hp and 427 pound-feet of torque, a 320-mile range on the WLTP cycle, and a 0-60 time of 2.3 seconds. Top speed is 190 mph.

Just as remarkable, and even more unusual for an EV, the whole package weighs 2,645 pounds. Compared to a McLaren 720S, the AP-0 is 4.5 inches shorter but 3.4 inches wider, and while the Apex gives up 61 hp and 131 lb-ft to the Englishman, the AP-0 weighs almost 500 pounds less than the 720S. Compared to performance EVs, the Apex weighs about 1,380 pounds less than a Tesla Model 3 Performance, 1,700 pounds less than a Rimac Concept 2, and almost 2,500 pounds less than a Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

The Apex packs a floor-mounted, 90-kWh lithium-ion battery that consumes 1,213 pounds of its curb weight. When plugged into the right CCS charger, the pack can refill 80% of its charge in 15 minutes; on a standard Type 2 charger, filling up from empty takes eight hours.

The chassis and bodywork is entirely carbon fiber, a central carbon tub and modular spaceframes laid on a rigid carbon spine connect the front to the rear. Outside, the Le Mans-like fin houses a retractable LIDAR system up front and a cross-shaped taillight in back. Built as a road-legal racer for gearheads and sitting just 3.7 inches off the ground, there’s an adjustable pushrod suspension with automatic ride-height adjustment, 14-inch carbon ceramic rotors with six-piston calipers in front and four-piston in the rear, and a pair of 19-inch center-lock wheels up front paired with 20-inchers in back.

Behind gullwing doors, the carbon, aluminum, and leather interior makes every occupant feel like a racer with a single-seater-style, reclined and feet-up seating position. Three displays for the driver sit atop the instrument panel behind a square steering wheel. To help drivers make the most of track days, Apex says the AP-0 can “gamify the way drivers can learn new racetracks and deliver the ultimate immersive racing experience” through augmented reality projection. The software-based “instructor” can be improved through over-the-air updates. To ensure the instructor knows what it’s talking about, Apex said it wants to build an FIA-approved race track, followed by a racing academy, around its Hong Kong HQ.

The ambitions only begin there. When off the track, that LIDAR unit is intended to provide Level 3 autonomous capability at launch, with the company saying Level 4 potential is already built in. More handily, the AP-0 will come with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane keep assist. That’s all down the way, though, the AP-0 not scheduled to enter production until the latter half of 2022, costing around $195,000 for U.S. buyers. If all goes well from here to there, Apex plans to build up to 500 units per year in Britain, what it calls its second home, on the way to introducing a wider lineup of offerings.

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March 14, 2020 / Comments Off

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The tilt-winged Zenvo TSR-S now has carbon fiber wheels

Danish auto manufacturer Zenvo only produces five hand-built cars each year, so it’s a fairly big deal every single time one is completed. Not only is each car unique per customer requests, they’re also unique due to newly in-house-developed technologies, options, and techniques. In the case of its most recent build of the TSR-S supercar, it has previously unavailable features such as carbon fiber wheels and a new “hybrid” transmission.

The TSR-S is mostly known for its insane actively tilting rear wing (see the video below), but this most recent iteration should be known for its beautiful carbon fiber work. In addition to the numerous interior and exterior panels and parts made from traditional carbon fiber weave, the hood features a beautiful blue-tinted geometrically designed weave. On the side of the car, ZENVO is seen in a lower stripe with a hand-laid opposing weave pattern. Zenvo calls this feature a “bespoke watermark carbon fiber graphic.” Customers have the options to color-tint anything that shows exposed carbon fiber, and numerous sections can be designed with special weaves and graphics.

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Yet, the standout carbon fiber feature on this car is not a weave at all. Zenvo used what it calls fragmented carbon fiber, also known as forged composites as seen on Lamborghinis. Essentially, it’s crushed or flaked carbon fibers shaped and molded within resins, which provide a distinct artistically chaotic look. Zenvo used the fragmented carbon fiber on the engine and for the wheels.

The wheels are created with hand-cut pieces that are then hand-placed, and each one takes two technicians about one week to complete. Using carbon fiber wheels reduces weight by about 133 pounds, as each wheel is roughly 33 pounds lighter than an equal aluminum wheel.

This TSR-S also has an altered powertrain. The 1,177-horsepower twin-supercharged 5.8-liter flat-plane crank V8 remains, but the transmission is new. Zenvo’s seven-speed sequential gearbox with helical-cut dog gears is joined by a “hybrid module which yields a power boost, further traction control, and even the addition of an eighth forward gear with the electric motor providing reverse drive.” No further details were provided.

This level of exclusivity and customization is easily a seven-figure endeavor. The TSR-S starts at $1,619,000.

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March 12, 2020 / Comments Off

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The Mansory Cabrera is a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ with a bullish mug

Mansory does not care if a car is rare or special or unique. If it’s not a Mansory, it’s probably not good enough. But it might qualify to become a Mansory. The aftermarket tuning and design company has captured the limited Aventador SVJ and transformed it into a new vehicle called the Cabrera, which sports new looks and has more power.

Lamborghini will only produce 900 Aventador SVJs, and of those 900, three will go under the knife at a Mansory workshop. Mansory quotes a motto, “one car per decade,” and says the Cabrera “marks the start of several special editions on the occasion of Mansory’s 30th anniversary in 2020.” The name Cabrera is a breeding line of the Spanish fighting bull, similar to the names Miura and Gallardo.

The Cabrera has an entirely distinct face thanks to a new set of LED headlights. Rather than the chunky stock units that point toward the rear of the car, the new four-unit headlights are slim and horizontal. With the adjustments to the headlights came tweaks to the hood and front fascia. New air inlets on the front apron improve radiator air flow and help improve downforce. The carbon fiber widebody kit, which adds 1.6 inches in width, continues with bulbous wheel arches, aerodynamic side skirts, and a rear “double diffuser.” Extra downforce comes courtesy of a massive angular rear wing, and aggressively designed forged lightweight wheels (9×20 and 13×21) are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires.

The body kit is also designed to help cool the upgraded 6.5-liter V12 engine. While the “normal” SVJ makes 759 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque, the Cabrera makes 810 hp and 575 lb-ft. Mansory claims zero-to-62 mph in 2.6 seconds and a top speed of 221 mph.

Inside, Mansory takes the Aventador’s fighter-jet inspiration literally. The forged carbon fiber has “arrow-shaped decorative seams,” that look awfully similar to stealth bombers. That’s also mimicked with imprints in the seats. Every part of the interior has been redone and refitted with upgraded materials, including the ceiling, which has a colorful accent spine.

The Cabrera is only one of many vehicles that were launched surrounding the canceled Geneva Motor Show. Other new custom creations include the Lamborghini Urus Venatus and the Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible.

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March 12, 2020 / Comments Off

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Cadillac Blackwing gets ticket to Italy, to go to work in a supercar

Some necessary cost-cutting at Cadillac led to switching the new CT4, CT5, and Escalade to older platforms. The revised architecture plan meant Cadillac’s newest top-tier products couldn’t fit Cadillac’s newest top-tier engine, the 4.2-liter twin-turbo DOHC V8 known as Blackwing. That engine would serve limited duty at full power in the now-dead CT6-V, and at reduced output in the CT6 Platinum V8 trim before ending its bright, brief domestic life. But the story isn’t over, the rebirth of Blackwing coming from a most surprising locale: Turin, Italy.

Before the canceled Geneva Motor Show, Hagerty spoke to Paolo Garella, CEO of Manifattura Automobili Torino; that’s the company better known as MAT, makers of the New Stratos and contract engineering house for boutique screamers like the Aspark Owl electric hypercar, Apollo Intensa Emozione, and SCG003C. Garella told the outlet, “We have an agreement with General Motors” for a supply of Blackwings, which would be developed and built at the General Motors Propulsion Engineering Center (PEC) in Turin. Since 2005, the PEC has been used to develop GM’s global diesel engines and electronics. MAT’s plan is to put the V8 into a new limited-run car MAT is creating from its own design.

Then another surprising turn: Belgium-based global auto supplier Punch Group bought the PEC, with plans to work with GM on projects in progress until at least the end of 2021. Nothing changes as far as MAT is concerned, except perhaps a chance for an even closer collaboration with Punch Turin.

The V8 once hand-built at the Performance Engine Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky, made 550 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque in its most powerful form. Of course we’re looking forward to the Blackwing-powered vehicle MAT comes up with; the prospect of a V8-powered supercar with a modern mill is the best kind of news. Just as much, though, we’re looking forward to what’s possible with the Blackwing in a high-performance application freed of OEM constraints. The 4.2-liter LTA Blackwing shares its architecture with the 5.5-liter LT7 V8 in the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R racer and headed for the Corvette Z06, the big differences being turbos mounted between the cylinder banks on the Blackwing, whereas the boosters hang outside the banks on the LT7, and the Chevy engine uses a flat-plane crank.

It’s a moonshot, but if the Blackwing proves its might and popularity over time, and sees continuous development, perhaps the engine could one day be recalled to service with a different car at its original brand home.

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March 9, 2020 / Comments Off

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