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Fast & Furious Toyota Supra Fetches $550,000 at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas

The Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas event proved successful last week for many owners and buyers alike. This car was one of the most exciting items to hit the auction block – a 1994 Toyota Supra used in the Fast & Furious movie franchise.

All car enthusiasts remember when Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) gave Dom (Vin Diesel) a “10-second” car after he smashed up his 1970 Dodge Charger R/T in The Fast & The Furious movie. That one iconic scene ultimately skyrocketed the value of Supras around the globe and making the ones featured in the Fast & Furious almost priceless – well, unless you have a few hundred grand to drop on one. 

Paul Walker Toyota Supra

Originally built by Eddie Paul at The Shark Shop in El Segundo, CA, this 1994 Toyota Supra movie car was finished in Lamborghini Diablo Candy Orange pearl paint with the iconic Troy Lee-designed “Nuclear Gladiator” along the sides of the car. The car came with a factory 2JZ-GTE 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. This car was used to shoot multiple exterior and interior shots during filming and not all of the movie cars needed to be manual to give the same effect. 

Paul Walker Toyota Supra

This car was featured in “The Fast and the Furious” and “2 Fast 2 Furious,” which have all been documented and sold with the car along with applicable certificates. This example is one of eight Supras used in filming the Fast & Furious films and driven by the late Paul Walker. 

The last F&F Toyota Supra to sell at auction caught a whopping $185K in 2015 but I don’t think anybody expected the hype and nostalgia to leap it to the $550,000 mark. Did someone overpay for an Automatic A80 Supra? Yes. Did they overpay for a movie car that made tuner history? Absolutely not. 

June 21, 2021 / Comments Off on Fast & Furious Toyota Supra Fetches $550,000 at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas
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The BRABUS 900 ROCKET EDITION

Just think about these figures for a second … acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, an electronically limited top speed of 280 km/h, powered by a 4.5-Liter Biturbo V8 engine with 900 PS (662 kW) and a massive 1,250 Nm of torque at an RPM of only 2,900 … did that settle in yet? You might be thinking we’re talking about some low-riding, harsh, uncomfortable but stunningly beautiful and aerodynamic supercar … right?

Nope, wrong … this is the brand new BRABUS 900 ROCKET EDITION, and since it’s based on the Mercedes G63 SUV, we are talking about a car with as much aerodynamic styling as a brick house … well, that might be a bit harsh, but you get the idea, this is a 2,560 kgs (5,644 lbs) heavy SUV, and she’s wide and tall too, 204 cm (80.3 in) wide and 462 cm (182 in) long, riding on massive 24-inch wheels, 10-inch wide at the front and a girthy 12-inch wide at the rear.

The new BRABUS 900 ROCKET EDITION comes with a serious price tag attached to her, €571,270 ($677,750) including German VAT (which is 19%), but BRABUS will only build 25 units for the entire world, 10 of which will be ready for delivery later this year while the remaining 15 units will join their customers by the end of 2022 … and while BRABUS always unveils their new cars in black or grey, the client can choose from an almost infinite palette of colors for his, or her Super SUV … both on the outside, and on the inside.

So what does BRABUS offer to justify adding about half a million US$ to the MSRP of a top-of-the-line G63 AMG model, which is about $160,000 before adding options, also note our previous article on a BRABUS SUV was about their 800 Black & Gold Edition, which comes in at about €200,000 less than this new 900 ROCKET EDITION … then the latter should really be something utterly amazing and special … right?

Just for this new model, BRABUS created the ROCKET widebody aerodynamic kit that includes some amazing carbon fiber parts, also a new set of Monoblock Z wheels in a massive 24-inch size was developed for the ROCKET EDITION which come with fashionable ‘aero discs’ and the rear wheels are fitted with massively wide 355/25 R 24 tires … that’s Lamborghini tire sizes on a large SUV!

The two demo cars BRABUS prepared to showcase this new 900 ROCKET EDITION are finished in their famous “Signature Black” and “Stealth Grey”, and while the exterior is already extremely impressive (more on that later), it is on the inside where BRABUS fitted their MASTERPIECE interior in the best black leather and individual seats for the rear with a central console that houses a table for comfort, on the dashboard, doors and central console you’ll find a lot of breathtaking carbon fiber being fitted.

But first, back to what makes the BRABUS 900 ROCKET EDITION tick, the highly modified engine, if you know the statistics, the base G63 comes with a 3,982 cm³ displacement V8 engine, BRABUS takes that engine apart and bores out the cylinders to 84 mm and mills a new crankshaft from a solid rod of aluminum … the result is a displacement of 4,407 cm³, but that alone isn’t enough to get a power increase of 315 PS, so BRABUS replaced the factory original turbochargers with a pair of their own, in-house units that are capable of a 1.4 bar boost, a ram-air intake made from carbon fiber makes sure these turbos can draw enough cold air, and just for looks, the engine is covered with a stunningly beautiful, red infused carbon fiber cover.

Some more help to reach that 900 PS output comes from the amazing stainless steel exhaust system fitted by BRABUS, complete with 76 mm downpipes and sport catalysts, and naturally a valved high-performance exhaust, so you can adjust the soundtrack of this impressive V8 depending on your surroundings, most neighbors don’t like you starting this beast at 5 in the morning with the exhaust in ‘Sport’ mode … naturally, the dual, carbon fiber exhaust tips are fitted underneath this supercar and exit fumes just in front of the rear wheels, and to top it all off, BRABUS integrated their ROCKET ambient light into them, just for fun.

We’ve all seen the BRABUS WIDESTAR kit before, used on many Mercedes G-Wagon conversions from this Bottrop based manufacturer, but for their ultimate, limited edition version of the G63 they created a new version of their famous aerodynamic kit, using more visible carbon fiber on the outside than before, adding vertical stabilization fins to the front bumper, but also a new front grille with ROCKET logo and the required ram-air intakes for the turbochargers behind it.

We also note the ROCKET Startup Glow and illuminated ROCKET logo, but you just can’t miss those massively wide wheel arch extensions from BRABUS, made from carbon fiber for both the front fenders and the rear axle, they add 10 cm of width to the base G63 model, and they flow perfectly from the new front and rear bumper into a pair of side sills that are LED lighted in the dark, naturally a stylish roof spoiler and an aggressive-looking rear diffuser are also part of the ROCKET EDITION kit.

At the rear, the spare tire is removed from the door and BRABUS puts a carbon fiber cover over the attachment, also at the front, the original engine cover gets an add-on from BRABUS that completely changes the front, the ROCKET EDITION is extremely aggressively styled, from every angle, but it also comes with creature comforts like LED mounted underneath the side sill that illuminates the floor when you want to step out of the car at night.

A wider body requires a special set of wheels, and these come in the form of the new BRABUS Monoblock Z “Platinum Edition” units, 10×24 inch for the front, 12×24 inch for the rear, fitted with 295/30 ZR24 and 355/25 ZR 24 respectively, either from Continental, Pirelli, or Yokohama, whichever the client prefers, or can source locally when it’s time to replace them, and trust me, with this much power in such a heavy car, these tires will wear quickly, even without the occasional burnout or donut.

And that concludes only the exterior and engine … now comes probably the best part, the interior, which is completely customized by BRABUS saddlery, yes, they have their own, in-house saddlery to create some of the most beautiful and bespoke interiors, in whatever color the customer wants, and that not only includes the leather hides, but also the Alcantara, the stitching, the perforation and even a tint of the carbon fiber used … at BRABUS the sky is the limit when it comes to creating a bespoke interior … but it seems they do like black at BRABUS nonetheless.

A total of 206 parts will get the BRABUS touch if you go all the way on the interior, and this includes some amazing shell-shaped quilting on the leather seats and door panels, but you’ll also find leather carpets inside this beauty, contrast stitching to match the exterior color or bright red for even more difference is always possible, BRABUS can even install ambient light inside the air vents if you like.

A lot of magnificent carbon fiber can be found inside the BRABUS 900 ROCKET EDITION too, as are aluminum pedals and door sills, with the BRABUS logo that lights up naturally, and since this limited edition packs a lot more power than the original G63 base car, the tachometer has been increased to 300 km/h (186 mph) so you can see just how fast this 2.5 tons SUV really goes down the road.

On their 900 ROCKET EDITION, BRABUS replaces the rear bench seat with two individual seats and a central console in between them that holds a fold-out table, so you can work in a laptop or tablet while being seated in the rear, both seats are not only heated, but also cooled, and even the cup holders are cooled and heated.

There is even a 4.3″ touchscreen installed at the rear that controls the rear seat adjustments and grants access to the factory original ‘COMAND’ system of the G-Wagon … you can control the sound system with it, turn on the reading lights in the rear. And if that’s too much bother, there is the option of connecting a smartphone via the USB cable and control the COMAND that way, while your phone or tablet gets charged at the same time. BRABUS added a few displays in the headliner so passengers can check the outside temperature, see how fast the driver is going, and find out what time it is, all while the ‘fridge’ in the central console keeps your drinks cooled.

I guess the BRABUS 900 ROCKET EDITION isn’t to everyone’s taste, but seeing how many of these WIDESTAR versions from BRABUS are around, and the fact they create a limited edition model with only 25 units at nearly $700,000 each, there must be a viable market out there for totally insane SUV like this, I for one can’t wait to see one of these behemoths in real life, and possibly experience it, even if it’s only for a short while.

June 20, 2021 / Comments Off on The BRABUS 900 ROCKET EDITION
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The new TECHART GTstreet R

20 years ago, in 2001, renowned Techart presented the first GTstreet model, at that time based on the Porsche 996 Turbo, today the base is the 992 series 911 Turbo or 911 Turbo S, but the philosophy behind these super sports cars for the road has remained the same: combine everyday usability with uncompromised track performance … and that is exactly what the new GTstreet R we are looking at today is, a perfect car made even better and more powerful.

The new TECHART GTstreet R comes with up to 800 hp (588 kW) and a massive 950 Nm of torque … top speed of this German masterpiece is 350 km/h, the list price is €73,000 before VAT on top of the base 911 Turbo or Turbo S, that’s about $87,000 at today’s exchange rates, but there is more … this GTstreet R is a limited edition, each one individually numbered on a plaque in the customized interior.

TECHART offered a nearly limitless range of possibilities for Porsche owners, both in customizing as in performance upgrades since they founded the company in 1987, that is why they will only build 87 units in this new GTstreet R program, which consists of lightweight aerodynamic add-ons, complete with a massive carbon-fiber GT rear wing and stunning TECHART aero discs made from the same material.

The TECHART GTstreet R carbon-fiber aero kit has been painstakingly tested in the wind tunnel, the result is a 400% increase in downforce at the rear and a reduction of 45% in lift at the front at 140 km/h compared to a factory standard Porsche 911 Turbo, and just in case you were wondering about the active aero on the base model … this is retained with the TECHART GTstreet R aerodynamic package.

A combination of painted and clear carbon fiber characterize the new GTstreet R, add the special TECHART lettering in the lower front bumper and pinstriping in any shade possible, and the client will have a hard time choosing from all the personalization possibilities, and this continues with the replacement front hood, with aero indents and air vents that are a testament to just how functional the entire GTstreet R package really is, which is also shown in the wider front fenders with their louvers for even more ventilation.

The side air intakes in front of the rear wheels get a new design from TECHART while a pair of amazing looking side sills connect the front to the rear of the GTstreet R, which is where the fun really starts, the iconic GT design is used for a massive rear wing, complete with air intakes that get air tunneled into them by the special roof spoiler, a new engine cover was required to allow the high-performance to be cooled enough, be it on the open road at commuter speeds, or on the race track at full throttle.

TECHART offers two performance upgrades, their TA092/T1.1 with TECHTRONIC management adds 60 hp (44 kW) for a total output of 710 hp (522 kW) with a maximum torque of 900 Newton meters, but the most powerful TECHART power upgrade to date is called the TA092/T2.1, and this option includes new turbochargers and special engine management software changes, including a modification to the transmission control unit … the result is 800 hp (588 kW) and a massive 950 Nm of torque!

And because we all love a nice soundtrack behind the wheel of our car, a new stainless steel sports exhaust system is also part of the GTstreet R kit, hand-welded with two exhaust pipes fitted centrally in the new carbon fiber rear diffuser, it comes with valve control, so you can have a more civilized sound when leaving the house in the morning, but still enjoy some thundering roars on the track.

Now on this edition of the GTstreet R are the aero discs from TECHART, made specifically for their Formula VI Race forged wheel, these discs are made from carbon fiber with a foam core to reduce weight, wind tunnel testing showed these aero discs offer a lower air resistance compared to running without them, the Formula VI Race wheel is a center-lock rim, and the aero discs are fitted in either glossy or matt carbon fiber, or can be color-coded to the car.

The new TECHART Formula VI forged wheels can be ordered with 265/35 ZR20 on the front axle and 325/30 ZR21 on the rear axle, the German tuner recommends the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires for track day use but turns to the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires for normal road use, as well as an occasional stint on a track.

Exterior looks are important, but if you are a car enthusiast that wants to enjoy this TECHART GTstreet R as much as possible, you’ll be spending a lot of time behind the steering wheel, in the cockpit, so with elaborate customization on the outside, the already very nice and luxurious interior of the base Porsche 911 Turbo (S) couldn’t be overlooked … so TECHART interior manufactory comes into the picture.

The sample car we see in these official photos comes with a stunning combination of classic fabrics, leather, Alcantara, and carbon fiber, remember TECHART has its own in-house saddlery that can take the look of Porsche’s historic sports cars into the present, the amazing black and white checkered pattern is just one of those individual touches they can add to the interior of the GTstreet R.

Multiple carbon fiber packages are available from TECHART to convert the interior of the base Porsche 911 Turbo (S) into a CF haven, but on the client’s request the entire cabin, consisting of seats, doors, central console, dashboard, and even the headliner can all be finished in full Alcantara, with aluminum door sills and pedals.

One of the amazing touches TECHART has shown in their previous Porsche interior tuning is their possibility to create a truly bespoke leather perforation combined with their contrast color underneath … on this GTstreet R unit they went with a checkered flag perforation on the door panels and dashboard, also note the TECHART logo is embossed on the top of the door panel by the way.

But one of the most amazing details inside this TECHART GTstreet R is a massive 87 on the center part of the seatback, this is also a perforation that shows a contrast color underneath, and it reminds us of the fact only 87 units will be made available of this high-performance super sportscar from Leonberg, Germany, while the headrest gets a nice GTstreet R embroidery, add some amazing piping and special stitching throughout the interior and this really is a very nice place to be.

Naturally, TECHART didn’t forget the steering wheel, here again with a stunning checkered flag perforation and a 5 mm wide ‘top-center’ mark in a bespoke color, just like the driving mode switch and all the covers found on this steering wheel, also note that all the functions of the base unit are kept in place, like shift paddles or heating … TECHART just makes it look better.

And TECHART isn’t even finished … they are now prepared a Clubsport Package that will come with lightweight performance seats and a roll bar for the interior, but also an adjustable performance suspension as further upgrades for track day use.

June 19, 2021 / Comments Off on The new TECHART GTstreet R
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Rimac still looking to buy Bugatti?

We first heard about a Bugatti takeover back in September 2020, the German Manager Magazin published an article about Rimac making an announcement within weeks of them taking over Bugatti … but that didn’t materialize apparently, neither did the bid of $11.5 billion on Automobili Lamborghini SpA a while ago by a Swiss investment group.

In March 2021 Mate Rimac, CEO of his own, Croatian carmaker, confirmed he was working closely together with Porsche to obtain a strategic investment from Porsche into Rimac, up to $181,000,000, which might mean Porsche obtains a large part of Rimac, but Mate Rimac emphasizes that his company will remain independent, and Porsche will never own 50% of the company … the rumor now is that Mate Rimac holds onto 55% of the shares, while Porsche might obtain the remaining 45%.

But today the same German Manager Magazin once again publishes a report that states Rimac is ready to take over Bugatti from the VW group, with the help of Porsche, and that’s not even the entire story this time … renowned Reuters actually cites Manager Magazin in saying Rimac has plans to go public next year, putting shares on the stock market in an attempt to reach a massive $6 billion valuation.

Now, once again it seems things are being stirred up in the hypercar market, not only does Mate Rimac have the ultimate all-electric hypercar in the new Nevera, but that car seems to be setting the benchmark for all the other hypercar builders out there …

Source : Motor1.com

June 17, 2021 / Comments Off on Rimac still looking to buy Bugatti?
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Record setting Porsche Cayenne

The official unveiling hasn’t happened yet, but Porsche has been developing a high-performance version of their successful Porsche Cayenne SUV over the last months, and the engineers took a slightly camouflaged development prototype to the famous ‘Green Hell’, also known as the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany … to set a record.

And they achieved just that, the new 2022 Porsche Performance Cayenne managed to set the world record in the “SUV, off-road vehicle, van, pick-up” category with an amazing time of 7:38.925 minutes to complete an entire 20.832 km lap on this famous German track, behind the wheel was official Porsche test driver Lars Kern.

“Over the first few meters of the Nordschleife in this Cayenne, you’re tempted to turn around to make sure that you’re really sitting in a spacious SUV. Its high steering precision and stoically stable rear axle gave me a lot of confidence in the Hatzenbach section,” said Lars Kern, who accompanied long periods of the car’s development.

“This Cayenne model is a top performer. During its development, we focused on exceptional on-road performance. Our record-breaking Cayenne is based on the Cayenne Turbo Coupé, though more systematically designed for maximum longitudinal and lateral dynamics” according to Stefan Weckbach, Vice President Product Line Cayenne. “Its record time on the Nordschleife confirms the dynamic capabilities of our new performance SUV. Furthermore, it’s a typical Cayenne all-rounder, providing a high degree of driving comfort and everyday utility.”

The record attempt at the Nürburgring Nordschleife has been ‘notarized’, the notary public also confirmed this to be a series production model with only minor changes, and those have been installed to protect the driver, like a roll cage and a racing seat, for the record-setting lap the lightly camouflaged Porsche SUV had 22-inch Pirelli P Zero Cora tires fitted that have been developed specifically for this Cayenne version, and these will also be fitted as standard on the production car that will be unveiled soon.

Remember the spy shots of a Lamborghini Hurácan STO on the same track a few weeks ago that caused controversy because onlookers deemed it a Super Trofeo race car with an STO body instead, but if you look closer at the video Lamborghini published, they also had a Urus on the track at that time … will Lamborghini try to set an even better record in the “SUV, off-road vehicle, van, pick-up” category? Only time will tell.

For now, take a look at the official video posted by Porsche on ‘New Performance Cayenne Sets Nürburgring Record’ below:

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June 17, 2021 / Comments Off on Record setting Porsche Cayenne
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The Touring Package is back at Porsche

A lot of people love a supercar with an impressive stance, and preferably one or more wing, the bigger the better, they create downforce at speed, and let’s face it, they look cool, even standing still … but some clients want to buy a car with the utmost performance, but don’t want to attract too much attention … so Porsche came up with their ‘Touring Package’, an option that delivers a top of the line supercar, but with a more subdued exterior, perfect for those that love understatement, but still want all the power possible.

The seventh edition of the famous Porsche 911 GT3 can now be ordered with the subtle Touring Package option, and while the car comes with the six-speed GT sports manual gearbox as standard, there is a no-cost option to have the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission for the first time in combination with the Touring Package.

At first glance, you might think the only difference between a Porsche 911 GT3 and a GT3 Touring is that massive rear wing that’s been removed on the latter, and that is surely the first thing you notice, but the Touring Package is a little more elaborate than that.

To offer the required downforce at speed Porsche integrated an adjustable rear wing in the Touring Package, that extends when required, with 510 PS (375 kW) and an overall weight of only 1,418 kgs, you’ll need all the downforce you can get at the speeds these Porsche 911 GT3 can reach.

But that’s not all, with the Touring Package you also get high gloss aluminum window trim on the sides, and silver exhaust tips, whereas those on the regular GT3 are finished in black, while the entire front bumper is color-coded to the rest of the car when you opt for the ‘Touring’, which she will proudly but discretely show at the rear.

On the inside, there are some bespoke options only available with the Touring Package too, like extended black leather that makes the cabin very elegant, while the front of the dashboard and the upper side sections of the doors come with a special embossing exclusive to the Touring Package.
Porsche already had a Touring option back in 1973, on the famous 911 Carrera RS, one of the most highly sought-after Porsche today, it would take Porsche until 2017 to revive this option on the 911 GT3 Type 991 … and clients loved it so much, they have kept it on the options list ever since.

Enjoy some more photos of this elegant but powerful supercar in our gallery below:

June 16, 2021 / Comments Off on The Touring Package is back at Porsche
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Deadmau5’s McLaren P1 to Hit Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas June 17-19

Barrett Jackson Las Vegas is kicking off tomorrow and its docket of automobilia is impressive. Up for sale is a stunning 2015 McLaren P1 owned by renowned DJ, record producer, and musician Deadmau5. 

This hypercar P1 bears chassis #236 and has only 3,177 miles on the odometer. The two-tone paint scheme is finished in Dark Blue and Black with a black Alcantara interior accompanied by white inserts in the seats. Production was limited to only 375 units, so this would be considered a rare find aside from its celebrity-owned status. 

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The McLaren P1 sits among the legends from the early 2010s that made up the ‘hypercar’ category. Sporting a mid-mounted 3.8L twin-turbocharged V8 and an electric motor, the P1 puts down a combined 903hp and 723 ft-lbs of torque. The electric motor was not only to provide the added fuel economy commonly found in hybrids but it also helped negate the lag found on turbo-equipped cars.  

Deadmau5 McLaren P1

The McLaren P1 launches to 60mph in just 2.8 seconds and has a limited top speed of 217mph. All while also providing you the ability to maintain a 34mpg fuel economy, you can additionally change the climate control settings using the infotainment touchscreen or listen to your favorite house DJ. 

Deadmau5 McLaren P1

The Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction lineup is nothing short of spectacular and this special hypercar is no exception. To check out the full docket of automobilia going to auction, you can check out the Barrett-Jackson website.  

June 16, 2021 / Comments Off on Deadmau5’s McLaren P1 to Hit Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas June 17-19
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The million dollar Ford GT

At this moment there is an auction running on BringATrailer for a 2019 Ford GT, and with six days still remaining on the auction, the current bid is already a healthy $1,000,000 … this black Ford GT is a seven-figure car, and this price might still go up over the next six days … it is clear the supercar market is still on a high, and prices for special, desirable cars are going strong.

On the other hand, this isn’t just another 2019 Ford GT, chassis 2FAGP9CW3KH200017 has covered only 500 miles since the owner acquired her brand new from Kalispell Ford of Kalispell, Montana, where she was configured as a ‘special-order’, $40,000 paint option of matte black paint with alloy overtop stripes, for the interior the owner went with a combination of black and orange for the ‘Launch Control’ interior.

Power comes from the 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6 with twin-turbochargers with an output of 647 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque going to the rear wheels only through a Getrag seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle to a $15,000 set of carbon fiber 20-inch wheels that even come with titanium lug nuts and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, 245/35 at the front and 325/30 at the rear, covering orange-finished, six-piston Brembo calipers with 15.5” carbon-ceramic discs up front, and four-piston rear calipers with 14.1” discs.

Additional specifications on this specific Ford GT include a lightweight Gorilla Glass windshield, butterfly doors, the retractable active rear wing, matte carbon-fiber exterior trim, and a rear diffuser. The entire matte black paint has been wrapped in Xpel paint protection film to keep that non-gloss paint in perfect condition for years.

The window sticker is still with this rare supercar, and it clearly shows the factory colors, options, and standard equipment. It also shows delivery to Kalispell Ford in Montana and a total MSRP of $612,695, in six days we’ll be able to see how much this low-mileage example of the impressive Ford GT will change owners for.

June 14, 2021 / Comments Off on The million dollar Ford GT
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2022 Special Edition Corvette Stingray

Chevrolet revealed a limited edition model for the 2022 model year, the Corvette Stingray IMSA GTLM Championship Edition, only 1,000 units will be available on LHD markets with styling to mimic the championship dominating No. 3 and No. 4 Corvette C8.R race cars that took the IMSA’s sports car championship series in the 2020 season, taking the Manufacturers, Drivers, and Team titles!

During the unveiling at the Belle Isle Park Raceway, Corvette Racing’s team Jordan Taylor and Antonio Garcia arrived in the coupe and convertible No. 3 Corvette Stingray IMSA GTLM Championship Editions on the track. Teammate Nick Tandy led on track in a Corvette Stingray convertible, the official pace car of the 2021 Detroit Grand Prix while Corvette Racing’s driver Tommy Milner was behind the inspiration for the 2022 special edition, the actual No. 4 Corvette C8.R race car.

The limited-edition Corvette Stingray IMSA GTLM Championship Edition is available in two colors, either Accelerate Yellow inspired by the No.3 race car, or Hypersonic Grey for the No.4 edition, both come with Corvette Racing team graphics package, either grey or yellow depending on the body color. The Corvette Stingray IMSA GTLM Championship Edition is based on the 3LT trim with the Z51 Performance package, depending on the market the car is destined for, these come with the High-wing spoiler in carbon fiber, yellow brake calipers, Black Trident design wheels complete with “Jake” logo on the center caps, and black lug nuts, Carbon Flash finished exterior mirrors, black side sills and splash guards.

For the inside the standard seats for the IMSA GTLM Championship Edition are the GT2 seats, the Competition Sport seats are also possible, but the upholstery is always a combination of Strike Yellow and Sky Cool Gray to correspond with the exterior yellow and grey theme, yellow seat belts are standard as is a special, individually numbered C8.R plaque between the seats.

But it’s not only the special C8.R edition that’s new for the 2022 model year, on the regular Corvette you are now able to specify three new exterior shades, Hypersonic Gray, Caffeine, and an optional Amplify Orange Tintcoat that comes at a premium, if you’re not a fan of the High-wing spoiler at the rear, you can now opt for a new, low-profile rear wing too, even the Z51 front splitter can now be ticked on the options list without adding the entire Z51 performance package.

The Chevrolet Corvette is available as a coupe with a removable roof panel and as a convertible with a retractable hardtop, in either 1LT, 2LT, or 3LT trim level on both variants, the Z51 Performance Package can be added to all trim levels, the MY2022 Corvette Stingray is available from local dealerships from July 1st on, starting at $62,195, including destination freight charge, for coupe models and $69,695, including DFC, for the convertible, production of the MY2020 at the Bowling Green  Assembly plant is scheduled for late Q3 2021.

June 10, 2021 / Comments Off on 2022 Special Edition Corvette Stingray
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The first ever BMW iX

All-electric vehicles are the future in the automotive world it seems, and just about every manufacturer out there is already offering an EV or is gearing up to offer one, we’ve just published an article on the amazing Rimac Nevera, the trend-setting all-electric hypercar with stupendous performance that comes with an equally impressive price tag, Lamborghini will give us a brand new, fully battery-powered model by 2025 and you can now order a Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, with full EV models in the pipeline, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see an electric Sports Activity Vehicle from BMW … meet the brand new iX.

The BMW iX is a technology flagship for sure, the worldwide launch is set for November 2021, and the impressive BMW iX will come in two versions initially, starting with the Drive40 with a combined output of 240 kW/326 hp and a range of up to 425 km (264 miles) that offers an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds.

A more powerful model will be available as the BMW iX xDrive50 will offer a power output of 385 kW/523 hp and a range of up to 630 km with an impressive acceleration figure of 4.6 seconds to reach 100 km/h from standstill. Later on, we’ll be seeing the very first electric BMW M model in the iX xDrive M60 with a massive power output of over 440 kW/600 hp and combined electric power consumption of 21.6 kWh per 100 km (62 miles).

The new BMW iX will be assembled at the BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in Lower Bavaria, on a flexible assembly line combining models from the
BMW 5 Series, the 7 Series, and even the 8 Series ranges, this is also the first factory in BMW’s production network that will build all-electric, plug-in hybrid and combustion-engined models on a single assembly line, this required a massive investment of €400,000,000 to accomplish, it is clear BMW is ready for the future now, over the next years we’ll be seeing all-electric BMW 5 Series and 7 Series being build in this plant.

The new BMW iX will come with lift-related dampers as standard fitment, these offer extra hydraulic damping to be incorporated into the damper, which adjusts the damper firmness progressively according to the changing spring travel, as an option you can have an adaptive suspension fitted that includes electronically controlled dampers and two-axle air suspension with automatic self-leveling that offers a range of settings and adjustable ride heights to select a comfortable, softer ride, or go for the more sporty, harsher ride.

The BMW iX series will come with four-wheel steering, so the rear wheels can turn to some degree to help make the turning circle smaller but also help to overtake at higher speeds, the optional Integral Active Steering offers amazing straight-line stability together with better agility, the standard electric steering system combines Servotronic speed-sensitive power assistance with a variable rack ratio as a first for BMW in the iX.

The BMW iX comes with an electric all-wheel-drive system, but depending on conditions the car can be turned into a rear-wheel-drive only SAV, the iX also comes with near-actuator wheel slip limitation technology developed specifically for the brand’s electrically powered models and now fitted in tandem with all-wheel drive for the first time while the driver can opt for either adaptive or adjustable Brake Energy Regeneration.

Standard fitment on the BMW iX will be 20-inch alloy wheels with either a 21-inch or even a 22-inch option, on the latter two, the tires have been specifically designed for the iX to have integral noise dampening in the shape of a layer of foam on the tire’s inner surface to absorb noise produced by vibrations, inside the iX you’ll hear less tire noise, the new Tyre Pressure Monitor system for the BMW iX not only measures tire pressure but also individual tire temperature and it even keeps track of tire manufacturer, this offers the option in the iDrive to enter the load you are carrying to get the ideal tire pressure you should use.

The high-voltage batteries in the BMW iX are cased in aluminum and positioned low down on the vehicle floor as an integral component of the body, the volumetric energy density on a cell level is around 40 % higher than in the high-voltage battery of the 2020 BMW i3, these batteries are covered by a warranty for eight years or up to 160,000 km (99,400 miles). The BMW iX features two high-voltage batteries positioned low in the
vehicle floor. In the BMW iX xDrive40 the high-voltage batteries are made up of ten modules, each with 18 cells. Their net energy content is 71 kWh (gross energy content: 76.6 kWh). The high-voltage batteries in the BMW iX xDrive50 consist of six modules (each with 50 cells) and five modules (each with 40 cells) respectively.

The Combined Charging Unit (CCU) used in the BMW iX offers tremendous flexibility when it comes to charging the high-voltage batteries, also note the combined heating and cooling system for the occupants, the drive system, and the batteries will make sure to keep the high-voltage batteries at the ideal operating temperature while using the generated heat for the passengers on cold days. If the navigation system knows about a stop during the trip to charge the batteries, the system will prepare these by heating them to the perfect temperature for fast charging.

But the BMW iX can also be plugged into your plug at home, offering a charge rate of 11kW, it would take 11 hours to fully charge the xDrive50 while 8 hours would suffice on the xDrive40, naturally, a DC fast-charging station would be a lot quicker as it could charge up to 200 kW (in the xDrive50, in the xDrive40 the maximum is 150 kW), in this case, you can add about 150 km of range to the high-voltage batteries in only 10 minutes, going from 10 % to 80 % charge in the xDrive50 would take approximately 35 minutes with a 200 kW charger.

I am sure the styling of this new BMW iX will cause some controversy again, it’s a departure from the models we know today, and yes, that massive front grille is there, but also flush-fitted door handles very thin exterior mirrors, and sharp edges everywhere to keep the drag coefficient as low as possible, the design of the front, the rear and the use of these wheels alone extend the range of the BMW iX by 65 km, both the BMW kidney grille and the air intakes at the bottom of the front bumper are totally closed, but air flaps can be opened if needed for cooling.

In fact, the famous kidney grille consists of integrated sensors, a camera, and even radar technology for the advanced driver assistance systems on the BMW iX, underneath the BMW logo at the front you’ll find a filler neck for the windscreen washer fluid, the door windows are frameless and underneath the BMW logo at the rear, they fitted the rear-view camera system, complete with a cleaning mechanism so you’ll always have a perfect view when backing up this SAV from Germany.

And all this innovation continues on the inside of the new BMW iX, where a lot of emphases was put on dialogue-based interaction using natural language and on touch operation for the next generation iDrive, the system is now running BMW Operating System 8 with an extremely high level of computing power with special sensors and 5G capability.

Behind the hexagon steering wheel, a massive, curved display is angled towards the driver, there is even a Head-Up display projector integrated into the surface of this instrument panel, but the fun really starts with the Augmented Reality Video as an addition to the navigation maps, this system shows a live stream video on the display with information as an overlay on top of the images, showing an indication on where to turn into right on the actual view of the driver.

The BMW iX receives a newly designed gear selector that looks absolutely amazing, a polished crystal finish has been applied to the controls, the base upholstery is a combination of high-quality textiles with microfiber fabrics called ‘Dinamica microfibre’, which contains 50% recycled polyester, while the speakers have been integrated out of sight in the headrests … the inner structure of the doors is made from 100% recycled material while the visible parts still contain 30% recycled material.

As an option, you can get a leather interior inside the new BMW iX, but this time the leather is tanned with olive leaves, and the wood you find on the control panel comes from FSC-certified wood, the floor fabric, and the mats under your feet … all made from 100% recycled nylon, the BMW iX is all about sustainability.

Clients have the choice of three different interior treatments, the Standard Atelier specification includes surfaces in the familiar Sensatec with a striking stitch pattern and perforated areas. It is available in Black, Oyster, and Mocha. When you go for the optional Loft trim, the surfaces are adorned with a diagonal pattern of materials and colors combining high-quality textile and microfibre fabrics. The asymmetric styling and quilting composed of triangular, square and pentagonal sections give the seats their very modern appeal.

Contrast stitching on the seat surfaces adds a further highly distinctive touch. The instrument panel with printed color gradient breaks new ground for car interiors. Also available is Suite, which comes with surfaces in Exclusive Natural leather in the color shades Castanea and Amido, The newly developed seats for the driver and front passenger have integral head restraints for a distinctly sporty appearance. For the first time in a model from the BMW Group, there is the option of integrating speakers into the seat structure.

The BMW iX is comparable with the BMW X5 in length and width and is almost the same height as the BMW X6 on account of its flowing roofline. The size of its wheels, meanwhile, brings to mind the BMW X7. A wheelbase measuring exactly 3,000 millimeters and wide tracks at both the front and rear axle provides the ideal platform for chassis tuning which reconciles luxurious long-distance comfort and sporty cornering characteristics.

You can specify your BMW iX with the largest panoramic glass roof BMW ever installed on one of their cars and doesn’t have any cross struts breaking up your view of the sky, and there is no interior liner or shade, instead, this is the only one of its kind in the automotive industry to employ PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) technology for shading the interior … an electric current will keep the liquid crystals aligned so light can pass through, but when switched off, or the iX is parked, these crystals are distributed in such a disorderly pattern they turn the glass roof opaque to create the effect of shade.

I wonder how this rather large SAV will handle on the road, it should be capable of seating five occupants in silence and luxury, with a comfortable drive over long distances, and is this BMW iX a preview of the design styling for the upcoming models, using thin headlights and taillights, very narrow exterior mirrors … only the future will tell.

June 9, 2021 / Comments Off on The first ever BMW iX
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The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport

We already covered the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, the limited edition $3.9 million hypercar of which only 30 units were built, but now Stephan Winkelmann unveiled the latest Chiron evolution, the fourth iteration of the famous Super Sport moniker, the Chiron Super Sport has been created for top speed while still being luxurious and comfortable, while the Pur Sport counterpart was created for cornering and lateral agility.

It seems the term ‘longtail’ is no longer just for those special McLaren models, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport also comes with an extended rear section to optimize aerodynamics at speeds of 440 Km/h, when compared to a regular Bugatti Chiron, this Super Sport evolution is about 25cm longer, and this includes a different rear diffuser to reduce drag because the rear diffuser sits higher compared to the regular version, the Super Sport looks even wider and lower than ever.

At the rear we can admire a completely new exhaust system, the massive pipes are no longer located in the center, but come vertically stacked on either side of the diffuser, there is a rear wing on the Chiron Super Sport, but for a top speed run it will be completely lowered into the tail section to have the least amount of drag possible.

With the heavily modified rear section, the front of the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport had to be changed too so overall balance would remain, so there are now vertical winglets to direct the air as close as possible to the car onto the radiators, the inclined headlights and updated design are a testament to the aggressive character of the Super Sport variant of the Bugatti Chiron.

If you remember the Bugatti EB110 Super Sport, you might remember the round holes behind the side windows … as an homage to that design element, this new Chiron Super Sport comes with nine air vents on top of the front fenders to release air pressure from the front wheel wells, as this also increases downforce on the front axle, this styling detail is also functional, the new Chiron Super Sport is an uncompromising reincarnation of the Bugatti design mantra, ‘form follows performance’.

The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport comes with brand new, bespoke five-Y-spoke design wheels that won’t be available on other models, the client can opt for a diamond-cut finish on these wheels, or go for the Chiron Pur Sport’s iconic magnesium wheels to save even more weight on the Super Sport, every single weight-saving effort can be made to reach the top speed of 440 Km/h, the overall weight of the Super Sport is 23 kg less already.

The engine inside the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport is still the well-known W16 unit, 8.0-Liter of displacement, but it has been seriously modified compared to the other Chiron models, power has been increased to 1,600 PS (1,176 kW) by modifying the turbochargers, the oil pump, the cylinder heads … the result is an increase in rpm to 7,100, the massive 1,600 Nm of torque is now available from 2,000 rpm right op to 7,000 rpm! The Chiron Super Sport accelerates from 0 to 200 km/h in 5.8 seconds and to 300 km/h in 12.1 seconds, an acceleration from standstill to 400 km/h is seven percent quicker than a Chiron.

The Chiron Super Sport comes with a new chassis from Bugatti, with more rigid dampers and steering system to stabilize this hypercar at the mind-blowing speeds she is capable of, there is a choice of four driving modes: EB, Handling, Autobahn, and Top Speed. Jachin Schwalbe, Head of Chassis Development at Bugatti states: “This unwavering directional stability together with the quietness and rigidity of the steering and noticeably increased performance make the Chiron Super Sport unique.”

While the Chiron Pur Sport came with grip-optimized wheels, the Chiron Super Sport receives newly developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, these are the only tires that can sustain speeds up to 500 Km/h for a longer period of time … possibly until you run out of fuel at top speed.

The Super Sport has been a rare edition during the Bugatti production since the early 1900s, and this new Chiron Super Sport is only the fourth model ever to receive this amazing suffix, the first time Bugatti used this term was in 1931, on their Type 55 Super Sport unveiled at the Paris Motor Show of that year, a two-seater with a 2.3-liter eight-cylinder engine using a compressor to deliver up to 160 PS to offer a top speed of over 180 km/h … in 1931! A total of only 38 units were built up to 1935.

The next iteration of the Super Sport name would yield only 39 cars, and didn’t come around until 1993 with the Bugatti EB110 Super Sport, which was again about weight reduction and performance combined with luxury and exclusivity, the V12 engine with four turbochargers delivered over 610 PS and set multiple records, including a record speed of 351 km/h.

It would take another 15 years for the third generation of Bugatti Super Sport to be unveiled, this time on the 2010 Veyron 16.4 Super Sport with a massive 1,200 PS, this car broke the speed record in 2010 with a speed of 431.2 km/h that set it firmly in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s fastest road-legal series sports car for many years to come.

In 2019 the Super Sport name revived on the Chiron Super Sport 300+, with the record-breaking vehicle hitting an incredible speed of 304.773 mph (490.484 km/h), this wasn’t a production model but a special top-speed prototype, Bugatti did however built 30 units for customers featuring a similar design and color elements as the record-breaking car … but today we get a real Chiron Super Sport, there is no mention about a limited production run, but the price has been set at €3,200,000 before taxes, which converts into $3,900,000 at the current exchange rate … which happens to be the same amount they asked for the Chiron Super Sport 300+ limited edition model, the first Bugatti Chiron Super Sport will be delivered to it’s fortunate owner in early 2022.

June 8, 2021 / Comments Off on The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport
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The Everrati Signature

We all know the world is changing, hybrids and electric cars are taking over the future of supercars and hypercars, makes like Lamborghini with their legendary V12 will be going hybrid within two years, Bentley is already offering hybrid versions of their cars and Ferrari is on the path to electrification too … but what with the decades of automotive masterpieces we already have parked in our garages today?

Will we still be able to drive muscle cars from the past with that growling V8? Or enjoy the raw sound of a V12 from a Ferrari 250 GTO, or a Lamborghini Countach … I sure hope so, and there seems to be another option today, we’ve seen it before where people take a petrol-powered car and install an electric motor and batteries into the original bodyshell.

Everrati Automotive Limited (EverratiTM) is such a company, founded in 2019, they specialize in integrating EV powertrains into classic cars to future-proof these four-wheeled icons, their first product was the electrified Mercedes-Benz SL Pagod, but now they also offer a Porsche 911 (964) both in Coupe and in Targa version, a 911 (964) Gulf Signature Edition and a Land Rover Series IIA available in Traditional, Safari or Modern Top Canvas guises.

Located in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, the United Kingdom, Everrati now unveils their Signature Wide Body, based on the stunning Porsche 911 (964) wide body, they took a fully restored 1991 model and fitted lightweight carbon-fiber body panels and a state-of-the-art EV powertrain mated to a 53kWh battery pack and battery management system, the result is a 500bhp, 500Nm, sub-4-second 0-62mph acceleration electric supercar that offers a +150 mile range.

Justin Lunny, Founder & CEO of Everrati Automotive Limited said: “After releasing details of the car last week, we’re delighted to give the ‘Signature’ wide body its global public debut at London Concours, one of the world’s most prestigious motoring events, held in the center of a megacity that is fully moving towards an electric future. The team’s hard work, expertise, and dedication to their craft truly are unmistakable when the car is seen in the metal.”

June 6, 2021 / Comments Off on The Everrati Signature
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One-off McLaren 765LT

Buying a McLaren sports car is the dream of many aspiring car enthusiasts, a dream that comes true for some, but there are still clients out there that won’t settle for a factory original car with some standard options, even if you’re talking about a McLaren 765LT, which in itself is already a limited edition model and the final chapter in the ‘Longtail’ story for McLaren, with 755 bhp from the 4.0-Liter twin-turbocharged V8 M840T engine, this is McLaren’s most powerful model to date.

With only 765 units, each with an MSRP of $358,000 before options, the McLaren 765LT is already sold-out when you read this, by the summer of 2021 all of the cars will have been delivered to their lucky, and usually fortunate owners, as McLaren states over 25% of the production for this model was ordered with major personalization from MSO, the McLaren Special Operations department, and rest assured, this will raise the original $358,000 list price considerably, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these high-spec McLaren 765LT would come at a price well over $500,000.

And the one we are presenting here might be among those ‘half a million dollar’ units, this car is a showcase of what MSO can create for the more discerning client, with a color-shifting paint called MSO Cerberus Pearl that shows hues of blue, purple, gold, and orange depending on the angle of view and the light … a truly amazing looking paint for sure that has previously been seen on the McLaren Senna and the McLaren P1.

The McLaren 765LT is about 80 kg lighter than the 720S, and this has been achieved by using a lot of carbon fiber parts, and to emphasize the lightweight design of this LT, the customer of this MSO custom opted to have all the visible carbon fiber on his car finished in high gloss, this includes the front splitter, the rear bumper, the side skirts, as well as the mirror housings and the large air intakes.

This specific McLaren 765LT was also ordered with the extremely expensive, functional roof scoop, naturally also finished in clear carbon fiber, while the car rolls on glossy black, 10-spoke ultra-light wheels covering orange brake calipers that match the interior trim inside this one-off 765LT.

On the inside, the carbon fiber craze continues, but this time with a satin finish to avoid glare when driving in bright sunlight, while the door panels, speaker rings, and seatbelts come in bespoke McLaren Orange as a reminder of McLaren’s racing legacy, the 765LT is part of the Longtail story that started with the McLaren F1 GTR race car in the 1990s, this 765LT also comes with the MSO titanium harness bar behind the seats and track-inspired six-point harness for the driver and passenger.

The future of McLaren and sports and hypercars, in general, is full electrification, Lamborghini has recently released a statement that in a matter of two or three years all their models will be hybrids, and after 2025 we will even see an all-electric Raging Bull, McLaren has already taken that route with their new Artura, the first McLaren to use the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) to spearhead the brand’s electrified future.

June 4, 2021 / Comments Off on One-off McLaren 765LT
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The Bugatti La Voiture Noire

There are valuable cars out there, usually, the older, classic masterpieces that tend to be worth millions, for instance, a Ferrari 250 GTO is in the $100,000,000 bracket these days, but there is one illustrious car that is even more valuable … if you could find it that is.

In the 1930s Ettore Bugatti’s son, Jean developed and drove one of only four Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic ever built, a 1936 Bugatti Aero Coupe (which was the original name), with chassis 57453 was the fastest car on the road at that time, and Jean called it ‘La Voiture Noire’, being a black car, the name suited the car … sadly this car is now a mystery, we could say an urban legend maybe, but as history tells the story, this rather unique Atlantic went missing just before World War II broke out in 1940, and she hasn’t been seen since … but if this very special Bugatti would ever be found, it would literally be priceless, in 2019 Hemmings estimated the value for this ‘lost’ Bugatti at $114,000,000, today we should add several million on top of that with the current market for supercars.

Fast forward to about 20 years ago today, when Bugatti’s Design Director Achim Anscheidt came up with the idea to create an homage to the illustrious ‘La Voiture Noire’ from the Thirties, to celebrate the fame of the Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic but designed for the 21st century, this would have to become a one-off for one very fortunate client, designed on the current flagship model, but clearly showing the influence from Jean Bugatti’s design on the Type 57 SC … this homage would come with massive historical responsibility and respect for Bugatti’s values.

It would take many years before Bugatti was ready to recreate Jean’s La Voiture Noire for the modern world, the original car was a masterpiece, the three remaining ones are still considered some of the best to ever be built in Molsheim in the late Thirties, the flair of original La Voiture Noire had to captured in a brand new, hypercar design … the task for the designers was easy: try to understand how Jean Bugatti designed his La Voiture Noire back in 1935 and translate this into a 21st-century design … easier said than done probably.

The 2021 Bugatti La Voiture Noire had to become a minimalist design, much like the 1935 car was, reduced to the essentials of a hypercar, clean and simple lines, and most importantly … no massive rear wing, and one design element was a requirement right from the start … the dorsal seam down the centerline, that one just had to be present on this homage car no matter what.

The resulting design was made from a uniquely finished material, La Voiture Noire is made from carbon fiber naturally, but Bugatti gave this one a ‘Black Carbon Glossy’ clearcoat … the result is nearly no reflections, but it still shows all the beauty of the visible carbon fiber, both front, and rear bumper are perfectly integrated into the body while the windshield is almost a ‘wrap-around’ style as seen on motorcycle helmets.

And the new Bugatti La Voiture Noire comes with some amazing details, like the fact the headlights consist of 25 individually milled lights, the front grille is made from 3D-Printed cells that had to be honed and examined into perfection, the taillight is made from a single-piece surround and no less than six exhaust tips come from the rear diffuser, the body parts might seem to be sealed, but in fact, they are air-permeable … that’s just incredible.

To complement the black carbon fiber exterior, the Bugatti La Voiture Noire comes with a warm Havanna Brown leather interior, inspired by historical Bugatti models, brought into the 21st century by the use of polished and turned aluminum inlays on the center console, the center spine and the doors, a special rosewood switch allows the setting of drive modes … this isn’t a harsh hypercar, the Bugatti La Voiture Noire is a beautiful and fast dream car that’s perfectly suited for long road trips … imagine driving this lady over the German Autobahn where there is no speed limit (for now) and then driving down to Monaco.

It would take Bugatti two years to create the La Voiture Noire from start to finish, every part had to be developed and undergo rigorous testing before they would release it for use on this one-off special, they even extended the wheelbase for this unique model to make sure the balance was just perfect.

“Although the La Voiture Noire is a one-off, we spent two years using a test vehicle to develop and test it in all areas like handling and driving safety so that it can be approved,” says Pierre Rommelfanger, who is the Head of Coachbuilding Projects at Bugatti.

If you like the sound of this La Voiture Noire homage from Bugatti and would be interested in owning this amazing grand tourer handling powerful, fast, and exceptionally comfortable car that has been built to pay respect to a long tradition, to France, and to Jean Bugatti’s creative work … you’re too late, this one-of-a-kind Bugatti La Voiture Noire has already been sold for €11,000,000 before taxes, that is about $13,500,000 at today’s conversion rate … but that’s still about $10,000,000 less than the Rolls Royce Boat Tail … and honestly, I would opt for this Bugatti instead.

June 3, 2021 / Comments Off on The Bugatti La Voiture Noire
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Rimac reveals the Nevera

Rimac Automobili, located in Zagreb, Croatia, has finally unveiled their production-ready hypercar that will set the scene for the future, the 1,914hp all-electric concept from 2018 only known as the C_Two up to today has received her name … Nevera, a name inspired by the mighty and unexpected Mediterranean storm that races across the open sea off Croatia according to Rimac Automobili Founder and CEO Mate Rimac.

It took the engineers at Rimac about three years of development to arrive at this stage,  finally, the €2,000,000 limited production Rimac Nevera is ready to be sold, only 150 units will be made in Zagreb, but these will come with four electric motors for a combined power output of 1,914 hp and a massive 2,360 Nm of torque.

This kind of power comes with some amazing performance figures in the Rimac Nevera, a top speed of 412 km/h (258 mph) and an acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in 1.85 seconds, now that’s not fast, that’s blindingly fast … after only 8.6 seconds you have traveled a quarter-mile in the Nevera, and thanks to the 500 kW battery, the range is an impressive 550 km or 340 miles, and if you run low on battery power, it only takes 19 minutes to go from 0% to 80% charge, do note that these electric cars never really deplete the battery to 0%.

Mate Rimac has been inspired by fellow-Croatian Nikola Tesla when he converted his personal BMW E30 to battery power in 2008, Mate performed this conversion in his own garage, before he founded Rimac Automobili in 2009, by 2020 he was developing a trend-setting electric hypercar with a team of 1,000 employees, things have moved fast for Rimac Automobili, and this new Nevera is possibly even faster, a nice touch is the fact that each of the 150 Rimac Nevera that will be built, will have been tested and signed-off on by Mate Rimac himself.

But this isn’t the only electric car Rimac is making, in fact, Rimac Automobili has been creating electric drivetrains for high-end carmakers like Aston Martin, Porsche, Pininfarina, Hyundai, Kia, Koenigsegg, Renault, and Cupra to name a few, but the Nevera will be the fastest of them all, just like the Mediterranean storm her name was derived from, a storm that’s extremely powerful and charged by lightning, a perfect name for this electric hypercar.

During development since the 2018 concept prototype, Rimac managed to increase the aerodynamic efficiency of the design by 34% by modifying the profile of the bonnet, the pillars, and even the design on the diffuser, the splitters, and the radiators, all effort has been made to create the optimum airflow and downforce for the cooling channels. Rimac developed an innovative active aerodynamics system for the new Nevera, while many cars settle for an adjustable front splitter and rear wing, Rimac also installs flaps on the undertray and adds an adjustable rear diffuser … and all of these aero parts can be altered independently from each other. Switching from ‘high downforce’ to ‘low drag’ mode reduces aerodynamic drag by 17.5 % to create a 0.3 coefficient of drag. Changing back into ‘high downforce’ mode increases downforce by 326 %.

The Nevera monocoque has been developed by the former C_Two Chief Engineer Daniele Giachi, it is made up of a bonded carbon roof with an integrated structural battery pack and rear carbon subframe … this combined is the largest single carbon-fiber piece in the automotive industry. With an overall weight below 200kg, the monocoque is made up of 2200 carbon fiber plys and 222 aluminum inserts, to create an incredibly strong structure with a torsional stiffness of 70.000 Nm/degree, this is the most rigid structure of any car ever made, I do hope they do a convertible version in the future too.

The Rimac Nevera comes with a liquid-cooled, H-shaped 6,960-cell battery with a capacity of 120kWh, being an integral part of the monocoque structure, the battery has an optimum position low in the chassis, and in the center, weight distribution in the Nevera is an impressive 48/52% front to rear for an amazing handling balance.

Everything about the Nevera has been further developed since the C_Two concept, the battery is capable of producing 1.4MW of power, and the four bespoke surface-mounted permanent magnet motors drive are coupled to each wheel individually, they can deliver more power for a longer period of time, combined these enable 1914hp and 2360Nm of torque, the front and rear wheels are each connected to a pair of single-speed gearboxes, you just press the pedal … and go … and keep going, no gear changes.

Nevera’s impressive stopping power comes from 390 mm Brembo CCMR carbon-ceramic brake discs and six-piston calipers called friction brakes by Rimac, but being an all-electric car, the Nevera also has regenerative braking through the electric motors, hence a maximum range-enhancing regenerative braking of 300 kW is provided by these electric motors.

The Nevera also comes with Rimac’s All-Wheel Torque Vectoring 2 (R-AWTV 2) system which completely replaces traditional ESP and Traction Control systems, the Nevera’s R-AWTV 2 system enables infinitely variable dynamic responses to road and track conditions by calibrating the amount of torque supplied to each wheel, this allows the Nevera to be drifted sideways or provide optimum levels of all-wheel-drive grip, traction, and safety … this is a luxury GT car, a sportscar, and a hypercar all in one.

This GT approach is further emphasized by the use of a double-wishbone suspension with electronically controlled dampers together with active ride height adjustment, to offer both a smooth and comfortable ride, but at the same time, amazing body control and ultra-agile handling by the ‘steer-by-wire’ electric power steering system … this Rimac system also helps with the ‘Driver Coach’ mode where the Nevera to demonstrate optimum racing lines and vehicle control to the driver.

The Rimac Nevera comes with seven different driving modes pre-programmed into the system, SPORT, DRIFT, COMFORT, RANGE, TRACK, and two more custom modes for the owner to set their own preferences for various options on the performance characteristics like throttle response, brakes, suspension, steering, and torque split front to rear.

We know not all owners will be F1 pilots, but from 2022 on Rimac has the perfect solution to allow every driver to get the most out of their Nevera, the innovative Driving Coach can access 12 ultrasonic sensors, 13 cameras, 6 radars, and uses the very latest NVIDIA Pegasus operating system, to offer the most immersive experience behind the wheel. The Driving Coach can overlay race circuits in real-time, adds clear and precise audio and visual guidance, so every driver can train to perfect their racing lines, braking and acceleration points, and steering inputs.

The Rimac Nevera only offers room for two occupants, but that’s complete with luggage and race equipment if needed, all the information is shown on three different TFT displays, which can be configured for Race mode or Comfort mode … in Race mode, only a minimum of information is shown so the screens don’t attract unwanted attention, while in Comfort mode they show a lot more information that could be useful during that relaxing drive … in a 2,000 hp hypercar.

Chances of two of the 150 Rimac Nevera looking the same are slim to non-existent as customers will be able to choose from a massive range of bespoke trim and materials, this flagship is available in different editions by the way: GT, Signature, Timeless, and Bespoke … with a €2,000,000 MSRP I wonder how much some of these Nevera will add up to once the client is finished with his, or her options.

Each client is invited by Rimac to visit the HQ in Croatia so their Nevera can be perfectly matched to their demands, the cars are exclusively available through Rimac’s global dealer partners network, taking in 19 sites and many of the world’s major cities across Europe, North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia.

I for one can’t wait to see the first Rimac Nevera on the streets being filmed and photographed ‘in the wild’, I think this will be a hypercar that many future cars will be measured against, the Rimac Nevera will most likely become a reference in this domain … if this is what electric cars look like, and how they perform, I think we are good … still nothing beats the raw sound of a V12 naturally aspirated Lamborghini for me, but that’s personal, the automotive world is changing, and we’ll have to change with it I guess.

June 1, 2021 / Comments Off on Rimac reveals the Nevera
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Bugatti Chiron Sport meets Dassault Rafale

What do you do when you have a car that’s called the ‘Les Légendes du Ciel’, ‘The Legends of the sky’, in your lineup, and it’s in France as we’re talking about a special edition of the Bugatti Chiron?

Well, you make it race against a navy jet fighter on an airplane strip, in this case, a Dassault Rafale Mirage and the strip is at Landivisiau, in the north-west region of France, a 1,500 PS car takes on a 5,727 PS (58,550 newtons of trust) airplane, both being the pinnacle of their respective fields and the result of decades of development their segment.

Behind the wheel of the Bugatti Chiron Sport we’ll see their ‘pilote officiel’ Pierre-Henri Raphanel while the Rafale jet will be piloted by frigate captain Etienne, in an event that took weeks of planning to get both amazing machines lined up together on the same day at the same venue, the Bugatti Chiron Sport ‘Les Légendes du Ciel’ is a limited edition version, only 20 will be made, at €2.880.000 each, while the Dassault Rafale Marine is a €60,000,000 jet fighter.

Bugatti has had a link to aviation for over 110 years, their drivers like Albert Divo, Robert Benoist, and Bartolomeo “Meo” Costantini were also pilots in the French Air Force, and in 1915 Ettore Bugatti even developed airplane engines, by 1937 Ettore even built a complete aircraft … and a record-setting one at that too, sadly things came to an end when WWII broke out a few years later.

The Chiron Sport ‘Les Légendes du Ciel’ forges a link between the past and the present, the 20 limited edition models are finished in a Gris Serpent matte grey shade with the blue, white, and red Tricolor at the front of the side skirts made from black visible carbon fiber. The fins in the front grille are made from laser-cut, deep-drawn aluminum and look like a series of planes in a flyby formation. The brushed aluminum door sill panel with the lettering ‘Les Légendes du Ciel’ clearly distinguishes this very special commemorative edition.

On the interior of this Chiron, we find Gaucho tinted leather that looks like the natural leather found in airplanes of the past. A contrast with aluminum trims and an aluminum inlay featuring the ‘Les Légendes du Ciel’ logo works perfectly, while the same logo is also featured on both headrests. The door panels show a stunning sketch of a racing scene between the Nieuport 17 airplane and a Bugatti Type 13 that represents the two historical links commemorated by the limited edition hyper sports car.

Keep in mind this has been done before, by Lamborghini with their limited edition Reventón taking on a Tornado fighter jet, and by Bugatti themselves back in 2007 when the Veyron 16.4 was set against a Eurofighter Typhoon for a similar drag race, but as France stepped out of the Eurofighter program, the French company Dassault developed its own aircraft; one which was uncompromisingly tailored to the requirements of the French army, and that Rafale Marine now goes head to head with the new Chiron.

The encounter between these two masterpieces has been perfectly described in the press release:

“The Bugatti Chiron Sport takes the lead soon after setting off. The hyper sports car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.4 seconds and to 200 km/h in 6.1 seconds. It takes 13.1 seconds to hit a speed of 300 km/h and 32.6 seconds to accelerate to 400 km/h, a speed at which pilot, Etienne, and the Rafale Marine look to match to take off.

The aircraft hits 165 km/h after 150 meters and 210 km/h after 250 meters and takes off after 450 meters at around 260 km/h. “I pulled away from the Rafale over the first few hundred meters, but after a few hundred meters more it was around 20 meters above and alongside me in the air. An incredible and fantastic sight,” says Pierre-Henri Raphanel later. To be on the safe side, the Bugatti driver initiates his braking maneuver after approximately 1.5 kilometers and over 350 km/h – by which time the Rafale has disappeared into the horizon.”

I couldn’t have put it any better, and in the end, the comparison of these two ultimate technical models is declared a draw, both in terms of technology and driving/flying behavior, but also emotionally … seeing both pulling away from a standstill is just an amazing sight, which you can experience in the official Bugatti video below:

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June 1, 2021 / Comments Off on Bugatti Chiron Sport meets Dassault Rafale
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Rimac C_Two gets its name

Introduced at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the Rimac C_Two, also referred to as the Concept Two, boasted some really impressive figures: 1,914 hp with a top speed of 412 km/h (258 mph). Rimac calls it the new breed of hypercar, with acceleration figures of 1.85 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill, this might be the closest thing to launching a jet fighter from an aircraft carrier on the road.

But it seems we will finally be seeing the actual production version on June 1, 2021, when Rimac will also unveil their name for this amazing new hypercar, Rimac Automobili released a 40-seconds teaser on YouTube with the caption “More extreme performance, new official name, immersive features, extraordinary technology, and exceptional engineering in its final form.” … so will there be even more power for the final production version?

Rimac has been talking about figures like 1,914 hp already for years now, with a top speed of 412 km/h (258 mph), they call their C_Two a new breed of hypercar, with acceleration figures of 1.85 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill … have they used the additional year of development since their intention to unveil the car at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show to up these statistics even more?

We’ll have to wait and see what the official release will be on June 1, but until then we can check out their teaser below:

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May 30, 2021 / Comments Off on Rimac C_Two gets its name
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Would Lamborghini be sold for $11.5 billion?

Last week we found an article stating a Swiss investment group called Quantum Group AG made VAG, the VW Group, an offer of €7.5 billion ($9.2 billion at today’s currency conversion) to buy Automobili Lamborghini SpA, and they did mean business, as they wanted everything, the HQ in Sant’Agata in its entirety … but the VW Group denied the offer and officially stated Lamborghini is not for sale.

If the Quantum Group came up with this offer a while ago, when we had the ‘Dieselgate’ going on, they might have had a chance to make a deal, as VAG was looking for money at that point, and there was a rumor they were looking at selling some of their ‘other’ makes like Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, and Lamborghini.

At one point there was even a rumor of Automobili Lamborghini SpA ‘going public’, there was an intention to offer shares of Lamborghini on the stock exchange, VAG, or more precisely Audi AG, would still keep a controlling amount of shares, but people like you and me could buy a part of the company … but that never materialized either.

Quantum Group’s representative, Rea Stark mentioned to Reuters that they are still interested in buying Automobili Lamborghini SpA from Audi AG, and to make their point even more interesting, they would add up to €2 billion more for a total amount of €9.5 billion (about $11.5 billion) to cover future investments and even go as far as offering a guarantee for all employees currently under contract at Lamborghini for the next five years … if the VW Group is open to negotiations, they are even considering to go further up.

Quantum Group AG would not only buy the rights to the name Lamborghini, but also the entire factory at Sant’Agata, including the Squadra Corse department, for the first five years they would like to keep a supply chain from Audi open to be able to keep the current models in production, but the goal is to share battery development between them and Audi well into the future.

And electrification is the future, Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Automobili Lamborghini SpA made that clear in his latest presentation, we already knew the Aventador and Huracán successors would become hybrids for sure, but Lamborghini will be investing a total of €1.5 billion over the next years to have a fully electric fourth model in the lineup by 2025, while the Aventador successor that will be available by 2023 will most likely keep a V12 engine, but get electric motors added to become the first hybrid production model from Sant’Agata.

After the first offer from Quantum Group AG, the spokesman for the VW Group made it very clear there was no intention of selling Automobili Lamborghini SpA … at that time, might an increase of more than 25% be enticing now? Only the future will tell, but Lamborghini has been making money and had a healthy production figure for the last several years, so what would make the VW Group want to sell a successful company at this point in time?

May 29, 2021 / Comments Off on Would Lamborghini be sold for $11.5 billion?
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The McLaren Elva ‘Windscreen’ edition

we’ve all seen the 2020 McLaren Elva before, either in photos or in a YouTube video, the roofless supercar from McLaren with a 4.0-Liter twin-turbocharged V8 pumping out 804 hp, but with no windshield … a car McLaren lists as ‘The McLaren Elva is born to heighten every sense and build the closest connection between driver, car and the elements. ‘

And that’s certainly the case, as the only attempt at making the driver’s life any easier at speed is a ‘flap’ that changes its angle so the wind gets deflected over the cockpit, officially it’s called the McLaren’s Active Air Management system, and it helps, but still, with more power than a McLaren Senna GTR and a modified exhaust to get ‘the right sound’, some might argue practicality might be an issue on some markets driving the limited edition McLaren Elva.

Once McLaren completed the production of the Speedtail, they started building the 399 Elva speedster, each with a base price of £1.4million ($1.9 million) before options, as this is a McLaren MSO car to begin with, you can be sure many customers will request even more bespoke MSO options, raising the price well beyond the $2 million mark.

Today McLaren showed the first Elva with a windshield … apparently McLaren found out there are customers in countries that actually require a car to have a windscreen (mandated in some states of the USA), and some customers even requested one. Now don’t get excited too quickly, you’ll get a windshield complete with wipers and rain detection, but you still don’t get a roof on the McLaren Elva ‘Windscreen edition’, that would be sacrilege I guess.

The McLaren Elva windscreen variant won’t have any side windows either, it’s a pure Roadster according to Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive, and the Elva is still a Super-lightweight and extremely powerful car created to celebrate the pure joy of driving, and that can only be experienced if you ‘feel’ the speed and are exposed to the elements … note that the intention from McLaren is to build most of the 399 units as ‘screenless’ versions, only a handful would come from the factory with the added windshield, making the latter the rarest McLaren in modern history.

While the McLaren Elva is the lightest car they ever made with a weight of less than 1,300 kg, adding the windshield, wipers and other necessary extras will raise the overall weight by 20 kg, but by removing the unnecessary Active Air Management System (AAMS) and using carbon fiber to surround the heated glass, they managed to keep the added weight at only 20 kg, still, both versions of the Elva will reach 100 km/h from 0 in 2.8 seconds, 200 km/h comes around in 6.8 seconds, do note that if you specify your Elva as a ‘windscreen version’ you can’t remove it to enjoy screenless driving, once it’s fitted, it’s a permanent fixture.

Created as an homage to Bruce McLaren’s legendary race cars, heritage liveries like that of the Satin Casa Blue windscreen model prototype pictured have captured the imagination of Elva owners. Demand for bespoke customization of this kind by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) has produced a series of dramatic and unique cars that stand out even among one of the rarest of McLarens, but they have decided that there is a limit to the number of bespoke Elva builds, only 149 units of the Elva will be specified and built to customer order.

May 28, 2021 / Comments Off on The McLaren Elva ‘Windscreen’ edition
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SSC reveals a 2,200 hp Tuatara Aggressor

It hasn’t been an easy time for SSC lately, first, they declare to have set a world speed record with their Tuatara hypercar in October 2020 when they published a top speed of 316 mph (508.73 km/h) over two runs in opposite directions, on a stretch of the State Route 160 outside of Las Vegas near Pahrump, where the Agera RS made history in November 2017, race driver Oliver Webb took the wheel of the SSC Tuatara to pulverize the world record for the fastest street-legal production car.

But that record quickly got questioned by just about everybody, especially on YouTube, and it forced SSC to do a second attempt to put all the rumors to rest, but they weren’t going back to Texas again, for this second run the Tuatara was taken to the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds at Space Florida’s Shuttle Landing Facility, and they would make sure to have every kind of measurement system and witnesses to make their point, the SSC Tuatara will be the fastest car in the world.

The second go at the record was performed on January 17, 2021, but this time by the owner of the car. Dr. Larry Caplin, as required by regulations, to qualify for an official world record the car has to travel the same track twice, once in one direction, and once in the opposite direction … this time the SSC Tuatara managed to get to 279.7 mph (450.1 km/h) in the northbound direction and subsequently reached 286.1 mph (460.4 km/h) on the southbound way, for the record this came down to an average speed of 282.9 mph (455.2 km/h) … the current world record for production cars.

But things turned for the worse when the transporter that was carrying the rare #001 record-setting car was involved in an accident, it appears a strong gust of wind flipped the trailer with the car inside on the I-15 while the car was heading to Florida for a second record-setting run mid-April because at the second attempt described above they didn’t reach the magical 300 mph barrier, so they wanted to try again … sadly the car never made it to Florida in one piece. SSC did release a statement after the incident they will still do a second attempt, and possibly even with this very car, as the damage is purely cosmetic according to Shelby, the chassis, drivetrain, and suspension are perfectly fine.

The SSC Tuatara is powered by a Nelson Racing Engines, twin-turbo 5.9-Liter flat-plane-crank V8 engine that develops 1,750 horsepower on E85 and 1,350 hp on 91 octane, but if you would expect SSC to simply repair their crashed Tuatara, or perhaps build another one, you are sadly mistaking … they just released information on ‘the next step’, it seems they deem 1,750hp isn’t enough, and now intend to release two new Tuatara variants.

The SSC Tuatara Striker will come with improved aerodynamics, their release states an increase of 300% compared to the original car at 160 mph, thanks to a massive rear wing together with a vertical stabilizer and a new diffuser, at the front the splitter and dive plate further push down the car, the split is to be 45.4% to the front and 54.6% for the rear, adding even more carbon fiber and Alcantara on the interior will reduce weight … even with the current 1,750 hp (1,305 kW) this should mean the Tuatara Striker is even faster.

But that’s not all SSC has in the pipeline … how about 2,200 hp (1,641 kW)? That’s right, the SSC Tuatara Aggressor will come with the same modified aero and weight savings as the Striker, but with a massive power increase, the latter one will not be street legal it seems. The Tuatara Aggressor can also be customized with special exhaust tuning, performance options, and bespoke aesthetics … but there is a catch, SSC only builds a very limited number of these cars.

The intention is to build 100 units of the SSC Tuatara, now they will add 100 units of the new SSC Tuatara Striker … but only 10 of the SSC Tuatara Aggressor will be available, no official pricing has been published by SSC for either of these new evolutions, but I guess the clientele for these hypercars doesn’t care for a million more or less, it’s all about having the fastest, most exclusive hypercar for these customers.

May 27, 2021 / Comments Off on SSC reveals a 2,200 hp Tuatara Aggressor
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