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Hennessey F5 reveals 1,600-hp billet-aluminum twin-turbo V8

CARMEL, Calif. — We’ve heard a lot about the powertrain that will propel the Hennessey F5 supercar to its proposed 301-mph top speed. But each time we’ve heard about it, the details have been a little fuzzy. The only truly concrete details have been that it will have at least 1,600 horsepower, it will be unique, and it will be a V8. Well the details are more finalized now, since Hennessey showed the engine at The Quail Motorsports Gathering.

The engine is all-aluminum with cast aluminum heads, and a machined billet aluminum engine block. The result is a powerplant with a rather unique finish, and it features Hennessey and F5 logos machine-etched into the block. The block is reinforced with steel cylinder sleeves. The pistons are forged, too. It’s also an old-school pushrod design, rather than using double overhead cams. According to John Hennessey, the reason is mainly for packaging, as the pushrod design results in a small, light engine. Augmenting the relatively small external size is a dry-sump oil system.

Despite its physical size, the engine has a massive displacement of 7.6 liters, which falls between the two numbers that had been previously reported for the engine. Feeding the engine all the air it can consume are two large turbochargers at the ends of tubular stainless steel headers that provide 22 to 24 psi maximum. Current output is at least 1,600 horsepower at 7,200 rpm and 1,300 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. John Hennessey says the engine could probably rev higher, but they’ll likely set the rev limiter at the 7,200 rpm mark.

Even with the engine finally revealed, not all of the specs are final. Hennessey told us that the output could be increased if more is needed to hit the 301-mph top speed. He did say that this is the baseline, though. He also reiterated that, while it won’t be made to be a lightning-fast track car, the company is still aiming for a sub-7-minute lap time at the Nürburgring. Hennessey will also build 24 examples, and 15 people have ordered it. The company has previously said the car will cost $1.6 million.

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August 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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2019 Ford GT Heritage Edition brings Gulf Oil livery to the street

In 1968, a Ford GT40 wearing the iconic Gulf Oil livery and fielded by JW Automotive Engineering won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A year later, the same car — chassis number 1075 — won again, making it one of only a few vehicles to win the prestigious endurance race more than once. For 2019 and 2020, Ford is honoring those historic victories by introducing the GT Heritage Edition. Ford says 2019 cars will wear number 9 and the 2020s will wear number 6, mimicking the racing numbers worn by chassis 1075 in ’68 and ’69.

The most obvious and striking update made to the GT Heritage Edition is the blue and orange Gulf livery. The contrasting colors carry over inside with blue and orange stitching on the Alcantara seats and and steering wheel. An optional package provides exposed carbon fiber accents inside and out, including as a surround for the number on the hood. A unique set of 20-inch on-piece forged aluminum wheels are finished in high-gloss stainless, and orange brake calipers are another nice touch.

Last year, Ford created a Heritage Edition GT in red and white to honor its 1967 Le Mans season. In 2016, it built one for its 1966 victory.

Ford hasn’t put a limit on the number of Heritage Edition GTs it will build, but each will come with a unique serialized identification plate. Check out all the details in the image gallery up above.

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August 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ is a V12-powered carbon fiber flagship

Lamborghini officially pulled the covers off a special version of the brand’s Aventador flagship this evening, and it wears a cryptic SVJ 63 designation. The name comes from the year 1963, which is when Lamborghini was founded. Only 63 will be built, and with the amount of carbon fiber and extroverted graphics covering them, they’ll definitely stand out from the crowd.

Power for the Aventador SVJ comes from a V12 engine producing 770 hp at 8,500 rpm and 530 pound-feet of torque at 6,750 rpm. That’s enough power to push the Aventador Superveloce Jota from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of over 217 mph. But its true claim to fame is its performance on the track. The SVJ currently holds the production vehicle lap record at the Nürburgring, lapping the famous circuit in 6:44.97.

Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva 2.0 debuts on the Aventador SVJ. Similar to the system in the Huracan Performante, electronic actuators open or close flaps in the front splitter and on the engine cover. Combined with Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Attiva 2.0, the SVJ’s electronic brain can adjust been zero and maximum downforce in less than 500 milliseconds. Air over the car’s rear wing can be split left and right, allowing for downforce to be applied only on the wheel that needs it.

Total production of the Aventador SVJ — including the even more exclusive 63 — will be limited to 900 units. Deliveries are slated to begin in the first part of 2019 at a starting price of $517,770.00.

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August 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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Rimac C_Two California Edition gets drunk on its power at Monterey Car Week

The Rimac C_Two made landfall in the United States last week, popping in for a guest appearance at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. It left the building at the close of business on August 19, but electric supercar supporters will get a chance to see it again during Monterey Car Week. Going the extra EV mile, instead of merely shipping the silver Geneva Motor Show reveal model to various viewings on the West Coast, Rimac created a vogue California Edition to rejoice in the “vibrant atmosphere” of the imminent week-long automotive celebration.

The “captivating color” goes with a name in Rimac’s press release, but we’d call it Grabber Blue if that weren’t already taken. A new wheel design gets center caps in the same hue. Rimac plans to host private events in the lead-up to the big weekend, and attendees will want to hang out around the California Edition’s trunk: Rimac tailored the cargo hold to fit two six-liter champagne bottles, and crystal flutes. Our only question is how many flutes Rimac thinks one would need for the equivalent of 16 traditional bottles of champagne.

Rimac’s trip to Monterey seems like a brand enjoying its own success and making new friends, since it doesn’t have a car to sell at the moment. The C_Two, which costs $2.1 million and will be limited to 150 units, sold out three weeks after its Geneva launch. Buyers who managed to make the list will get a coupe using a 120-kWh to power four electric motors worthy of 1,888 horsepower and 1,696 pound-feet of torque. Getting from zero to 60 miles per hour takes 1.85 seconds, practically teleportation, while 100 mph comes in 4.3 seconds on the way to a top speed of 258 miles per hour. The 404 miles of claimed range comes on the European cycle, but that should still convert to plenty of U.S. range to get to the corner office, the club, the heliport and back. Private preview invitees will get a chance to make sure they don’t miss out on the next Rimac offering.

At the end of the week, the California Edition C_Two will go on show at The Quail — A Motorsport Gathering on Friday, then at Exotics on Cannery Row the following day.

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August 20, 2018 / Comments Off

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SSC Tuatara’s twin-turbo V8 showed off ahead of Pebble Beach

The SSC Tuatara has been a slow burn for seven years, after the concept debuted in 2011 and racked up $13 million in sales that same year. We got smoke at the beginning of the year when the Washington-state company showed a teaser. Now we get heat and smoke thanks to SSC teasing the twin-turbo V8 that will power the production model. The sneak peak comes about a week before SSC plans to reveal the Tuatara during Monterey Car Week – as it did in 2011.

Seven years ago we were told the entire coupe would weigh about 2,800 pounds, that low weight achieved with copious use of carbon fiber for the chassis, subframes, and wheels. Grunt would come from a 7.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 developed in collaboration with Nelson racing engines, putting out 1,350 horsepower and 1,280 pound-feet of torque and spinning up to 9,200 rpm. The engine in the automaker’s previous car, the record-breaking Ultimate Aero, was based on a General Motors small block and there’s a good chance that’s the case here, too.The company predicted a 0-60 mph time of around 2.5 seconds and a 276-mph top speed.

We’ll have to wait until next week for all of the details about what’s merely changed and what’s been improved. Years ago, production was meant to be limited to 12 examples, and those dozen Tuatara buyers would have had the choice of either a traditional manual transmission or a sequential gearbox with paddles; who knows if the manual survived. And in breaking its silence to announce these new images, SSC said the Tuatara would have “a top speed that is projected to easily surpass the current world record.” That would mean the 276 mph number’s been eclipsed, since the a Koenigsegg Agera RS holds the title after having done 277.9 mph.

Peter Hay Hill at 5 pm PST on August 24 will be the scene of the reveal, at The Quail. After that, the Tuatara — the name refers to a small, nocturnal lizard that SSC says is “known for evolving its molecular structure” — will go on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Concept Lawn, and make appearances at Concorso Italiano and Exotics on Cannery Row in between. Stay tuned.

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August 18, 2018 / Comments Off

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Audi teases PB 18 E-Tron electric supercar concept

Audi is set to reveal what it’s calling an “electric-drive supercar concept” next month during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It’s called the PB 18 E-Tron, referring to the Pebble Beach venue and the year of its unveiling.

Beyond that, Audi says only that the car owes some of its technology solutions to the Le Mans-series winner R18 E-Tron and that it was conceived and designed by the new Audi Design Loft down the coast in Malibu. It released a darkened teaser image that shows a road-going car with a squat profile, bulging wheel arches, slim LED headlights and a raised rear spoiler.

The R18 E-Tron racer was a hybrid powertrain. More recently, Audi has been prepping its new E-Tron electric crossover prototype, which was rated at 248 of range on the European WLTP cycle from its 95-kWh battery and dual electric motors, the first of three electric vehicles expected by 2020. It promises to be a “futuristic electric design study for the performance enthusiast driver.”

We’ll find out more when it makes its debut Aug. 23 at the Laguna Seca racetrack, if not before then.

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July 30, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lexus LFA art car is here to celebrate 10 years of Toyota performance

The Lexus LFA hasn’t been in production since 2012, but there are still a few sitting on dealer lots. It’s a shame, as Lexus‘ super GT is a pretty phenomenal machine. Lexus seems to think so too, as it’s still doing a bit to promote the car and its relevance to the F performance sub-brand. In order to celebrate 10 years of F and the RC F GT3‘s debut at the 24 Hours of Spa, Lexus revealed a new LFA art car.

Like the BMW art cars, the LFA is used as a canvas by a professional artist, in this case Portugal’s Pedro Henriques. The car features a black and white paint scheme, with flowing lines and strips along the bodywork. The car itself features a fixed rear wing and a screaming 553-horsepower naturally aspirated V10.

While the LFA won’t race, it will join the RC F GT3 on track this weekend as a parade car.

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July 27, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ sets Nurburgring lap record

It seems everyone is out to claim a lap record at the Nürburgring. Having a car sit at the top of the Green Hell’s lap board is huge point of pride for people. Just scroll through past Autoblog posts about the track. You’ll find Porsche, Lamborghini and Nio all claiming lap records in different categories. The Dodge Viper used to hold the crown before falling to faster and more modern cars. There’s speculation as to what might break the record in the future. Today, Lamborghini announced that the new Aventador SVJ has broken the production car record with a lap time of 6:44.97 minutes.

That’s a hair faster than the Nio EP9 lap time from last year. The Nio knocked off the then-new Lamborghini Huracan Performante, so we’re sure Nio is eager to get back out and have another go. While the times from Lamborghini and Nio might be impressive, they’re way off the actual lap record. Just a couple of weeks ago, Porsche announced that its 919 Hybrid Evo — an unrestricted version of its Le Mans prototype race car — set a record of 5:19.546. That’s nearly a minute and a half faster than road-legal cars.

The Aventador SVJ was piloted by Marco Mapelli, a factory-backed race car driver. The car was fitted with cameras and VBOX telemetry equipment to measure and verify the lap time. The Aventador SVJ’s record was teased earlier this month with a new video, though a video of the full record-setting lap has yet to be released. Expect something soon, as well as outside verification so we don’t get the whole “Lamborghini cheated” back and forth that went on after the Hurcan set its record.

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July 26, 2018 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin SUV production to start in late 2019

Aston Martin has confirmed it’s upcoming SUV will begin production at a new factory beginning in late-2019. The high end sport-utility will be similar in size and design to the DBX Concept, which Aston Martin first exhibited in Monterey back in 2015. Since it first debuted three years, the market for exotic and hugely expensive sport-utilities has gotten red-hot and highly competitive. New models in this rarefied segment of the sport-utility world now include the Lamborghini Urus, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and Bentley Bentayga.

The plant where Aston will build its SUV is based in St. Athan, Wales, on the site of a former Royal Air Force base. A total of three former aircraft hangars are being combined, to create this new facility.

This factory is only part of a larger expansion plan that will add roughly 1,000 new employees to Aston Martin’s ranks, stationed throughout its existing facilities in Gaydon and Newport Pagnell, along with the new St. Athan-based site.

“We are delighted at the progress being made at the St Athan site. The team have done a fantastic job in advancing the facility and I was incredibly proud to chair our first Board meeting at the new plant,” said Andy Palmer, Aston Martin’s president and CEO.

Showing how important adding a truck is to its future business model, Aston confirmed a total of 150 employees will be assigned solely to “pre-production preparations” related to the company’s upcoming SUV.

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July 25, 2018 / Comments Off

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2018 Bugatti Chiron gets the one thing (two, actually) it didn’t have

If you thought there couldn’t be anything missing on the multi-million-dollar, 1,500-horsepower, 250-mph Bugatti Chiron hypercar, we wouldn’t blame you. But you would also be wrong. Apparently this massively fast tribute to capitalism didn’t have an option for a sunroof. Can you believe it? The 2018 Bugatti Chiron couldn’t be had with a feature you can get on a Hyundai Accent. Well, Bugatti Chiron buyers no longer have to suffer this indignity thanks to a new option called “Sky View.”

What Sky View amounts to are two glass panels, one over each seat, affixed to the roof of the hypercar. Each panel is laminated for a total of four layers and is designed to provide both UV protection for occupants and to be stiff and strong both to keep the car rigid and provide protection in a crash. Another upside to the option is that it adds 2.7 centimeters, or about an inch, of headroom.

There do appear to be a couple of downsides, though. Bugatti mentions that the panels are tinted to keep the incoming light from being too overbearing, but it says nothing about any sort of sunshade if you find the tinting to not be sufficient. Not only that, but the panels are fixed, so you won’t be able to get much of an open-air feeling. We should say the aforementioned Hyundai Accent has both of these features, but hey, you’re making progress Bugatti, and that should be lauded. Maybe you’ll get those details next time.

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July 25, 2018 / Comments Off

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It’s complicated: Watch a Bugatti Veyron get a $21,000 oil change

Here’s a fascinating peek under the hood, or rather the rear carbon-fiber engine cover panel and undercarriage, that shows the complexity of getting a simple oil change for a Bugatti Veyron, courtesy of the folks at Royalty Exotic Cars. Servicing this Veyron Mansory Vivere owned by Houston Crosta costs an estimated $21,000. Jiffy Lube, eat your heart out.

How complicated can it be, you ask? Well, the video is 20 minutes long — and that’s with the benefit of plenty of editing to cut out the boring waiting-around and taking-things-apart parts. Crosta estimates the Veyron is held together by nearly 10,000 bolts, and a heck of a lot of them have to be removed.

Changing the oil on one of the supercars starts with needing specialty GoJack car dollies to get underneath and hoist the lowered body high enough to get it on the shop’s lift. Then, you have to remove the wheels on both sides, rear fender and carbon-fiber panel, carbon fiber wheel-well panels, the fuel filler … and on and on and on.

Also, where most modern cars have one or two drain plugs, the Veyron has 16. The mechanics managed to drain 16.5 quarts of oil from the quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine.

Rather do it yourself? Well, the mechanics estimate the difficulty of the oil change ranked a 20 on a 1-to-10 scale. At least for the first hour or so, until they managed to pry off the rear panel. Then it went to a 6, they say. “After everything’s taken apart, some of this stuff is just plain and simple super easy,” Crosta says. “But getting everything out to get to this point, that’s a couple-day process.”

Interestingly, Royalty will let you rent out a Veyron Mansory Vivere for almost the same price as the oil change — $20,000 — for 24 hours of fun.

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July 19, 2018 / Comments Off

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First U.S. McLaren Senna has green carbon fiber body

The McLaren Senna is one of the hottest cars of 2018. Named after one of the greatest racing drivers, the British automaker’s latest and greatest is an immensely fast machine. It certainly looks the part, too, with a giant rear wing, shin walloping front splitter and all manner of other aero aids. Today, McLaren released a batch of images of the first car heading to North America, and it’s finished in one of the most beautiful shades of carbon fiber we’ve ever seen.

Some lucky owner in New York City will be taking delivery of a new Senna with emerald green bare carbon-fiber bodywork and a white-leather interior. The car, like all bespoke McLaren models, was customized through McLaren Special Operations. The car bares the MSO logo on the headrests. Nearly every exterior panel is finished in green. McLaren says the bodywork consists of 67 panels and takes nearly 1,000 hours to produce. Other exterior design touches include blue and red wheel locks and ball-polished wheels.

The Senna is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making 789 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. It can hit 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds and 124 mph in 6.8 seconds. There isn’t much mass to move around thanks to a dry weight of just 2,641 pounds.

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July 18, 2018 / Comments Off

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Drivers buy new $300K McLaren 720S, 2019 Chevy Corvette, and wreck ’em

Two high-powered, high-priced sports cars, wrecked in their infancies. No doubt they were fun while they lasted.

In Great Falls, Va., a tony suburb of Washington, D.C., that hugs the Potomac River, someone was out enjoying driving the McLaren 720S they had purchased only the day before on a leafy, two-lane road. Then, horror: In an instant, the car hit a tree, mangled and destroyed “because of speed,” according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Purchased Friday. Totaled Saturday. This McLaren 720S, costing around $300,000, was destroyed today in Great Falls because of speed. The driver was taken to the hospital with thankfully only non-life threatening injuries. A reminder to slow down, or it could cost you. pic.twitter.com/XhC3LKRY1t

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) July 14, 2018

Then on salvage auction site Copart, a brand-new orange 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport lies in a warehouse in Lincoln, Neb., its front left corner crushed, wheel askew. It had just 15 miles on the odometer. We know nothing of the backstory, except for the obvious front-end damage and secondary damage to the undercarriage. The rear end and 6.2-liter V8 engine, which makes 460 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, look OK. The most current bid as this was published was just north of $9,000.

It’s tempting in both cases to assign the blame to over-eager drivers who weren’t quite yet able to corral all that power. In the case of the McLaren, the supercar makes 710 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque from its quad-cam, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. It goes from 0-62 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds and boasts a top speed of 212 mph. We’re not saying the unidentified driver was a newbie, but this car is definitely not for newbies.

Police write that the incident is “A reminder to slow down, or it could cost you.” As in, $300,000. Or at least the depreciation for driving it off the lot.

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July 17, 2018 / Comments Off

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Noble M500 revealed with reported 550 horsepower

Goodwood Festival of Speed has hosted a number of public debuts of sports cars, from the Nissan GT-R50 to the Toyota Supra. We knew those were coming, though. What we weren’t expecting was for little British company Noble to show off a brand-new sports car called the Noble M500.

Well our first new car for some time. Just a full size model at the moment. Presenting the M500. Friendlier little brother to the mighty M600. pic.twitter.com/BcATmcvczz

— NOBLE AUTOMOTIVE (@Noblecars) July 12, 2018

It’s certainly a handsome-looking car, and it’s not as brutal as the the M600, a car that is all flat planes, sharp corners and protruding air scoops. This is a more organic design, and everything looks better integrated — though it does risk looking more generic than the M600. Another fun detail: It appears to have the headlights from the C7 Corvette. They work surprisingly well on the Noble.

As the company says in its tweet, the M500 is not a replacement for the M600, but rather a more entry-level, approachable complement to the 660-horsepower, twin-turbo V8 monster. That’s not to say the M500 will be slow, though. According to Autocar, the M500 has a 550-horsepower version of the twin-turbocharged V6 Ford uses in the Ford GT. The news outlet goes on to say the engine will be attached to a dual-clutch transmission, and the whole body will be made from fiberglass. We expect to have more photos and details on the car in the near future.

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July 12, 2018 / Comments Off

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Pink Pig joins Forza Motorsport 7 along with Top Gear car pack

Forza Motorsport 7 is getting an update tomorrow. This July update means new playable cars and events for the game, and it starts with Porsches.

Hot on the heels of Porsche’s “Pink Pig” livery making a memorable re-appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the original car that wore it is introduced for the game. The tongue-in-cheek, unique-looking livery was created for the 1971 917/20 wearing number 20, and while the actual car is held at Porsche’s Zuffenhausen museum, Forza gamers can now experience it in virtual form. To balance out the vintageness, the other Porsche added in the update is the 2019 911 GT3 RS. It’s a mad, manic car with more than 500 horsepower developed from its naturally aspirated engine.

The July update also includes a Top Gear-themed car pack, available free for Forza Motorsport 7 Car Pass owners. It includes seven cars: the 2017 Ferrari 812 Superfast, the 2018 McLaren 720 S, trackday specials Vuhl 05RR, Exomotive Exocet Sport V8 XP-5, and KTM X-Bow F GT4, along with two classic cars: the 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS and 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Especially the 1.3-liter, 90-hp Alfa Romeo is a sweet, stand-out addition amongst the more powerful cars.

There are also changes made to getting cars: all “exclusive” cars will be unlocked and made purchaseable with in-game credits, after the player has reached Car Collector tier. This means more than 100 previously exclusive cars are now accessible.

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July 9, 2018 / Comments Off

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Nissan and Italdesign will build 50 GT-R50s

We’ve got some good and bad news for Nissan GT-R fans. The good news is that stunning Nissan GT-R50 designed by Nissan and Italdesign won’t just be a fancy one-off concept. The companies are prepared to build 50 units of the sports car, provided it’s received well at its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The bad news of course is that there will only be 50 examples of this amazing car.

It’s also going to be eye-wateringly expensive. While a top-rung 2018 Nissan GT-R Nismo starts at $177,185, the GT-R50 will cost an estimated 900,000 euros. At current exchange rates, that’s about $1,060,000. For some additional perspective, that’s more than a McLaren Senna, which comes in just under the $1,000,000 mark.

But this is a seriously exclusive GT-R that marks the important 50th anniversary of the model, and that of Italdesign. It also features radically different styling from a typical GT-R, and each one will be customized to the buyer’s taste. Not only that, but the forged internals, race car turbochargers, upgraded suspension and brakes all ensure this 710-horsepower GT-R is the best performing version of the car to come from Nissan directly. Well, at least the best performing one, so far.

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July 9, 2018 / Comments Off

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Final Koenigsegg Agera FE coupes are named Thor and Väder

Though the Agera line sold out a while ago, Koenigsegg has finally built the last examples of the supercar. They are Koenigsegg Agera FEs, for “Final Edition,” and each has a name. One is named Thor, and one is called Väder. Each sports its name in badging where the normal model name is usually placed.

Being FE versions, each car is a little more special than the “typical” Agera model. Apparently the owners didn’t have to pay anything extra for options and development of unique parts. Among those unique parts are larger front spoilers and rear wings. Thor has a dorsal fin and Väder has some unique cutouts in the wing supports to show off the components that actuate the active wing. Thor’s finish is a two-tone with some of it in a plain clear carbon fiber finish, and some of it in a clear finish with “diamond-flake.” Väder has the diamond-flake finish over the entire car along with white gold leaf accents across the body. Both cars also feature the 1,360-horsepower twin-turbo V8 from the One:1.

With the final Agera, and the final Regera built, Koenigsegg doesn’t have any models on sale. But that’s a temporary situation that will be rectified soon. The company announced that the Agera’s successor will be revealed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. We have no doubt it will be as wild-looking and astonishingly fast as every other Koenigsegg.

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July 6, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren 600LT is the latest track-ready McLaren

McLaren has finally revealed its latest hardcore, track-ready sports car. It’s the 2019 McLaren 600LT, with the LT standing for “Longtail,” a designation that started with the McLaren F1 GTR racecar. According to the company, this is only the fourth car in the company’s history to have the name. And like the previous LT models, it features more power, less weight, and a bunch of special performance parts to separate it from its more common brethren.

On the power side, McLaren upgraded the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8’s cooling system, and fitted a new exhaust system. That exhaust exits out the top, as shown in teaser images leading to the reveal, and it reduces the amount of back pressure in the system. The upgrades help the engine to make 592 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. That’s an increase of 30 horsepower and 14 pound-feet of torque over the 570S.

That may not sound like a huge amount, but remember this car weighs much less than the 570S. In fact, McLaren says the 600LT weighs 211.6 pounds less, which is quite a bit. The weight loss comes from a number of areas. The car features lots of carbon fiber body work, which has also been redesigned to add more downforce. It also lengthens the car by 2.9 inches, earning it the LT name. The new exhaust is lighter, too, in part because it’s vastly shorter. McLaren says it’s shorter even than the exhaust on the Senna track car. The suspension features forged aluminum components and lighter brakes from the current Super Series (720S) line. It also gets the seats from the McLaren P1. For even more weight loss, buyers can pick a carbon roof, vented front fenders, and the seats from the McLaren Senna as options from McLaren Special Operations. And while we’re on the topic of the 600LT’s upgrades, it also has a quicker steering rack and stiffer engine mounts.

McLaren will begin production of the 600LT this October, and the car will only be built for one year. The company didn’t specify a specific number of units, so it will probably build as many as it can or as ordered during the year, and once it’s over, there won’t be any more. Pricing hasn’t been set for the United States, but the company did note that the purchase price will also include a day at the track with professional instruction on how to drive the car.

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June 28, 2018 / Comments Off

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Koenigsegg teases replacement for Agera RS in sketch

Koenigsegg just opened its first official sales location at a luxury-vehicle dealership in Australia, and at an invitation-only cocktail launch party late last week, the supercar maker gave attendees an exclusive glimpse of the upcoming replacement to the world-beating Agera RS.

Granted, it’s only a fairly crude sketch of the hypercar’s rear end, so there’s not a lot to go on, save for the large wing and diffuser, though the well-heeled attendees also were treated to a virtual-reality presentation of the new car. Koenigsegg says it will make its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019.

First unveiled in Geneva in 2015, the company within 10 months sold out all 25 examples of the 1,160-horsepower Agera RS it planned to build, making it Koenigsegg’s fastest-selling model in its history. Last fall, the hypercar set an average top-speed record of 277.87 miles per hour in the Nevada desert.

Company founder Christian von Koenigsegg told Top Gear back in March that the replacement car will be “more capable than the Agera RS.” He also said the replacement won’t rely on a hybrid powertrain, to keep it distinguished from the plug-in hybrid Regera, but will instead focus on refining the company’s supercharged V8.

The Agera RS hit 284 mph in its one-way speed assault in Nevada last year, and companies like Hennessey are gunning to hit the 300-mph mark. We’ll see if this one’s the car to do it.

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June 25, 2018 / Comments Off

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Toyota says it will make a hypercar for the streets

For those enamored with Toyota’s Le Mans-winning TS050 Hybrid race car, good news: it’s going to make production in one form or another. Toyota says that the development of the TS050’s road-going version is already underway.

“We started this project because we believe that creating a super sports car that delivers the same appeal as the TS050 Hybrid greatly adds to Toyota’s involvement in WEC,” said Shigeki Tomoyama, president of Toyota’s motorsport arm Gazoo Racing. “And at some point in the near future, customers will have a chance to get behind the wheel of this incredible machine and experience its astonishing power and driving performance.”

So far, the nearest equivalent to the TS050’s road car version is the GR Super Sport concept, which was shown in January. Back then, Tomoyama hinted that a road car would be on its way. He described it as “a sports car that will more directly convey the TS050’s appeal, while offering easier handling … Although it will be some time before you all have the opportunity to get behind the wheel, I hope that the GR Super Sport Concept will give you a taste of what we aim to achieve with our next-generation sports cars.”

The concept was displayed at Gazoo Racing’s Le Mans set up during the endurance race. The GR Super Sport has the same 1,000-horsepower twin-turbo V6 hybrid drivetrain as the TS050 Hybrid, and it shares much of the same hardware as the race version. The eventual road-going car would easily be the maddest Toyota with license plates.

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June 19, 2018 / Comments Off

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