Aston Martin Valkyrie goes to extreme lengths for lightweight and aerodynamics

Aston Martin has been teasing the Valkyrie hypercar off and on the last couple of years, first as the RB-001, and now with its official name, and it has just released images and information of the most production-ready variant yet. The exterior has been updated with actual headlights and tailights, along with some aerodynamic tweaks. The car now has a fully finished interior with steering wheel, seats, and instrumentation.

Starting from the outside, the greenhouse is much more upright, likely to make the cabin more comfortable for occupants. The flanks have been generally simplified, too, with the exception of an aggressive rendition of Aston’s trademark vents worked into the front fenders. According to Aston, these vents also help increase front-end downforce. On top of the car is a prominent air scoop that was absent on the old concept. We can also see how vast the Venturi tunnels are that run the full length of the car, and around the passenger and engine compartments. The wheels also now feature full covers, ostensibly for additional aerodynamic improvements.

One of the most noticeable changes are the inclusions of head and taillights, and they are also part of some extreme weight savings. The headlights are apparently 30- to 40-percent lighter than those found on any other existing Aston Martin. Though there aren’t particularly exciting details about the taillights, the third brake light is pretty incredible. The company claims its the smallest ever made, and we’re inclined to believe it since the light is less than a quarter-inch wide and just under four tenths of an inch tall. On top of all this, Aston decided that a normal company badge was also too heavy, and a sticker wasn’t quality enough, so it laser-etched a badge made of aluminum that’s just 70 microns thick. For comparison, a human hair is about 100 microns thick.

The interior looks like a carbon-fiber pod from the future. The seats are bolted directly to the floor, and passengers sit reclined with their feet slightly raised, which Aston says is like in F1 and Le Mans prototype race cars. Occupants will also be secured by standard four-point harnesses with a six-point version as an option. The steering wheel features every single control, along with a center display, and is removable. All of the important driving information will be displayed on the wheel screen as well as a center screen on the dash. The Valkyrie will also realized the dream of car designers the world over by really using cameras and screens as a replacement for mirrors.

Aston Martin also says that there may be some other tweaks to the car down the road. However, it said that most of the body is structural, so you won’t be seeing any particularly drastic adjustments. We can’t wait to see more about this $3 million limited production hypercar in the future.

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July 11, 2017 / Comments Off on Aston Martin Valkyrie goes to extreme lengths for lightweight and aerodynamics

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Aston Martin Valkyrie moves toward launch with full interior, aerodynamic advancements

Aston Martin has been teasing the Valkyrie hypercar off and on the last couple of years, first as the RB-001, and now with its official name, and it has just released images and information of the most production-ready variant yet. The exterior has been updated with actual headlights and tailights, along with some aerodynamic tweaks. The car now has a fully finished interior with steering wheel, seats, and instrumentation.

Starting from the outside, the greenhouse is much more upright, likely to make the cabin more comfortable for occupants. The flanks have been generally simplified, too, with the exception of an aggressive rendition of Aston’s trademark vents worked into the front fenders. According to Aston, these vents also help increase front-end downforce. On top of the car is a prominent air scoop that was absent on the old concept. We can also see how vast the Venturi tunnels are that run the full length of the car, and around the passenger and engine compartments. The wheels also now feature full covers, ostensibly for additional aerodynamic improvements.

One of the most noticeable changes are the inclusions of head and taillights, and they are also part of some extreme weight savings. The headlights are apparently 30- to 40-percent lighter than those found on any other existing Aston Martin. Though there aren’t particularly exciting details about the taillights, the third brake light is pretty incredible. The company claims its the smallest ever made, and we’re inclined to believe it since the light is less than a quarter-inch wide and just under four tenths of an inch tall. On top of all this, Aston decided that a normal company badge was also too heavy, and a sticker wasn’t quality enough, so it laser-etched a badge made of aluminum that’s just 70 microns thick. For comparison, a human hair is about 100 microns thick.

The interior looks like a carbon-fiber pod from the future. The seats are bolted directly to the floor, and passengers sit reclined with their feet slightly raised, which Aston says is like in F1 and Le Mans prototype race cars. Occupants will also be secured by standard four-point harnesses with a six-point version as an option. The steering wheel features every single control, along with a center display, and is removable. All of the important driving information will be displayed on the wheel screen as well as a center screen on the dash. The Valkyrie will also realized the dream of car designers the world over by really using cameras and screens as a replacement for mirrors.

Aston Martin also says that there may be some other tweaks to the car down the road. However, it said that most of the body is structural, so you won’t be seeing any particularly drastic adjustments. We can’t wait to see more about this $3 million limited production hypercar in the future.

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July 11, 2017 / Comments Off on Aston Martin Valkyrie moves toward launch with full interior, aerodynamic advancements

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Aston Martin Vantage AMR is road-going follow-up to AMR Pro

Two months ago, Aston Martin launched its new AMR line of vehicles with a pair of limited-edition cars. One was a slightly warmed-up Rapide sedan called the Rapide AMR, and the other was a track-only Vantage with a race-car-derived V8 called the Vantage AMR Pro. Now the company has released a third, or third and fourth depending on how you’re counting, model that splits the difference. The new Vantage AMR, sans the Pro part, is available with either a V8 or a V12, and can be had as either a coupe or convertible.

What make the Vantage AMR special are limited production and aesthetic upgrades. Only 300 examples will be made, 200 of which will have the V8, while the other 100 have the V12. The V8 doesn’t make any more power than the standard model, but the V12 produces an extra 30 horsepower over the standard model for a total of 595. Aston Martin also offers an optional titanium exhaust to improve the sound of these engines and reduce weight, but it doesn’t change output.

Observers of these Astons will be able to spot them by their special paint schemes with a center stripe down the middle. The cars can be had in white with an orange stripe, black with a blue stripe, blue with a red stripe, or silver with a gray stripe. There’s also a “Halo Pack” that includes a green paint scheme similar to Aston Martin’s GT racing cars, complete with a lime green stripe. There’s also a no-cost option to add an Aston Martin badge painted in the colors of the Union Jack. Every color combination comes with a color-coordinated interior, too.

Just because this is a very rare Aston Martin doesn’t mean there aren’t any options. On the contrary, there are quite a few, mostly concerning appearances. On the outside, carbon fiber side skirts, headlight housings, and grille are all available. An aerodynamics kit is also available that adds a big rear wing, front splitter, and front canards for additional downforce. Lightweight forged wheels are also available. Inside, the carbon fiber decoration continues with available seats, instrument surround, window sills, and grab handles.

Depending on whether you’re converting Euros or British pounds, an Aston Martin Vantage AMR will start between about $125,000 or $143,000. That doesn’t really matter, though, since the Vantage AMR won’t be offered in the US. It will only be available in the UK, Europe, China, and the Asia Pacific region. Middle Eastern buyers can also pick one up, but only the V12 variant.

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June 14, 2017 / Comments Off on Aston Martin Vantage AMR is road-going follow-up to AMR Pro

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Porsche’s most powerful 911 Turbo S is a 500-unit limited edition

In true Porsche tradition, the company has developed yet another variant of its 911 Turbo line, and unsurprisingly, it’s a very limited edition model. The new 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series will live up to its name as only 500 examples of the car will be produced. It also can boast to be the most powerful 911 Turbo S the company has produced, as it makes 27 more horsepower than the “basic” Turbo S for a total of 607. Torque doesn’t change at 553 pound-feet of the stuff, and the top speed of 205 mph remains the same, too.

This exclusive Turbo S model will be instantly recognizable thanks to an array of exterior upgrades fitment of the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur “Turbo Aerokit” that includes a rear wing, engine cover air scoop, and other aero bits around the car. It also has exposed carbon fiber stripes on the hood and roof, custom wheels with Golden Yellow Metallic accents, and Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur badging. The car is also available to be painted in the ostentatious Golden Yellow Metallic, as well as more subdued hues.

Inside, the gold theme is continued with 18-way adjustable leather seats that feature a top black layer of leather perforated to show yellow stripes from the additional layer of leather below it. Stitching also comes in the golden color, and the carbon fiber trim has had gold-colored copper woven into it. Each of these 911 Turbo S models will also have a badge inside denoting its limited-production status, and they come with a titanium chronograph watch. Custom luggage is also available for extra cost.

As for the cost of the car, Porsche hasn’t set pricing for the United States, but it has priced it for Europe. Over on the Continent, the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series will cost €259,992, which comes to about $291,250 at current exchange rates. That’s also roughly $100,000 more than the base price of the standard 911 Turbo S.

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June 8, 2017 / Comments Off on Porsche’s most powerful 911 Turbo S is a 500-unit limited edition

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Under the skin of Mercedes-AMG’s Project One hypercar

Last year, at the Paris Auto Show, AMG head Tobias Moers told us about the Project One hypercar. The months since this announcement haven’t tamped down our amazement about what Mercedes-AMG is up to. The renderings you’re looking at are straight from AMG, released right as our man in Europe is heading into a technical briefing on the car. While we wait for his full report, let’s ogle this incredible hardware.

We were told to expect a Formula One-derived powerplant, and by golly that sure looks like one. There’s a carbon fiber air inlet perched atop a V6 hybrid power unit mounted amidships, and flanked by a snake’s nest of headers. The exhaust system sits on top of a structural rear transaxle, an automated manual of course. There’s an electric turbocharger, which is part of a very exotic MGU-H system – it can essentially harvest kinetic energy from exhaust gas spinning the turbocompressor, and also reverse flow to spool up the compressor when needed using stored energy. Speaking of which, there’s a high-voltage Li-Ion battery just behind the front axle.

That front axle will be electrified, with no mechanical connection to the V6 engine. So it’ll need juice to run, likely a mixture of MGU-H energy and also power harvested from the MGU-K system, which is basically a conventional hybrid generator physically connected to the engine. Well, conventional in theory; this generator’s likely to be as exotic as the rest of the car. That assessment extends to the inboard suspension, a complex arrangement of pushrods and transverse coilover units, although the rear pairs exotically-mounted shocks with the classic Mercedes-Benz five-link arrangement.

This is not, of course, unadulterated F1 tech. The engine is likely to be less strung out, only revving to around 10,000 RPM than what a real F1 car can spin at, to increase the engine’s lifespan. That being said, Moers is on record as saying that the engine will need a serious overhaul at around 31,000 miles. Assume that this will be extensive and extremely expensive, not that a Project One buyer’s going to have trouble paying for the service. After all, the car’s expected to cost $2 million when it goes on sale.

We’ll have much more detail coming soon, but until then enjoy this intimate look at an upcoming hypercar.

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May 27, 2017 / Comments Off on Under the skin of Mercedes-AMG’s Project One hypercar

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Jaguar with claws: 592-hp XE SV Project 8 Collector’s Edition

A few years ago, and to much fanfare, Jaguar launched the F-Type Project 7. It was Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) unit’s first Collector’s Edition car. It now has a successor – with four doors. Jaguar has announced the XE SV Project 8 Collector’s Edition, which will get its official debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Project 8 is as a 592-horsepower sedan that the automaker is calling “the most extreme Jaguar ever.” It’s powered by a specially tuned version of the company’s 5.0-liter V8 engine, which will make it Jaguar’s most powerful vehicle ever put into production. It will be limited to just 300 examples hand-built at SVO’s Technical Centre in Coventry. As for how much it’ll set you back if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations Managing Director John Edwards says Project 8 “is conceived for enthusiasts and the most discerning collectors. The price for such an extreme performance sports car available in strictly limited numbers will reflect that.”

Engine tuning is just one of the upgrades to the Project 8, but, for now, Jaguar is remaining vague about other alterations to the XE. Edwards says the car “takes aerodynamics and performance engineering to another level,” and there’s no reason not to take him at his word. The British automaker says it’ll let us know more about the car on June 28, just two days before its official introduction. For now, though, we can enjoy the teaser video from Jaguar, above, which shows the XE SV Project 8 in a particularly sporty camouflage wrapper testing on the Nürburgring.

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May 26, 2017 / Comments Off on Jaguar with claws: 592-hp XE SV Project 8 Collector’s Edition

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Rezvani Beast Alpha now just $95,000, but there are no frills

When it debuted last fall at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, the California-built Rezvani Beast Alpha coupe was a carbon-fiber featherweight supercar powered by a 500 horsepower boosted, mid-mounted Honda K24 inline-four cylinder. It managed to have crazy “SideWinder” doors, carbon-ceramic brakes, and a full leather and Alcantara interior while keeping the weight down to 1,950 lbs. The only hangup was the $200,000 price tag. The good news is that the Beast Alpha now starts at $95,000. The bad news is that most of the interesting bits are now optional extras.

That includes the high-output K24. The $95,000 version only makes 400 horsepower from a supercharged 2.5-liter engine. The $159,000 Beast Alpha X swaps the supercharger for a turbo, raising the engine’s output to 525 horsepower. At 3.2 seconds, it’s also 0.3 seconds quicker to 60 mph than the standard Beast Alpha. Both engines have been tuned by Rezvani and Cosworth.

That sweet sequential gearbox is now a $15,000 option on both models. The adjustable suspension is now $2,500. Carbon-ceramic brakes are $8,500. Hell, the upgraded AP Racing brakes are still $3,700. That super convenient Apple CarPlay-equipped Alpine sound system is $3,500. Full leather interior? $3,500. Wait, you want leather seats, too? $3,700. Leather floor mats are $650. Apparently, “full leather” doesn’t actually mean full leather.

The two most egregious options are the $500 trunk and $7,500 SideWinder doors, both of which are only available on the more expensive Beast Alpha X. Yes, that means the standard $95,000 Beast Alpha can’t even be optioned with a trunk. You also have to step up to the Beast Alpha X if you want that svelte carbon-fiber body for a whopping 50-lbs saving over the aluminum and composite skin on the standard car.

If you build a Rezvani Beast Alpha X with all of the things that got us so excited to begin with, it’s actually slightly more than the original $200,000 estimate. You know what else you can buy for $200,000? Several supercars with full leather interiors.

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May 19, 2017 / Comments Off on Rezvani Beast Alpha now just $95,000, but there are no frills

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First US customer gets the keys to $1.9 million Lamborghini Centenario

Ferruccio Lamborghini’s 100th birthday party has now reached the United States.

The Lamborghini Centenario – the souped-up Aventador that celebrates Lamborghini’s founder – was delivered to its first US customer in Newport Beach, CA, the company said Thursday. The $1.9 million supercar was unveiled in 2016 to mark the 100th birthday of the industry leader, and it’s limited to a 40-car run that’s split between coupes and convertibles. Naturally, Lambo says they’re all sold out.

The first US car is a black and blue hardtop. The company says this one was custom built with a glossy carbon-fiber exterior. Inside, is the same color scheme set to leather and Alcantara. Lambo says the rest of the Centenario’s US customers will get their cars this year.

In case you’ve forgotten, the supercar runs a naturally aspirated V12 with 759 horsepower capable of hitting 62 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds en route to a top clip of 217 mph. Lambo builds each one to the personal tastes of the customer through its Ad Personam program.

“When Ferruccio Lamborghini began realizing his dream of creating the best supercars in the world, he wanted to reach a large audience through production, but he also wanted to keep the unique nature of limited-edition vehicles that clients are able to personalize to their own tastes and style,” Automobili Lamborghini America COO Alessandro Farmeschi said in a statement.

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May 19, 2017 / Comments Off on First US customer gets the keys to $1.9 million Lamborghini Centenario

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McLaren 720S reaches series production, first car built

The first production example of the McLaren 720S has been finished at the supercar maker’s Production Centre in Woking, England. A 400-car launch edition series follows Job 1, and all of these have been sold already, according to McLaren. In addition to these cars, a batch of 800 720S models are expected to be built in 2017, and next year will see 1,500 cars roll out of the factory gates.

The 720S was formally launched at Geneva in March. It represents the second generation of McLaren’s so-called Super Series cars, and the manufacturer has now moved to the P14 designation from the earlier P11 series of cars. The P11 platform was unveiled in 2009 as the wraps came off the 12C model, which reached production in 2011. More than 7,000 P11 cars have been sold, including the 650S models introduced in 2014.

A landmark moment – The first production #McLaren 720S is ready, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the McLaren Automotive story pic.twitter.com/cnripl5sLB

— McLaren Automotive (@McLarenAuto) April 11, 2017

“The new McLaren 720S entering volume production is a momentous occasion for McLaren Automotive, marking the first time since the company was formed in 2010 that we have replaced a model family with an all-new generation,” says McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt.

The 720S model name stands for the 720 horsepower put out by the supercar’s four-liter V8 engine, and the manufacturer promises an impressive 2.8-second 0-60 mile per hour time and a 212-mph top speed. Launched from standstill, the car will reach 200 km/h (124mph) in just 7.8 seconds. The various ways a 720S can be configured can be seen in this Autoblog gallery.

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April 11, 2017 / Comments Off on McLaren 720S reaches series production, first car built

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2018 Merecedes-AMG GT R Coupe priced at $157,995

Mercedes-AMG has been building up to the launch of its 2018 GT R Coupe with enthusiasm generated on the part of the automaker and fans alike. With a 4.0-liter biturbocharged V8 making 577 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, the Nürburgring-developed supercar has the engineering chops to make that power useful in more than just a flat, straight line. It’s also going to look impressive in the garages of the owners who are willing to pay the price, which the automaker has just announced. The 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe will start at $157,995.

The GT R asks a price premium of $24,600 over the 503-hp GT S, and $44,600 over the base GT Coupe. At 3,428 pounds, the GT R accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Power is routed to the rear wheels through an AMG seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Its unique coil-over suspension helps keep it stable on irregular pavement. Rear-axle steering turns the rear wheels up to 1.5 degrees to guide the car around corners, and its new AMG Traction Control system provides nine different, driver-selectable input levels to match the skill set of the person behind the wheel.

When we had the chance to sample the GT R Coupe late last year, we found it to be a lot more than just a bunch of grunt in an aggressive looking package. It is, rather, a well-tuned supercar capable of serving drivers with a fairly broad range of talents and skill levels. If that sounds good to you, start saving those pennies. The 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R Coupe goes on sale in the US this summer.

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April 6, 2017 / Comments Off on 2018 Merecedes-AMG GT R Coupe priced at $157,995

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A lighter, faster long-tail version of the McLaren 720S is on the way

The latest and greatest from Woking has barely broken cover, but McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt has confirmed to Car and Driver that there will be an even faster LT version sometime in the future. Flewitt said that the 675LT, a variant of the 650S, was so successful that it makes perfect sense to create a follow up. This will be great news for those McLaren enthusiasts that may be tempted to jump ship for the obscenely fast Lamborghini Huracán Performante that debuted in Geneva alongside the 720S.

Flewitt said there was a great deal of both internal and external enthusiasm surrounding the 675LT. Expect the new version to be a lot like the 675LT: lighter, sharper, and more powerful, with some mild styling changes but not a completely overhauled design. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter in the McLaren already makes 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. Remember, that’s just the baseline. A mild bump in output is assured.

No word on when the car may debut, but don’t look for it anytime soon. McLaren most likely wants to give the 720S a bit of breathing room before it introduces a new model. Flewitt also suggested that an LT version of the 570S isn’t off the table. As long as it’s lighter, faster, and more powerful, we won’t complain.

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March 15, 2017 / Comments Off on A lighter, faster long-tail version of the McLaren 720S is on the way

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Aston Martin’s upcoming hypercar officially named Valkyrie

For all of the awesome design and impressive promised performance of the upcoming hypercar from Aston Martin and Red Bull, it has had until now a terrible name. AM-RB 001 never really rolled off the tongue, nor did it evoke power and beauty like past Aston Martin names, such as Vanquish. But Aston has fixed that with the car’s new name, Valkyrie.

It’s a solid name, one that comes from Norse mythology. Not only that, but it continues Aston’s use of names starting with “V” (Vantage, Virage, Vulcan, et al). It’s also way easier to say than the serial number that was the old name.

We’re looking forward to getting the full official specs, too. So far, we know it will have a V12, and the company is aiming for a one horsepower to one kilogram power-to-weight ratio, similar to that of the Koenigsegg One:1. We’ve also heard that Aston will sell just 175 cars, with each running about $3 million.

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March 6, 2017 / Comments Off on Aston Martin’s upcoming hypercar officially named Valkyrie

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The Lamborghini Huracan Performante lapped the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes

Lamborghini just released new footage of its Huracán Performante at the Nürburgring, and along with it some big news. The car managed to lap the ‘Ring in a stunningly quick time of 6:52. That time puts it ahead of the Porsche 918 Spyder’s record of 6:57 by a massive 5 seconds. It’s also just 4 seconds shy of the Radical SR8LM, which barely qualifies as a street-legal car.

Though the Huracán Performante isn’t the first Lamborghini to crack the seven-minute mark at the Nürburgring, it’s done it by the largest margin. The Aventador LP750-4 SV was the first Lambo under 7 minutes with a time of 6:59.73. Lamborghini hasn’t released specifications for this new Huracán, but it reportedly produces 630 horsepower from a V10 engine, which is substantially less than its slower 740-horsepower Aventador SV sibling. Odds are it was helped on the track by lighter weight, and the reported active aerodynamics on-board.

Check out the video above in its entirety. And then check back during the Geneva Show to see the full reveal of this monstrously fast Lambo.

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March 1, 2017 / Comments Off on The Lamborghini Huracan Performante lapped the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes

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Ford GT Competition Series sheds weight and slathers on the carbon fiber

Ford unveiled Thursday the most track-focused version of the GT that you can still drive on the road, called the Competition Series, promising impressive weight savings and clever use of carbon fiber. Ford revealed the GT model this week in Daytona ahead of the Daytona 500 and weeks after the GT’s class victory at the Rolex 24.

Ford took aim at cutting weight from the upper part of the GT in a bid to lower the center of gravity. The Competition Series has a Perspex acrylic engine hatch cover and uses Gorilla glass for the bulkhead behind the driver, which is slimmer and lighter than on regular GT models. The engine compartment also has a manual latch and carbon-fiber prop to further slash weight. Finally, Ford deletes the air conditioning, infotainment system, cupholders, radio, and storage bins. Optional equipment on the regular GT, like titanium lugnuts and exhaust and carbon-fiber wheels, are standard on this model.

Design-wise, the GT Competition Series gets gloss carbon-fiber striping, A-pillars, and mirror caps, and the lower body trim is exposed, glossed carbon fiber. The cabin gets more exposed carbon fiber and Alcantara suede with red accents. The supercar will be sold in six colors, black, white, silver, blue, gray, and yellow.

The Competition Series continues with the 647-horsepower twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 used in the other GTs. It will weigh 3,054 pounds, a spokesman said. The GT is a limited-run model, with 250 produced per year during the car’s four confirmed years of production. The Competition Series will be a slice of that allotment, and its price was not revealed.

“The Competition Series was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match,” Ford product chief Raj Nair said in a statement.

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February 23, 2017 / Comments Off on Ford GT Competition Series sheds weight and slathers on the carbon fiber

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Buy a new NSX and you can put the badges on as it rolls off the line in Ohio

Acura announced today that new NSX owners now have an opportunity to see their cars being built at the Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio. At the starting price of $2,700, owners can participate in the “NSX Insider Experience” in which they’ll tour the factory, as well as the Honda Heritage Center. The latter of which houses a HondaJet, an iteration of ASIMO, Honda’s famous humanoid robot, and other pieces of Honda history. Owners on the tour also have the chance to talk with people on the assembly line about how it all comes together, and can even install the badges on their very own cars.

If that’s not enough, Honda offers a few other optional extras to make the trip special. They can add a tour of the factory in Anna, Ohio, where the NSX engines are made, as well as sign up for a performance driving experience in a new NSX. The driving portion is available in two- and four-hour sessions, and it takes place at the Transportation Research Center, which doubles as Acura’s NSX proving grounds. Of course these extras will add to the cost, as will bringing guests.

Honda even offers help with travel planning through Acura Concierge. The service can book your flight and other travel arrangements. It will also allow you to stay at the special NSX suite at the Joseph Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. Acura didn’t go into detail as to what makes the suite specific to the NSX, but we’re sure it’s a nice place nonetheless. NSX owners interested in the program should check out the program’s website, here. For people without the means to buy an NSX, you can still get a look into the factory by checking out our visit to the facility.

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February 20, 2017 / Comments Off on Buy a new NSX and you can put the badges on as it rolls off the line in Ohio

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Italdesign wants to start producing more limited-production cars

Italian design firm Italdesign announced today that it will launch its newest brand at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The new brand is meant for “ultra low series production cars” and is called Italdesign Automobili Speciali. It even gets its own special badge that will appear on cars that Italdesign works on that fit the limited-production model. According to the company, the logo was inspired by the city of Turin’s emblem, which features a bull.

In Italdesign’s press release about the new brand, it brings up examples of cars from its past that are representative of the company’s limited-production work. Specifically it mentions the BMW M1, the spaceship-esque Italdesign Aztec, the BMW Nazca, and the Volkswagen W12 supercar.

The company will also unveil a new car in Geneva, probably baring the new brand’s badge. Thanks to the teaser images Italdesign has been releasing, we can see some particularly radical fender vents and a large wing at the back. Another image has text that hints the car will be one of five built, specifically for collectors. We’ll be sure to let you know all the details of the car when it’s revealed.

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February 15, 2017 / Comments Off on Italdesign wants to start producing more limited-production cars

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All 12 Lamborghini Venenos have been recalled for risk of fire

From time to time, the fiery personality of Italian cars becomes a bit too literal, and this is one of those times. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has acknowledged a recall for fire risk on the 2012–2017 Lamborghini Aventador, as well as all of its variants, including all three customer Veneno coupes and nine customer roadsters. We imagine the fourth non-production Veneno coupe is also affected. The recall involves 1,453 cars in the US, and Bloomberg reports that it also affects cars in other markets, for a total of 5,900.

The report Lamborghini submitted to NHTSA says the issue lies with the gas tank’s EVAP system. Liquid fuel can get into the EVAP system if an owner overfills it or in “particular handling situations,” which we assume includes hard acceleration and cornering that sloshes the fuel around. If the fuel gets into the EVAP system, flammable vapors can escape. These vapors could potentially ignite, and the report states that high revving at a stop or using an aftermarket exhaust increases the danger due to the possibility of flames coming from the exhaust.

According to NHTSA documentation, owners of affected vehicles will be notified of the issue by Lamborghini, and they will be able to schedule a time at the dealer to have the EVAP system fixed. The remedy includes a new type of purge valve, and the change will be done for free. Also, owners of the new Aventador S and the latest versions of the Aventador SV have nothing to worry about, since their cars already have the new parts. As for other Aventador and Veneno owners, we’d recommend not filling up your cars quite so full, and maybe don’t show off at stop lights too much until the car is fixed.

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February 15, 2017 / Comments Off on All 12 Lamborghini Venenos have been recalled for risk of fire

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Aston Martin’s AM-RB 001 hypercar will have a 6.5-liter Cosworth V12 and so much more

It’s been a while since we heard any big news about the Aston Martin-Red Bull hypercar, the plainly named AM-RB 001. When it debuted last year, we got a look at the shape – and that’s about it. Sure, a super-powerful V12 hybrid powertrain was promised, but we didn’t have any concrete details on it or what was going into the pretty wrapper. Well, now Aston has made some announcements about partners, and they certainly have our attention: Cosworth, Ricardo, Multimatic, and Rimac.

Cosworth, the famed engine supplier, will be supplying the engine. It’s a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12. Aston had previously said the car will be a member of the one-horsepower-per-kilogram club, and so people are expecting the engine to make about 900 horsepower. It will of course be augmented by an electric motor, which will be fed by a high-performance battery from Rimac. (Yes, the same Rimac whose Concept_One has been shown in videos beating everything from Teslas to LaFerraris.) The as-yet-undefined amount of power will be routed through a seven-speed paddle-shift transmission supplied by Ricardo. And because you’re going to want to stop, there will be big carbon-ceramic brakes – Alcon and Surface Transforms will supply the calipers and carbon discs.

Multimatic, builders of awesome shocks, will make the carbon-fiber tub that everything goes into. Multimatic has worked with Aston in the past, including on its last limited-production vehicle, the One-77. Bosch is responsible for the ECU, traction control, and stability control. LED lights will be supplied by Wipac.

So yeah, there almost aren’t any high-profile companies left after this announcement. This car is going to be pretty extreme. Aston reiterates that it will build a maximum of 150for the road including prototypes, plus 25 more track-only models. They’ll start going to customers in 2019.

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February 15, 2017 / Comments Off on Aston Martin’s AM-RB 001 hypercar will have a 6.5-liter Cosworth V12 and so much more

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McLaren wants to revolutionize engine efficiency with an all-star partnership

McLaren Automotive is reporting strong growth, as its sales volume almost doubled during the previous year; from 1,654 sold cars in 2015 to 3,286 cars in 2016. To keep that upward trajectory a reality, the company is aiming to overhaul its powertrain technology with help from BMW Group along with other strategic partners.

In a statement of intent published today, McLaren is announcing a project to develop “new combustion technology that will produce a higher output per capacity than currently possible”, while still achieving reduced CO2 output. A McLaren spokesperson told Autoblog that reduced emissions is also a goal of the combustion improvements. We expect to see the results of this effort sometime around 2020.

The McLaren-led project is backed and partially funded by the UK Government, through the Advanced Propulsion Centre. The APC is a think tank formed in 2013, itself standing as a 10-year joint effort between the UK Government and the automotive industry. There are five other partners in addition to McLaren, including McLaren’s engine-manufacturing partner Ricardo. BMW Group and casting experts Grainger & Worrall, which also produce parts for Aston Martin DB11 engines, are also in the list. Then there is Lentus Composites with their material know-how, and the University of Bath, who will be utilized for their advanced R&D capabilities. The project is sure to boost the existing credibility of the middle of England as an advanced automotive technology powerhouse, and it will be interesting to see which kind of power figures the end products will churn out – and in what kind of bodies the high-tech engines will be mounted.

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January 31, 2017 / Comments Off on McLaren wants to revolutionize engine efficiency with an all-star partnership

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Mercedes-Benz previews its curvy sports-car and design future

Suggesting creases are passé for automotive design, Mercedes showed off ideas for its future styling directions this week at a forum in Germany, including previews of upcoming sports cars and sedans.

We see images of a curvy sports car study (the silver car) with huge wheel arches flared out almost like pontoons. There’s also what appears to be a rear-engine hypercar (white car); we’ve been reading reports about it for months. Additionally, there’s a red sporty saloon, as Mercedes calls it, also among the photos. It features prominent rounded fenders and a bold horizontal grille.

Mercedes also previewed its upcoming A-Class, in what it calls the Aesthetics A sculpture, which looks like a car covered in a red sheet. Though Mercedes says this is its next step to a purer design, creases and strong lines are still evident on the sides.

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January 27, 2017 / Comments Off on Mercedes-Benz previews its curvy sports-car and design future

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