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August 23, 2024 / Comments Off on Monterey Car Week recap, 2025 Lincoln Navigator and more | Autoblog Podcast #845
The last time we visited Kalmar Automotive, the Danish coachbuilder was gunning its Rally Special-6 (RS-6), a rooster-tailing off-roader based on either a 993- or 996-series Porsche 911, through the mud. At The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, the company debuted its latest, the Kalmar 9X9. This is a mashup of ideas covering just about everything from the 959 to today’s 911 Turbo and GT3. A 993-series 911 lays the foundation, stripped and laid up with a hidden roll cage beneath CFD-honed carbon bodywork. The new panels and their 959-like rear end reportedly create 3,263 pounds of peak downforce. That’s 212 pounds above the coupe’s 3,051 claimed weight in its heaviest stock configuration.
There are three variants: 9X9, 9X9 Sport, and 9X9 Leichtbau (Lightweight). The 9X9 is the hi-po grand tourer, using the 3.8-liter flat-six from today’s 911 Turbo S. Instead of making the factory car’s 640 horsepower, the standard 9X9 makes 930 horses. Power goes to all four wheels through Porsche’s seven-speed double-clutch transmission. Rear-wheel drive also comes standard.
The 9X9 Sport turns down the power to turn up the focus. A turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six contributed by the 911 GTS makes 650 hp, 172 ponies over a store-bought GTS. This comes with a seven-speed manual, the PDK an option, as is rear-wheel steering. “More direct suspension components,” less sound insulation, and the 2,866-pound curb weight should heighten the fury and the sound with this one.
The 9X9 Leichtbau goes with the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter from the GT3 making 530 horsepower, 28 hp above factory output. A rear-driver only, with a seven-speed manual for the purists, this one comes in at a claimed 2,811 pounds.
Every 9X9’s engine has been upgraded with items like a new intake system, beefier cooling, ceramic bearings in the turbos, and an Inconel exhaust. They all sit on active engine mounts, too. The drivetrain rolls on a custom double wishbone suspension working pushrod-style Tractive dampers in front, the work of Italy’s Danisi Engineering. Magnesium wheels on Michelin tires hide carbon ceramic rotors clamped by CarboBrake’s 3D-printed titanium calipers.
The interiors go heavy on lightweighting, with no radios and no central infotainment screens. A centrally located analog tach dominates the gauge cluster, flanked by two small screens that we’ll guess are used to display information from Bluetooth paired devices.
All three flavors are on sale now through U.S. distributor Canepa Group, first deliveries scheduled for July 2025. Prices weren’t mentioned, that fact and the debut location should let you know if you’re in the target audience.
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August 18, 2024 / Comments Off on Kalmar 9X9 condenses 40 years of Porsche 911 ideas into one package
There’s more to the Pagani Utopia Roadster than its name suggests. Although it’s indeed a convertible variant of the Utopia, which made its debut in 2022 with a twin-turbo V12 and a seven-speed stick, it benefits from advanced weight-saving techniques and rides on talking tires.
While the roof-less versions of the Huayra and the Zonda were developed after the coupe models, the Utopia was designed with coupe and Roadster body styles from the get-go. The two models look pretty much alike from the rocker panels to the beltline, and both use butterfly-style doors. Above the beltline, the Roadster gets a look of its own characterized by a composite panel that integrates a window and roll hoops. It comes standard with a removable hardtop that can be placed on a stand and a removable soft top that can be folded and stored in a suitcase-shaped storage bag located behind the seats. Pagani notes it integrated a window into the hardtop to let light into the cabin.
Broadly speaking, a convertible weighs more than its coupe counterpart due to the reinforcements required to maintain structural rigidity. Pagani broke this rule: The Roadster tips the scale at 2,822 pounds, so it weighs exactly as much as the coupe. The company explains that it pulled this off by using no less than 40 formulas of weight-saving composite materials. Carbon fiber played a significant role, of course, but the brand also used Carbo-Titanium HP62-G2 and Carbo-Triax HP62. The monocoque was notably entirely redesigned for added rigidity.
Like the coupe, the Roadster is powered by a twin-turbocharged, 6.0-liter V12 built by Mercedes-AMG and rated at 864 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque. “No heavy batteries, no hybrid system, just the wonderful roar of a V12 engine,” the Italian company proudly points out. The 12-cylinder spins the rear wheels via a seven-speed manual transmission that’s linked to one of the coolest shifters we’ve seen in recent memory. Alternatively, an automatic transmission that can be controlled using a pair of steering wheel-mounted shift paddles is available.
Speaking of the steering wheel, look closely and you’ll notice it’s a work of art. Pagani starts by feeding a 94.8-pound block of metal to a five-axis milling machine that works continuously for 28 hours to make the part. That’s why the rim, the spokes, and the hub form one piece. The final part weighs just 3.5 pounds, and Pagani says the discarded 90 or so pounds are recycled in other industries rather than thrown away.
Pagani stresses that it will put a big focus on its customization program, which allows buyers to choose from a nearly endless selection of interior colors and materials. While coupe buyers can configure a one-of-a-kind as well, the company expects this service will be particularly popular among Roadster buyers because the interior will be easier to see. Additionally, every Utopia Roadster will come with two matching suitcases made with leather-upholstered carbon fiber. They’re designed to neatly slot into compartments on either side of the engine.
Cyber Tyre technology developed by Pirelli creates a link between the car and the road. These tires feature sensors on the inner part of the tread that communicates details about road conditions to the car’s driving aids, such as the ABS, the ESP, and the traction control system.
The Pagani Utopia Roadster will make its debut during Monterey Car Week in August 2024. Production is limited to 130 units (versus 99 examples for the coupe), and each one is priced at €3.1 million, which represents approximately $3.3 million at the current conversion rate.
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July 31, 2024 / Comments Off on Pagani Utopia Roadster keeps the stick and the V12, loses its top
Unlike the GT2, though, the MCXtrema is not designed to be used in any official racing series. Instead, it’s a race car built without boundaries for maximum performance. And of course, because it’s a race car, it’s not street-legal either.
What is it for then? Maserati claims the MCXtrema is meant for “purist collectors and for the loyal customers of the brand, who wish to add a new ‘toy’ to their garage that can swallow up the curbs of the most exciting tracks during private tests.”
Basically, just think of it as a millionaire’s toy to take out on the occasional weekend track day. It’s just for fun, not for any serious competition use. Since it’s not regulated by any specific racing series, Maserati pumped output all the way up to 730 horsepower from the twin-turbo Nettuno V6 engine. That’s 109 horsepower more than the road car and the GT2. Maserati didn’t go into detail about the aero and suspension package, but it sure does look as extreme as the name of the car makes it out to be.
Only 62 MCXtremas will be built, and from what we can tell, they’re already spoken for. We’re not sure how much one will cost either, but you’ll be able to see it in person at The Quail on the Monterey Peninsula today.
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August 18, 2023 / Comments Off on Maserati MCXtrema revealed as a track-only limited-production ‘toy’ at The Quail
Say hi to the McLaren Solus, a track-only supercar transformed from the virtual gaming world and into reality. McLaren just revealed this winged and wildly-shaped beast at Monterey Car Week in California — there will only be 25, and every last one of them is spoken for.
The most unique part of this McLaren is its powertrain, as it’s propelled by a unique 5.2-liter V10 (not a twin-turbo V8!). We didn’t see that one coming. McLaren says the engine makes 829 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque on its way to a redline somewhere above 10,000 rpm. It’s going to scream, and before you ask, McLaren makes clear that it’s nowhere near street legal. Claimed 0-62 mph acceleration is 2.5 seconds, and the top speed is simply listed as greater than 200 mph.
For the first time in any McLaren, the engine is an integral part of the chassis, removing the need for additional structures or subframes outside the car’s carbon fiber monocoque. The engine is hooked up to a bespoke 7-speed sequential shift gearbox with straight cut gears that you won’t find in any other McLaren, too. 3-D printed titanium is used throughout the car for items like the halo cockpit protection structure. The suspension is a double wishbone design with the front damping being inboard with a pushrod design. The rear suspension is mounted to the gearbox casing — yes, this is some serious stuff . It features 18-inch center-locking wheels, is fitted with LeMans Prototype spec tires and braking is handled by 6-piston monoblock calipers with carbon discs.
This Solus originally saw the light of day as a virtual gaming concept of a hypercar in the Gran Turismo Sport video game. Now, McLaren says it’s the closest thing it’s built to the sensation of driving a Formula 1 car. Curb weight is a miniscule 2,205 pounds, and all of that wild aero — including ground effect tunnels in the full structural floor — is capable of producing “more than” 2,645 pounds of downforce.
It’s a single seater with an aircraft style sliding canopy that opens, allowing you to pop in and out of the car. Each Solus will get a driving seat molded to the owner’s body shape, along with a full race suit, gear and racing coaching to go with. As you’d expect, the Solus can be customized in every way imaginable via McLaren’s MSO program. Deliveries are meant to start in 2023, and no price was provided by McLaren.
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August 19, 2022 / Comments Off on McLaren Solus screams into Monterey Car Week with 5.2L V10
Aston Martin has at least three treats planned for its “strongest-ever presence” at this month’s Pebble Beach shindig. Two are surprises, including a “very special, ultra-exclusive” vehicle that will celebrate the first decade of the company’s Q by Aston Martin personalization service. The department that turns individual taste into automotive reality has done something said to “encapsulate the brand’s winning track bloodline, with a nod to success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.” We don’t know what the model will be based on. Some muse it could be another limited-run special like the V12 Speedster DBR1. The cynic in us won’t be surprised to find a DBX with special colorways, leather embossing and checkered flag motifs resting on a northern California plinth.
The second surprise is a “high performance model” — as if Aston Martin makes anything else — that will go into series production, expected to be the V12 Vantage Roadster. The coupe dropped in March, a wild sendoff to the littlest 12-cylinder, front-engine sports car in the company’s lineup and the last Vantage to get the twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12. The note about series production wouldn’t mean unlimited production, though. There will be only 333 examples of the V12 Vantage, Roadster numbers could be even further restricted. Whatever it is, this one’s going to be revealed on Friday, August 19 at the English maker’s private Aston Martin Club 1913 that’s been relocated to provide a better view of the lawn during the Concours.
The final goody is an update on the progress of the Valhalla, the mid-engined hybrid supercar with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and three electric motors producing 937 hp and 738 lb-ft. We hear there will be a mockup of the revised interior that potential buyers will be able to sit in, experiencing the driver-focused, F1-like seating arrangements. Assuming nothing has changed since the Valhalla prototype exterior made its U.S. debut at last year’s Pebble Beach, the coupe will be limited to 999 examples, first deliveries planned for just two years from now.
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August 5, 2022 / Comments Off on Aston Martin bringing two surprises to Pebble Beach
With Monterey Car Week coming up, we’re entering the high season for high-dollar auctions. It was just last August when a 1995 McLaren F1 with just 242 miles on it set a record at the Gooding & Co. Pebble Beach auction, selling for just under $20.5 million all-in. And we all know that in the past year the price of used cars has skyrocketed (OK, that’s a joke, we’re talking about an F1 here). But seriously, what price will RM Sotheby’s secure for what it’s billing as a “one of one” F1 that’s headed for the block Aug. 18?
The “one of one” aspect has to do with the car’s headlight configuration. Sotheby’s says chassis 059 of the 64 road cars built was the only F1 to leave the factory with this slimmer headlight arrangement that was meant to increase output. The auction house says headlights were the F1’s Achilles heel: “In night-time driving, output of the stock headlights was noticeably poor, not something that one wants to contend with at 240 mph.” This car was intended to rectify that, with headlight internals borrowed from a BMW Z1. McLaren later fixed the problem in other F1s by swapping and improving lamps within the original headlight housing, but leaving this example as you see it today.
Now, is that enough to make this F1 truly unique? We’ll find out. The difference is subtle, if you compare it with last year’s sale, F1 No. 025, shown here:
The silver Sotheby’s F1 is a two-owner car. (The original buyer already owned F1 No. 017 but traded that one in for this car in April 1998; the second owner has had it for 10 years.) The car has less than 16,400 miles, which of course is a lot more than last year’s barely-even-sat-in example. Still, you don’t see one of these up for sale every day. Just, mostly, every August.
Almost as interesting as the car itself is how Sotheby’s plans to sell it. The F1 will be sold “alongside” the Monterey lots, but instead of public bidding, it will be open to sealed bids, somewhat along the lines of the Bring a Trailers and Cars & Bids of the world. Once you’ve submitted, the house’s sealed-bid site will let you know where you rank. Minimum accepted increments for bids on a car in this stratospheric price bracket will be $50,000. Bidding will take place for 48 hours starting at 4 p.m. PDT Aug. 18. All in all, it’s not quite as dramatic as a gaveled live auction — but then again, a lot can happen, and a lot of money can be brought to bear, in 48 hours.
We already published our article on the Automobili Pininfarina Battista making her dynamic debut on the streets of California only days before the start of Monterey Car Week, but it turned out this wasn’t the only Hyper GT Pininfarina was bringing to the US this time, they also unveiled the one of five Battista Anniversario for the first time to the public at The Quail and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Per Svantesson, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina, said: “The first production-specification Battista hit the ground running on its arrival in the US, not only with the overwhelmingly positive reactions from our clients, who were impressed by the exquisite and intricate detailing of the hyper GT, but quite literally as the car made its dynamic debut on the beautiful Californian roads. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved here in the US, honoring Pininfarina’s rich history, and Automobili Pininfarina’s bright, exciting future. We’re looking forward to making the first deliveries later this year, where our clients will enjoy the definitive expression of sustainability, luxury, and exclusivity.”
And while the normal production version of the Battista was already seen on the open road in California, the Black Exposed Signature Carbon body on this Hyper GT was combined with Impulso forged alloys and a stunning black leather with quilted Iconica Blu Alcantara on optional Pilota seats … and she looked amazing, but let’s emphasize the fact Automobili Pininfarina’s recently announced their bespoke personalization service, which will make sure no two Battista will be the same by the time they start delivering this amazing beauty.
During its stay in the United States, the Pininfarina Battista will be made available to a very select group of clients that can get a stint behind the steering wheel of this production-ready car, which is referenced to as the most powerful road-legal Italian car ever built both on track and on the road with 1,900hp.
While I personally love a clear carbon fiber body car like the Battista, I have to admit the bi-color tinted Furiosa Pack as seen on the limited edition Battista Anniversario looks amazing too, this pack comprises of a front splitter, side blades and rear diffuser, and surely drew a lot of attention during Monterey Car Week as a showcase of the modern interpretation and the result of Pininfarina’s heritage and innovation, this specific model was unveiled at the exclusive The Quail event and at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
As we all know, Automobili Pininfarina has a long history when it comes to designing cars, and lined up alongside the Battista were a number of stunning historic Pininfarina-designed icons to celebrate over 90 years of design heritage, and several of these cars took home the winning title during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The very nice and elegant looking, pre-war Italian 1938 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet took first place in the ‘Pinin Farina Prewar’ category, while a 1953 Lancia Aurelia Pinin Farina PF200 C Spider took the same honor in the ‘Pininfarina Postwar’ class with its iconic pronounced oval grille. There was a special ‘Pinin Farina Ferrari Early’ class that was won by a 1953 Ferrari 375 America Pinin Farina Coupe, while the 1966 Ferrari 365 P Pininfarina Berlinetta Speciale, Ferrari’s first mid-engined V12 presented by Pininfarina, took first place in the ‘Pininfarina Ferrari Late’ category, this latter was even listed as one of three ‘2021 Best of Show Nominees’.
August 23, 2021 / Comments Off on Magic at Monterey thanks to Automobili Pininfarina
Christian von Koenigsegg, CEO and Founder, was visibly happy to be able to bring his two latest masterpieces to California this year for the Monterey Car Week, he had the absolutely stunning Koenigsegg Jesko in her Absolut version with him, together with the mindblowing, four-seater Gemera … to be shown at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, but also on The Ramp at Pebble Beach and furthermore on the Concept Lawn at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The Jesko Absolut is the fastest hypercar made by Koenigsegg, they even confirmed they aren’t contemplating building a faster series-production car in the future, the Jesko Absolut will be their fastest ever, period. Clients have the option between the Jesko Absolut or a track-oriented Jesko version, also mentioned as being the ‘Attack’ variant. The first deliveries of the 1,600 bhp Jesko are set for the spring of 2022.
“I was overwhelmed by the extremely positive reaction the Jesko Absolut and Gemera received during our time in Monterey”, said CEO and Founder Christian von Koenigsegg. “It was gratifying to personally hear from people who have long followed our brand and our passion.”
But what really impressed visitors, press, owners, and possible prospects was the fact another five of these rare Koenigsegg were shown during Monterey Car Week, one of them being the beautiful CCR, which happened to be in the United States of America for the first time ever, joining the trio of baffling hypercars were customer car from the US Koenigsegg Ghost Squadron, a CCX, the Agera FE, a Regera, and the intimidating Agera RS.
At this time the Koenigsegg Gemera is still a concept car, production isn’t planned before 2023, and it is introduced as the world’s first MEGA-GT, this is an ultra-high performance hypercar that can seat four people and take their luggage with it at the same time … and it still shows those traditional Koenigsegg dihedral synchro-helix actuation doors to access the spacious cabin.
Power comes from a 2-Liter 3-cylinder engine, developed by Koenigsegg and its sister company, Freevalve, this ‘Tiny Friendly Giant’ is future-proofed given its extreme performance, reduced fuel consumption and lowered emissions, and it can run on second-generation CO2 neutral renewable fuels, but the Gemera is a Hybrid, adding 3 electric motors, one on each of the rear wheels, and an additional one on the crankshaft, boasting a 50 km (31 mi) electric range, total power output is a massive 1,700 hp.
August 19, 2021 / Comments Off on Koenigsegg impresses during Monterey Car Week
Monterey Car Week is all about celebrating motoring, in whatever form it takes. There was the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for the art that is the automobile. There was the Monterey Motorsports Reunion to see multiple classic race cars attack the track at Laguna Seca.
However, the biggest news of the week comes from the other half of Pebble Beach that was used for Car Week, the auction block. With the owner represented by renowned auction house Gooding & Company, a very rare McLaren F1 crossed the block.
The McLaren F1 is what happened when a revolutionary Formula 1 engineer and designer was given an unlimited budget to develop, quite simply, the world’s greatest supercar. Gordon Murray, that engineer, took four years to design, prototype, evolve and finally build the supercar. He set the strictest of power and weight requirements, was not satisfied until every millimeter of every dimension on the car was perfect, and was still not 100% satisfied with the end result.
The engine bay is lined with gold foil, as it is the world’s best heat reflector. The stabilizer spar across the engine bay is carved from a single block of titanium.
The S70/2 V12 engine required the expertise of BMW to make it as light as possible while also being as powerful as possible. The only engine ever since the F1 that required so much careful and technical development is the V10 that sits under the hood of the Lexus LFA.
Released in 1992, the McLaren F1 was the first car to ever cost $1 Million USD from the factory. Every part except the lightbulbs in the tail lights was bespoke and built only for the F1. It took the concept of a special edition or limited edition supercar and turned it on its head. Those that had come before, such as the Ferrari F40 and the Porsche 959, were all exceptional cars, but the Mclaren F1 was the one that broke the mold when it came to the absolute definition of a supercar, and it is still the measuring stick to this day.
It should be no surprise, then, that chassis number 029, one of only 64 ever built, started bidding already in the millions, and it quickly went up over $10 million.
Only 387 original miles… the engine isn’t even broken in!
The reasoning for this is that while it is a later model in the grand scheme of McLaren F1’s, this is perhaps the lowest mileage F1 ever sold. Technically, in 27 years, it has not even finished its engine break-in, as it has just 387 miles on the clock.
The original owner also bought the optional Facom Tool Cart that has a full set of wrenches and other tools to maintain a McLaren F1, often used by the McLaren technician that would be flown out to your car to perform services.
1995 McLaren F1 Facom optional tool cart specific for the car
The original owner also took the full leather luggage set in tan cowhide and even sprung for the handmade, bespoke to the car TAG Heuer 6000 McLaren F1 watch, which is still working perfectly.
1995 McLaren F1 full cowhide leather luggage kit
With such a collection of the options that one could specify for the car, it was no surprise when the bidding hit $15 million USD.
1995 McLaren F1 TAG Heuer 6000 McLaren F1 owners edition watch
Eyebrows started to raise, however, when it started to approach $20 million. Only ten cars have ever broken $20 million USD (adjusted to the time of their sale) at auction, and two of those are Ferrari 250 GTOs.
Le Mans style pedals for the ultimate supercar
Breaching $20 million would place chassis 029 as the 11th most expensive car ever sold at auction, and that record was reached after much deliberations between three of the remaining bidders.
Only two kept bidding, and the final competitive bid was $20,500,000 USD.
This number puts this 1995 McLaren F1, chassis #029, built in January of that year, into tenth place on the list of the most expensive cars ever sold at auction, pushing out a 1955 Jaguar D-Type Le Mans race car that sold for $20.3 million USD (adjusted) in 2016 .
It was also the most expensive car sold at Pebble Beach for the entirety of the 2021 Monterey Car Week, and if any car deserves to take that
August 17, 2021 / Comments Off on 1995 McLaren F1 Sold At Monterey Car Week Joins Elite Top 10
The 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is over, and we have all the photos you might want to see from the overcast affair. And in case you missed the news, the winner was the 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Autobahnkurier.
That said, the gallery above features the wide range of cars sitting on the Sunday lawn. You’ll see a little bit of everything from a gaggle of Porsche 917 racecars to Lamborghini Countachs and the most exotic new supercars of 2021. Plus, there’s no shortage of pre-war classics if you came here for the traditional old guard.
In case you wanted to see action beyond the Pebble Beach Concours, we’ve got you covered there, too. The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering happened the day previous, and there’s an entire gallery’s worth of cars to check out in that post, too. So go ahead and sit back with your morning cup of joe and enjoy the pretty sights. We can guarantee it’ll be worth the scroll through above.
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August 16, 2021 / Comments Off on 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Mega Gallery | Take a tour of the show
I don’t think any customer has already received his (or her) Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar yet, but deliveries should start imminently as prototypes have been seen on the open road, some have been able to be a passenger in Aston Martin’s first hypercar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Hill Climb, and apparently, demand for this 1,160 hp F1 car for public roads has succeeded availability tremendously, despite the price tag between £2m and £3m (about $2.46 million to $3.69 million), all 150 units are long sold out.
And that’s just for the Valkyrie road car, remember there will also be another 40 units of the Valkyrie AMR Pro track-only version, and thanks to demand, Aston Martin now unveils the Valkyrie Spider … open-top motoring at its best, this time, limited to 85 units in total, and according to the official press release from Aston Martin, these are already are over-subscribed and allocations will only begin shortly, available in both left and right-hand drive version, the first deliveries scheduled for H2 2022 but it seems not all that have put their name down will eventually receive this amazing hybrid hypercar.
This amazing looking Valkyrie Spider has been developed from the coupe version, taking unique engineering solutions by combining the talents of both Aston Martin themselves and Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT), the engine is still the same 1,160 hp hybrid unit, combining 1,000 hp from the Cosworth developed 6.5-Liter V12 engine with 160 hp from the KERS-style hybrid system, using a 12-in-1 exhaust design, the Valkyrie’s soundtrack is reminiscent of a 90s F1 race car.
These days the roof is an integral part of the body structure and supplies overall rigidity, removing it isn’t as clear cut as it sounds, for the Valkyrie Spider this meant a modification of the carbon fiber structure, and that also implied a total recalibration of the active chassis, and the impressive active aerodynamic parts on the Valkyrie to make sure removing the roof didn’t compromise the overall experience, and more importantly … performance.
Thanks to a lot of development and slight modifications between the Valkyrie and the new Valkyrie Spider, Aston Martin managed to keep the weight gain on the Spider to a strict minimum … the result is still a top speed in excess of 350 km/h with the roof in place while driving topless will still get you over 330 km/h … all while sitting nearly in the center of the car, fixed in place by a six-point safety harness.
Even the entire removable roof system is special, consisting of a central panel made from carbon fiber that contains the hinges for the two panels above the occupants, all of these panels can be removed once the doors open, and stowed in their dedicated sections, carefully cut into the new carbon fiber structure … due to the lack of a roof, the gullwing doors from the coupe had to be redesigned into front-hinged dihedral doors, bespoke to the Valkyrie Spider.
The brand new Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider will be shown during the upcoming Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey, California, from 12 August 15 August 2021, but getting into the VIP section holding this amazing roofless hypercar will be by invitation only … no information in pricing either, by the way.
August 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Valkyrie Spider, an F1 for the road
The Lotus Emira, the last fuel-burning car from Lotus made its dynamic debut during the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK a few weeks ago, this time it’s the US introduction of this amazing car to be held during Monterey Car Week in California. The main event for Lotus will occur at The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering, while the Emira will make her dynamic debut at the legendary Laguna Seca Raceway for a very special celebrity track day.
But it will be the all-electric hypercar from Lotus, the Evija, to take center stage in California in a brand new color scheme of yellow with accents, inspired by the iconic Lotus Type 99T that competed in the 1987 Formula One championship with none other than Ayrton Senna behind the wheel, taking the victory at the 1987 Detroit Grand Prix.
This will not be the first time the Lotus Evija is shown during Monterey Car Week, a few weeks after being unveiled back in July 2019, the first event of the world tour the Evija undertook in 2019 was the California Car Week, after that this prototype was taken all over the world, from Japan to China and later on to the Middle East.
For this 2021 stint to the United States, the Lotus Evija had a jam-packed agenda even before heading to Monterey, this new all-electric supercar also attended the world premiere of the Radford 62-2 at the Lyon Air Museum, Santa Ana, the Radford 62-2 is limited to just 62 examples, and is a recreation of the Lotus Type 62 built using current Lotus technology.
Before taking center stage at The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering at Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel Valley, the bright yellow Lotus Evija will be admired during private VIP events for those that have already put down money to obtain this 2,000 PS supercar and to gather even more possible clients for this amazing car.
August 10, 2021 / Comments Off on Lotus comes to Monterey Car Week
Our photographer Philipp Lucke, caught the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance 2018 in action on Thursday last week. The cars travel a 70 mile round trip from and to The Lodge at Pebble Beach. The route presents a major challenge for some of the cars, especially those that approach their centenary.
From Pebble Beach, the route takes the competitors out to the hills east of Carmel. It then heads onto the historic Highway 1 towards Big Sur before returning to Carmel for lunch. The competitors then travel on to Pebble Beach where they spend the next two days cleaning and preparing their cars for the competition on Sunday.
Pebble Beach Tour de Elegance 2018
This year’s tour was a stunning spectacle. The entrants included an incredibly rare 1967 Ferrari 206 S Dino Drogo Spyder, a 1966 Ford GT40 Mark IIB Coupe and a 1955 Maserati A6GCS Frua Spyder. All three, thoroughbred road-legal race cars. Our favourite from this year’s batch was a Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa. The car with perhaps the biggest chance of winning the overall event this year is the 1937 Cadillac V16 Hartmann Cabriolet
For the competitors at Pebble Beach, the Tour is an important aspect of the event. Should two cars be in the running for the same award and a points tie occur, the jury will typically give the advantage to the car that was driven on the tour.
August 26, 2018 / Comments Off on In Photos: Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance 2018
Seven years after the concept made its debut at Pebble Beach, the production SSC Tuatara is finally here. And, impressively, it seems to deliver on exactly what was promised with the concept, from the exterior to the engine specs. The body looks nearly identical to that initial shape designed by Jason Castriota, the man behind the Bertone Mantide, Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina and the Saab PhoeniX concept. It has the jet-fighter cockpit, rocket-like nose, and winglets at the back that could make a ’59 Cadillac jealous. The company claims it’s seriously slippery, too, with a coefficient of drag of 0.276, which the company also points out is slicker than the Bugatti Chiron, Koenigsegg Agera and Hennessey Venom F5. The only major change seems to be at the back, which features substantially more open grille-work, perhaps to cool the monstrous engine underneath.
The engine is a twin-turbocharged V8 with a displacement of 5.9 liters that Shelby Supercars co-developed with Nelson Racing Engines, a company that specializes in high-performance versions of GM, Ford and Mopar V8s. The turbos feed into dual water-to-air intercoolers, and fuel comes via pairs of injectors to each cylinder. The engine also features a flat-plane crank that likely helps it reach its screaming 8,800 rpm redline. Two power ratings are quoted for the engine. The first of 1,350 horsepower is the same as what the company quoted back in 2011, and it is achieved on 91 octane gasoline. The other is a shocking 1,750 horsepower, which is available when using E85 ethanol. Power goes to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automated sequential manual transmission.
We imagine a top speed run isn’t too far into the future, since the company says it’s ready to begin producing the Tuatara at its facility in West Richland, Wash. It’s also taking pre-orders right now for what will be a much larger production run than initially planned. Originally, SSC planned on building just up to 40 examples, but it will now build 100. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the company said the car would probably cost a bit over $1 million back in 2011. That may be higher now that seven years of inflation and such have passed.
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August 26, 2018 / Comments Off on SSC Tuatara revealed with up to 1,750 horsepower, with 300 mph record in mind
Ferrari says it is the 50th convertible in company history and has the lowest weight-power ratio yet in a droptop at 1.92 kg/cv (or about 4.22 pounds per horsepower). That equation is helped in no small part by 710 horsepower, driving a car with a dry weight of just 3,036 pounds — it’s that slight if you’ve checked all the boxes for lightweighting options, that is. That’s about 200 pounds more than the coupe, but Ferrari says this car still does 0-to-62 in 2.85 seconds and has the same 211 mph top speed.
Ferrari says it maintained the aerodynamics of the coupe, and the convertible also shares the coupe’s lightweighting from gobs of carbon fiber and simplification. The driver’s door handle is a mere strap.
This species of Spider can be identified by a central stripe down its back, which, Ferrari says in its announcement, “recalls the movement of the airflow and exalts the lines of the car.” The blue stripes over a white body also happen to be traditional racing colors of the United States, another nod to the car’s debut site and America’s love of convertibles.
Assisting the car’s at-the-limits driving dynamics is a new lateral control system called the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer. The Spider has 20-inch diamond-finish alloy wheels with berlinetta rims, though you can opt for one-piece carbon-fiber wheels offering a 20 percent weight reduction.
No mention of whether the 488 Pista Spider will enter production, but Ferrari notes the popularity of its droptops in the U.S., so we’re going to assume it’s happening. And if Lamborghini can do a droptop version of its hardcore Huracan Performante, why shouldn’t Ferrari with the Pista?
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August 26, 2018 / Comments Off on Ferrari 488 Pista Spider drops its top in the sun at Pebble Beach
From Pebble Beach to The Quail to Laguna Seca to Carmel, Monterey Car Week as usual has offered a wealth — and wealth certainly is the operative word — of sumptuous, fabulous vehicles. Here is our gallery of galleries, with links to our coverage, as an overview to the event.
Lamborghini have officially released details of their long await Aventador SVJ. The release comes at the start of Monterey Car Week 2018 and off the back of news that it broke the Nürburgring-Nordschleife lap record for production cars. What’s more, a special edition version will be available of this special edition supercar!
The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ will make its debut today at “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering”. The Aventador SVJ, uses the traditional SV badging, adding the ‘Jota’ suffix. A special edition version, named SVJ 63, is also set to be unveiled on the concept lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It pays homage to Lamborghini’s founding year of 1963 and will be replicated just 63 times.
Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
The newest generation of Lamborghini’s V12 powered Aventador will be available in a limited edition run of 900 copies. Each will come fitted with a 770 hp naturally aspirated V12 engine producing 720 Nm of torque. Dry weight is reduced to 1,525 kg which will allow a 100 km/h sprint in 2.8 seconds and a 200 km/h sprint in just 8.6 seconds. Top speed is comfortably above 350 km/h.
Compared to the older Aventador SV, the SVJ gets a 40% improvement on downforce at both axles with an improved drag coefficient. Lamborghini have acheived this will a new front bumper incorporating side fins. The biggest improvement is achieved through the Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva (ALA) system. The upper body optimisation alone contributes to 70% of the downforce improvements.
You will notice bigger side air intakes and a new front side fin. There is improved underbody aero with vortex generators which work in conjunction with front diffusers and the extreme-design rear diffuser. The rear wing emulates the Lamborghini Veneno in design and the side winglets have been optimised to reduce turbulence. The exhaust system saves a significant amount of weight.
Lamborghini’s new ALA system ‘Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva 2.0’ is its most advanced yet. It features new optimized air inlets and aero channel designs together with bespoke calibrations.
The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ gets a new titanium intake valve, a modified intake cylinder head duct and an optimized seven-speed Independent Shifting Road (ISR) gearbox. It’s suspension is reworked with a 50% improved anti-roll bar and 15% higher damping force range. The SVJ also features Lamborghini’s rear-wheel steering (LRS) and four-wheel drive system.
Lamborghini’s driving modes, Strada, Sport and Corsa, are joined by an EGO option allowing custom setups. The Navigation System and Infotainment System include AppleCarPlay together with a Lamborghini telemetry system as an optional extra.
The first customers will take delivery of the new Lamborghini Aventador SVJ at the beginning of 2019. In Europe, it will cost 349,116 euros net of tax.
August 24, 2018 / Comments Off on Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Officially Revealed
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 on Lamborghini Aventador SVJ is a V12-powered carbon fiber flagship
