All posts in “Special and Limited Editions”

Alfa Romeo teases 6C supercar taillight

Alfa Romeo’s latest reboot takes its next steps this year with the arrival of the refreshed Giulia and Stelvio to the U.S. market, and the debut of the new Tonale. The Italians primed the pump with an Instagram video celebrating 2022 and asking if we’re ready for 2023. At the end of the vid, Alfa Romeo answers its own question with, “We Are.” And as it’s clear to see, the first “e” is a brand new font we’ve not seen Alfa use before. Everyone expects this is a taillight from the supercar that brand chief Jean-Philippe Imperato starting hinting about last year, intel coalescing around the name 6C. If that ends up being the name, the new supercar would complete the trilogy of 2007’s 8C and 2015’s 4C.

If Evo can be believed, the 6C will borrow much of its tech spec from the Maserati MC20. Even more unexpected, Evo says Alfa Romeo will advertise the halo as a bridge between its internal combustion era and its electric era, so the supercar will be offered with ICE and EV powertrains. An electric MC20 is on the way, so the plan won’t be a tough jump. The most unexpected bit is when Evo says the Alfa Romeo supercar will use Maserati’s in-house Nettuno V6 designed for the MC20, whereas most believe Alfa plans to go with the 2.9-liter V6 used throughout its lineup and in other halos like the Giula GTA/Am. If Evo is correct, this is sounding like another 8C, that car based on the Maserati GranTurismo and using Maserati’s Ferrari-based engine of the time. 

It’s a bit of a challenge to reconcile Evo’s report with some aspects of what Imperato said in an interview with Autocar. The honcho told Autocar, “It’s 1969 [the Spider] since the last time Alfa Romeo was stamped on a chassis” and it would be “a cool thing” to see again under his watch. We don’t envision that happening to the Dallara carbon fiber monocoque chassis designed for the MC20. Imperato also said the automaker’s still fine tuning the business case and that “the positioning is ongoing.” If Alfa Romeo were nabbing the $260,000 MC20 practically wholesale, the only positions are super spendy supercar and wildly spendy supercar. Lastly, the all-electric MC20 Folgore isn’t expected until 2024, the Alfa supercar at the end of 2023. It’s hardly believable Alfa Romeo would be allowed to electrify that chassis before Maserati had a chance to get it out and crow about it.  

Whatever Alfa’s new halo ends up being, Imperarto said he’d like to tell the world about it in March. 

Back with the regular range, Autocar said that from this year, every year that Alfa posts good numbers will unlock the ability to introduce a new model on top of the ones already planned through 2027. The current product plan includes the crossover below the Tonale in 2024, otherwise known as Alfa’s version of the European-market Jeep Avenger, as well as a larger SUV thought to replace the Stelvio in 2026. and a new-generation Giulia in 2025. For the boss, annual success means the chance to please Alfisti with products like a new Spider or Duetto — although they’d be all-electric. 

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McMurtry Speirling blitzes the (metric) quarter-mile in 7.97 seconds

In August, the McMurtry Automotive Spéirling set a new overall record up the 1.16-mile hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with a time of 39.14 seconds. McMurtry took that Goodwood car in its Goodwood spec to one of Carwow’s open-air studios, this one at the Millbrook Proving Ground, so the YouTube channel could climb all over the single-seater and run its trademark acceleration tests. The Millbrook runs yielded a 0-60 run of 2.09 seconds and a standing quarter-mile time of 8.64 seconds using an independent GPS measurement device. But the strip was wet, leaving presenter Mat Watson unsatisfied. To get his satisfaction, Carwow transported the Speirling to the Silverstone circuit, hiring the track and a jet-powered dryer truck to lay a grippy line down the Hangar Straight. Those finer conditions allowed the Speirling, in the video above, to blitz the 0-60 in 1.4 seconds and the quarter-mile in 7.97 seconds.

Those are both record times for Carwow, displacing the Rimac Nevera from first place. Watson previously ran the Croatian battery-electric hypercar to 60 miles per hour in 1.9 seconds and the quarter in 8.6 seconds. The Pininfarina Battista claimed the production-car record for 0-60 acceleration at 1.79 seconds. 

There’s a few hundredths worth of gray area in the comparison for now. The Nevera is a production car, the Speirling most definitely is not. McMurtry is developing a road-legal production version that’s likely a couple of years away. Watson set his Speirling times with the fan car’s custom slick tires, the rear pushers being 240-section. So far as we can tell, the all-wheel drive Nevera travels the world setting times on its production tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, 275-section in front, 315-section in back.

The Speirling’s waiting to spring a big surprise, though, since its Goodwood gearing limits top speed to 150 mph. Watson said the Speirling sat at 150 mph for “approximately three seconds” of that blazing quarter-mile time. Fyi, the English quarter-mile is 400 meters, or 1,312.3 feet compared to our 1,320-foot quarter-mile. At 150 mph, it would take the Speirling about another 0.04 second to do the U.S.A. drag. Drag Times ran the Nevera to an 8.582 quarter on a prepped track in the U.S. in August. 

Although we wouldn’t expect a different finishing order than Carwow established, getting the street-legal Speirling and a Nevera on the same track on the same day on production tires would tell us how close the two cars are. 

Before the runs, Watson gets instruction in the Speirling’s methods from chief engineer Kevin Ukoko-Rongione and company test driver Max Chilton. For instance, two fans provide the roughly 4,400 pounds of downforce, but it’s a redundant system; Ukoko-Rongione said that although both fans runs together, a single fan can provide most of the car’s downforce. It’s worth watching the buildup because this is a fascinating car.  

Zenvo TSR-GT ends the TSR range with a 263-mph top speed

The Danes aren’t known for being flashy, which helps explain how Danish supercar maker Zenvo has been building and selling 1,000-horsepower, million-dollar coupes since the ST1 in 2008. Zenvo introduced the latest evolution of its single product in 2016, the TSR. Next year, the TSR will be replaced by an all-new model, so the company developed an end-of-life special called the TSR-GT to mark the milestone. The TSR-GT joins the TS1 GT and TSR-S trims on the same base platform, the last of which we saw in 2018 showing off its highly unconventional Centripetal Wing. The TSR-GT makes no unexpected gestures, its remit to be fast and comfortable (for a hypercar).

The first step in the achievement is more horsepower. In-house engineers developed a Power Pack for the 5.8-liter twin-supercharged flat-plane-crank V8 consisting of a new intake plenum, manifold, and ECU tuning. Upgraded with a flex fuel sensor that adds E85 capability on top of regular pump fuel, output climbs from 1,177 horsepower to 1,360 hp. 

Cutting through the air is easier thanks to the lack of a roof scoop intake, a longer, lower, fixed rear spoiler, and new aero wheel covers. Working in conjunction with the new final drive so the TSR-GT can stretch its legs further, top speed climbs from the 202 miles per hour of the TSR-S to 263 mph. That’s a little faster than the 250-mph McLaren Speedtail, a little behind the 273-mph Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+.

Interior comfort — as if any owner’s going to drive this like the GT in the name suggests — steps up by having leather replace naked carbon and Alcantara in places like the instrument panel, seats and steering wheel, finished with leather-trimmed velour floor mats that help reduce cabin noise. 

Zenvo’s making just three TSR-GT’s, all of them sold. Whatever arrives to replace it next year is rumored to used a twin-turbo V12 and electric motors producing a combined 1,800 horsepower.

2023 Audi R8 to be the 17th and last year for the super coupe

In October, Audi introduced us to the final special edition for the R8, the 2023 Audi R8 V10 GT RWD. This was the second coming of the GT name to the Audi lineup, following the 2012 Audi R8 V10 GT. Audi limited the previous car to 333 coupes and 333 Spyders. The new GT will only get 333 coupes, R8 technical manager Nils Fischer telling CarBuzz there isn’t enough overall R8 production left to squeeze in a Spyder. The Ingolstadt automaker figures to build about 2,000 R8s at for the 2023 model year, then the R8 is dead after two generations and 17 years on the market. As it stands, there’s no successor anywhere near ready to go. Fischer told Car and Driver the details of a next-gen car are still being sorted out.

The consensus has been there’s something electric headed for the top spot. Audi produced a very short lived electric R8 E-Tron with the second-gen R8, selling just 100 examples in a year before pulling the plug. As EVs became the thing, rumors of another electric R8 persisted. Sometimes the rumors were spun from conceptual cloth, like then when Audi showed the PB18 E-Tron Concept in 2018. Sometimes these were spun from unnamed insiders, like the 2019 prediction that there would be an R8 E-Tron GTR based on the Porsche Taycan’s platform. Sometimes they came from executive statements, like when a brand VIP told Automotive News in 2021 an R8 EV “won’t just be an R8 with an electric motor,” it would be, rather, “an R8 but different.” And sometimes whispers from “Audi insiders” got the rumor spigot going again, like when Autocar wrote in September of this year that “the supercar has not yet been officially signed off but is very much underway” and won’t be called R8 nor look like the R8, and when Car and Driver wrote a month later the car is codenamed Rnext and has been pushed back to 2029.

Even the powertrain is up in the air, apparently, thanks to the European Union leaving a door open to synthetic fuels for now. An Audi project manager has already said he believes the ICE could survive past 2030 in Europe. On top of this, all the shuffling going on at the VW group with respect to personnel, platforms, software, and tentpole product initiatives like Project Trinity tend to reduce visibility to just beyond arm’s length. The only sound bet is that there will be something to occupy the halo spot sometime before the end of the decade. 

Meanwhile, start saving your Christmas card money. The Audi R8 V10 Performance RWD starts at about $162,000 in the U.S., and it’s going, going, almost gone.

1,204-hp Hennessey Venom 1200 is the new kingsnake

In 2019, Texas tuner Hennessey Performance did some open heart surgery on a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, swapping the supercharger on the Mustang’s 5.2-liter Predator engine for two turbochargers. The result waved a fast goodbye to the GT500’s stock 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. Available in two outputs and called the Venom 1000 or Venom 1200, the latter made 1,200 hp at 7,000 rpm and 1,000 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. You know what they say about one good turn, so say hello again to the Venom 1000 and Venom 1200, this time with one (really big) screw instead of two compressors. Hennessey removed the 2.65-liter supercharger from the stock GT500, laying in a 3.8-liter unit. Final specs for the bigger boy are 1,204 hp at 7,600 rpm and 902 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm.

Engineers breathed on the drivetrain from the intake to the exhaust. There’s a new high-flow induction system and intercooler, upgraded belts, fittings, lines, and tensioners, an air/oil separation system and a recalibrated dual-clutch transmission to swallow all that extra oomph. Of course, new anodized billet fuel rails and injectors convey a lot more fuel from tank to nozzle. Speaking of which, the new Venoms can run on pump gas; however, the 1200 will only corral 900 horses on basic premium. They need E85 to get out the whole herd. 

The Venom 1200 conversion costs $59,950 on top of the price of a new GT500, a dealer showroom GT500 starting at $80,815 before options and all the rest. The previous Venoms weren’t capped, but the reboots are, Hennessey saying there will be just 66 of them, the number tied to Ford winning the 1966 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Customers who want to make that connection public can check the box for the livery in black, red and white for $4,950. It honors the Ford GT40 Mk II that won the French race. We can’t exactly call these prices a bargain, but they’re a lot less than a similar rework Shelby American’s done to the GT500 and called the Code Red. Going the twin-turbo route, the Code Red makes 1,300 hp and 1,000 lb-ft on E85, or 1,000 hp and 780 lb-ft on pump gas. There are only 30 of them, ten a year for three model years, making them more than twice as exclusive as the Venom 1200. They’re also more than twice as costly, the stewards of Carroll Shelby’s legacy charging $209,995 for the Code Red, which doesn’t include the donor coupe. But the Code Red is sold out, making the Venom 1200 the kingsnake for now.

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Ultra-rare Nissan GTR-50 is up for sale in Canada

Occasionally, a super-weird concept car or rare one-off coach-built model will cross an auction block or sales listing. Their off-the-wall designs and futuristic shapes look cool, but concepts aren’t always drivable. A few years back, Nissan pulled back the curtain on its GT-R50 concept, a coach-built GT-R designed by Italdesign. Instead of the one-off concept going up for sale, the car you see here is one of 50 units Nissan/Italdesign built for the road.

This GTR-50 is offered by Legendary Motorcar in Ontario, Canada. It’s number 11 of the planned 50, though the seller notes that only 19 have been built. Nissan didn’t close the order books until July of this year but hasn’t confirmed the production totals or the number of customer sales.

The GTR-50 was a 50th birthday celebration for the GT-R nameplate and Italdesign, the shop responsible for penning the concept. People became so enamored with the car that Nissan agreed to build a limited run of 50 units. Though it’s immediately recognizable as a GT-R, the GTR-50 is a sleeker coach-built car with more interesting lines and a funky optional rear hydraulic wing.

Nissan modified the car’s twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine with turbochargers from a GT-R GT3 car and massaged the internals with beefier pistons, a new crankshaft, and more. Those updates boosted output from the standard car’s 565 ponies (2021 model) to 710 horsepower. Torque climbed to 585 pound-feet, almost 100 more than the standard car, and Nissan updated the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox to handle the power.

Legendary Motorcar didn’t publish pricing for the GT-R50, but it’s a safe bet that it will sell for far more than the vast majority of people can afford. The 50 cars Nissan sold carried a starting price of around $1.1 million, and this car’s odometer still shows delivery mileage. Given the recent excitement (and money) surrounding other rare car sales, this one could be quite a shocker.

Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae Roadster ends non-hybrid V12 production

To quote Hall & Oates: “She’s gone,” the “she” here being the Lamborghini Aventador. The last of the scissor-doored supercars with a naturally-aspirated V12 rolled off the line in LP 780-4 Ultimae Roadster form colored an Ad Personam light blue, headed for a quiet life in Switzerland. That also closed the chapter on the 350 coupes and 250 roadsters made in Ultimae spec. This is a belated end-of-life, the Italian concern restarting production lines after 85 Lamborghinis, 15 of them Aventador Ultimaes destined for the U.S. market, got torched on the cargo ship Felicity Ace in March of this year. The final tally for the latest V12 spreadsheet counts 11,465 cars delivered in 11 years, more than doubling the entire sales count of its predecessor, the Murcielago, and exceeding the combined sales of every one of Lamborghini’s V12 models since the 3.5-liter V12 in the 350 GT in 1964. 

What began with the 6.5-liter 12-cylinder with 691-horsepower and 509 pound-feet of torque in 2022 ended with that engine making 760 hp and 531 lb-ft in the Ultimae. The official 0-to-62 mile per hour dash came down a tenth of a second in that time, depending on where you look, from 2.9 seconds to 2.8. Top speed rose from 217 mph to 220. Plenty fast then, plenty fast now. Between those yardposts there have been more than 10 one-offs and limited editions. The former group includes the Jota, SVJ Xago, and the SC18 Alston track car. The latter group counts the Anniversario, Veneno, Centenario, and Sian FKP 37. There were also innovations like the enclosed carbon fiber monocoque supported by “flying doctors” that traveled the world to help diagnose and repair damage that benefited owners. There was the pushrod suspension that turned a heavyweight into a flickable canyon runner, benefiting all drivers. There was the Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) single-shift transmission, which Lamborghini says was “chosen for lightweight compactness and the most emotive shift.” Given its tidal shifting motion and occasionally clumsy changes under partial throttle or when trying to figure out what the driver wanted in changing conditions, we never figured out who that benefited.

What comes next will be a hybrid V12 powertrain wrapped in looks that, based on spy shots, will evolve the latest design language with details like new lights, bladed B-pillars, and high-rise exhaust. Shouldn’t be long to wait now. But no matter what comes, to paraphrase Hall & Oates on the Aventador again: There can never be what she was to us.

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Ferrari SP51 is a V12 roadster with gorgeous paint based on the 812 GTS Spider

Ferrari says it spends an average of two years on its one-off Special Project cars such as the SP48 Unica from earlier this year, which was based on the F8 Tributo. Here’s another before the year is out, the SP51 that rides on the bones of the 812 GTS convertible. A Taiwan-based client and collector had the idea and the funds to make it happen, working with the Ferrari Styling Center on a highly advanced and proper roofless roadster that nods to historical Ferrari roadsters as well. A reshaped front fascia houses a black, carbon fiber insert below smaller headlights. Another large section of exposed carbon fiber piece below the windshield reaches forward to the hood vents, framing the center of the hood. Along the flanks, the 812’s upswept sculpting is redirected, scalloped sides rising gently to the middle of the door then descending toward the rear wheels. Above that, a pair of flying-buttress-like cowls help shape the dark lines of rear intakes behind the cabin. A carbon fiber wing runs across the car above the cowls, concealing the roll hoops.

A custom set of rims are set off by carbon fiber wing profiles in the front fenders. In back, the quad taillights peek out from below the decklid spoiler and above the deep, layered diffuser. Ferrari said it took a heap of “CFD simulations, wind tunnel and dynamic testing” in order to imbue the “ultimate in comfort in the cabin, but also the same standard of acoustic comfort and wind feel as the car that inspired it.”

That color seen outside and in is Rosso Passionale, a custom hue applied in three layers. The blue and white stripes running over the body and through the cabin pay tribute to the blue and white livery inspired by a 1955 Ferrari 410 S, an early race car powered by a 5.0-liter V12. A 410 S with chassis number 0592CM shows off that paint scheme, the roadster driven by Carroll Shelby to wins in Palm Springs the year it was delivered to owner Tony Parravano.

The cabin continues the blue and red theme, with Rosso Passionale offset by blue striping and white cross stitching on the instrument panel lower, seats, center tunnel, and doors. It can’t be bought so the price doesn’t matter, making the only real question: Would you have this, or the Ferrari Special Projects roadster from 2014, the F12 TRS

Delage D12 gets two new open-top treatments, Speedster and F1

Delage spent a long, hot American summer showing its D12 to local audiences. The reborn French brand wants to sell nine cars here and one in Canada, and it seems the job is nearly done, with CEO Laurent Tapie saying seven of the U.S. offerings have been spoken for. Unlike in other parts of the world, American owners will need to import their cars under the Show and Display exemption. Tapie said his company has already starting filling out the forms on behalf of future owners that will compel their D12s to be driven no more than 2,500 miles per year and to be stored in secure locations when not in use. We suspect those prohibitions won’t be difficult for any supercar owner to obey.

It’s possible that Delage’s stirring up the model mix helped move a few more cars. We knew there would be GT and Club versions, a 7.6-liter naturally aspirated V12 sitting behind the tandem cockpit in both. In the 3,086-pound GT, it makes 990 horsepower by itself and is aided by a 110-hp electric motor, sending the combined 1,100 hp through an eight-speed single-clutch automatic to the rear wheels. The Club’s electric motor only adds 20 horses, but the Clubsport is 200 pounds lighter than the GT and faster around a track, its e-motor for street driving, reversing, and parking. A more relevant stat for the Cars and Coffee crowd is a claimed 0-to-60 mph time of 2.4 seconds thanks in part to carbon fiber wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber.

The new variation is that the roof can come in three treatments. There’s the standard coupe that’s been shown, joined by two open-top versions. The D12 Speedster turns into a targa, losing the portion of its roof aft of the windshield. The D12 F1 option (pictured) sheds even that full windshield, making do with a wind deflector and a fancy helmet, which will be required when driving. Those options cost $190,000 apiece, but they are modular, so they can be bundled for the low, low price of $260,000. 

Delage still plans on production commencing before the end of this year, deliveries to start in the last quarter of next year. Each of the 30 examples Delage will make for global consumption will cost €2 million ($1.94M U.S.). It’s possible that before delivery, Delage will make the Nurburgring passenger car lap record attempt we’ve been hearing about. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS wears the crown now with a time of 6:43.300. Tapie said he wants the D12 to stop the clock at 6:40.

Williams Advanced Engineering reveals EVR electric hypercar platform

Deus announced its Vayanne electric hypercar earlier this year as conceived in Austria, designed in Italy, and electrified in the UK. That last bit refers to the battery-electric powertrain sourced from Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), which we now have more information on. WAE took its new EVR turnkey electric vehicle platform to the Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle Show for a full reveal. Designed specifically for hypercars, the targets were versatility, lightness, power and speedy recharging. It appears the only fixed element for the time being is the 85-kWh battery set into a carbon housing between the wheels, and two motors. WAE says it can be refilled in less than 20 minutes, and powers a range of up to 279 miles. After that, OEMs and boutique makers can choose rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, hardtop or targa body styles, and road-legal or track-only configurations.    

Peak output is 2,213 horsepower from the dual motors, explaining Deus’ publicized target of more than 2,200 horsepower for the Vayanne earlier this year. Depending on body style and aero, WAE believes the platform could push a hypercar to 248 miles per hour given an ideal form. We’re told it will be possible to build a finished product with such specs that weighs less than 3,637 pounds, carbon being used for everything from the pack enclosure to the double wishbone suspension. For comparison, the 640-hp Porsche 911 Turbo S weighs 3,636 pounds.

The list of in-house innovations on the EVR chassis includes a Scalable Battery Module that opens up flexibility for custom packs and sub-pack systems, controlled by battery management software that rationalizes the amount of electronics needed to run the powertrain. The company says each module has a capacity of 1.08 kWh at 50 volts maximum or 43 volts nominal, and an energy density greater than 240 Wh/kg. The individual cells are wrapped in carbon fiber, too, claimed to improve crash resistance. Battery cooling is run through the energy-absorbing side sills.

Theoretically, a purchaser could cut prototype development time to 12 months, and entire vehicle development time to 24 months. The Vayenne will provide the first test, Deus having said it will go into production in 2025. WAE has a hydrogen fuel cell version of the EVR on the way next.

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Pagani C10 teased before September 12 debut

The third movement in Pagani’s symphony of supercars is headed our way in an online debut from Milan come September 12. It’s called the C10 for now, which could be a provisional name, its full final name, or a portion of the final name; the Zonda that put the Modena manufacturer on the map launched as the Zonda C10, the codename for the Huayra during development was C9. Pagani posted another teaser of the coupe to Facebook, finally giving us hints of the thing in the, er, carbon fiber. The only surprise we can make out so far is the headlight treatment. Previous products have placed each light element in its own pod, the Zonda boasting three, the Huayra two. The C10 tucks its two headlight beams together under a clear cover. 

The good news beyond that is the return of the manual transmission, which wasn’t available on the Huayra. Eponymous founder Horacio Pagani is said to have discovered that some customers passed on buying a Huayra because of the omission. The C10 tease shows the six-speed row-your-own perched between the front seats, its linkage exposed like we used to see on Spykers. Note, the Huayra shifter featured an exposed linkage, but its rods and springs connected to an Xtrac seven-speed sequential gearbox. The C10 will offer a sequential transmission for those who want it.

Another AMG-sourced 6.0-liter V12 sits behind the cockpit, said to have been upgraded from the unit in the Huayra. The former car made 730 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. The special edition Pagani Codalunga made 840 hp and 811 lb-ft. The C10 is expected to produce in the area of 880 horsepower and about as much torque. 

The rest we’ll find out about next week. Spy shots of prototypes show what looks like a tasty blend of Zonda-specific cues within the overall flowing shape that recalls the Huayra. The front intake looks more like a Zonda, as do the scoop-less rear fenders and the triple taillights set at an angle in the rear fascia. The almost uninterrupted flow from front to rear, and the tailless rear end are all Huayra. The return of side view mirrors looking like lazy leaves and quad exhaust tips inset in a round opening establish more continuity. It’s possible the car goes back to the traditional door openings of the Zonda, forsaking the gullwing apertures of the Huayra. Pagani said the focus of this car has been weight reduction and handling, so we shouldn’t be surprised to see a curb weight below the 2,976 pounds of the Huayra.    

There are only going to be about 300 C10s among all variants — coupe, convertible, and special editions — and every one has been sold. As if that weren’t the case with just about every seven-figure car nowadays, those of means will be especially keen to get in here since it’s thought to be the last pure combustion Pagani before the firm moves into electrification.

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Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini is a two-wheeled Italian mashup

Ducati has revealed its new two-wheeled mashup with parent manufacturer Lamborghini. The Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini follows in the footsteps of the 1260 Diavel, this time drawing on the Huracán STO, bringing together two Italian icons with common stylistic elements for a limited run of bikes designed for those who need as many romantic ponies as possible in their garage. 

For the latest tie-up, Ducati says it applied its well-known “Fight Formula” to the existing Panigale V4 S (the latest Streetfighter makes 208 horsepower and 90 pound feet of torque) and then took it a step further, integrating styling elements that are “unmistakably Lamborghini.” Depending on which generation of Lamborghini you grew up with, that could mean just about anything. Remember the ’80s? Like, all of them? But in this case, Ducati and Lamborghini settled on a mix of modern styling and heritage inspiration. 

Just about every part on the bike was at least breathed on if not outright redesigned. From the wheels, which are bespoke to this model, to the fender design meant to evoke the STO’s air intakes, virtually everything you see is unique. Many of the smaller bits are made from carbon fiber (including the tail, tank cover and toe caps) and the STO emblem is displayed subtly (believe it or not) on its flanks. 

The livery includes the #63 (as on the Diavel) in a nod to the year of Automobili Lamborghini’s founding. That’s also the number Ducati used to determine the number of units it would produce: divide 630 by 10 and voila. Ducati says it will also offer an even more-limited series of one-off designs for (you guessed it!) 63 lucky Lamborghini customers who will get the opportunity to match their bikes to their existing (or forthcoming) cars. 

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Aston Martin Valhalla interior debuted in Monterey

Aston Martin began releasing estimated specs for the Valhalla supercar last summer. The figures described the thoroughly overhauled car, redrawn with just as dramatic yet smoother lines than the original concept from 2019, and repowered with a plug-in hybrid V8 sourced from technical partner Mercedes-Benz instead of the in-house straight-6. The quick summary describes a mid-mounted 740-horsepower flat-plane-crank V8 with an e-motor in back and another in front contributing 201 horsepower. The front electric motor can pull the coupe for up to eight miles of pure electric running, reversing is also done under electric power, not via the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Curb weight of 3,417 pounds pairs with a top speed of 217 miles per hour, the firm hoping its charge can lap the ‘Ring in 6:30, which would be a record for a production car. Deliveries are expected to commence toward the end of next year.

We still hadn’t seen the inside of the car last summer, though. Aston Martin finally lifted the dihedral doors on the show inside during the recent Monterey Car Week. Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman described the cockpit as being “pure,” “about driver focus” and “concentration,” and “dedicated to the mastery of driving.” So despite an exterior update that injected “a more mature” road-going road ambience into the Valhalla’s silhouette, the cabin makes strong ties to the F1-inspired and track-consuming Valkyrie. These are seats that emphasize the “bucket” in “bucket seats,” supporting driver and passenger such that their heels lie above the level of their hips. The driver grabs a square wheel that’s jettisoned the central display in the Valkyrie’s square wheel. In fact, for those decrying the explosion of screens lately, here is your safe space. A slim rectangle ahead of the driver serves as dash display, and the infotainment screen can be hidden away, which it is in the short Twitter vid. We can see it staying stowed more often than not, in fact. Even if the V8 doesn’t pour its 7,200-rpm flat-plane note into the cabin — along with roof scoop inhalations and rubber-band-thin Michelin thrumming — the passenger quarters cannot be the kindest space to design a stereo for.

We’d been wondering about the production run, Autocar suspects Aston Martin won’t make more than 1,000 examples of the Valhalla. The potential good news for the few who’ll get to own it is that the carmaker might have reduced the price; Autocar heard that instead of costing somewhere around £1 million ($1.3M U.S.), MSRP could fall somewhere between £600,000 ($725,866 U.S.) and £700,000 ($846,844 U.S.).

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Rimac engineer says 0-60 ‘below one second’ is possible

Monterey Car Week encourages all kinds of questions that are answered with outrageous numbers. How much is the Pebble Beach lawn worth? How many metric tons of palm fronds were sacrificed to make the toquilla straw that make the numberless Panama hats? And how fast can a fast car go? The Drive spoke to Rimac Nevera Chief Program Engineer Matija Renić at The Quail about that last question, wondering what Renić believes is possible for a 0-60 time. His answer: “Below one second.” There aren’t many things humans can complete in less than a second other than say three-word sentences like “Below one second.” The idea of being at rest as one’s lips purse for the “B,” and traveling 60 miles per hour by the time the tongue comes off upper alveolar ridge to finish the “d” is, frankly, absurd.

Regrettably, either The Drive didn’t probe Renić as to what technologies will make the feat possible, or it decided not to repeat Renić’s words. All we have is the oracular pronouncement and little way to conceive of how it could happen, along with lots of questions about tires.

See, people like Engineering Explained who do math for a living have figured that, for a street vehicle on street tires on a regular street, about 2.05 seconds is the lower limit of the stoplight drag. When the Tesla Model S Plaid ripped off a 1.85-second teleport to 60 mph for Motor Trend, that was on “the super sticky VHT-coated surface of Auto Club Famoso Raceway.” On a non-prepped surface, Motor Trend got that down to 2.28 seconds, Car and Driver pruned it to 2.1 seconds. But C/D bettered the Tesla’s time in a Ferrari SF90 Stradale, hitting 0-60 in 2.0 seconds flat.

Rimac claims the Nevera will hit 60 miles per hour in 1.85 seconds, a time also achieved on a prepped drag strip, but we haven’t seen instrumented proof of that yet. Among YouTube videos of the Nevera running the quarter mile, one dedicated thrill seeker pulled off a 2.13-second rip to 60 mph.

Speaking of drag strips, top fuel dragsters are the go-to monsters for hitting 60 miles per hour in under one second, doing the deed in roughly 0.7 to 0.9 seconds. In 2019, Jalopnik tried to figure out the G forces involved in such dashes, the math concluding that getting from zero to 60 in 0.86 seconds put a 5.3-G strain on the body. Having that potential in your street car would be like having your own roller coaster, and what we imagine would be a monumental bill for tires. Until we see such things possible for the regular (rather wealthy) driver, we’ll be paying even closer attention to what what Rimac has coming.

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Koenigsegg building more CC850s because it sold out fast

The Koenigsegg CC850 is sold out. That’s completely unsurprising, as these special supercars are snapped up almost as fast as a Jesko’s transmission can shift. But what’s interesting is that the company sold the 50-unit run so quickly, it ended up deciding to expand the production run by almost half.

Instead of just 50 cars, Koenigsegg announced it would expand the run by another 20. According to the company, that initial allocation sold fast enough that a number of long-time Koenigsegg customers missed out on a chance at the supercar. It ended up going back to some early order holders to check if they would be all right with the expansion, and obviously it must’ve gone over fine.

The 50-unit run was based on founder and owner Christian von Koenigsegg’s 50th birthday. The extra 20 was based on the 20th anniversary of the company’s first production car, the CC8S. That’s also the same car that the CC850 is celebrating with its manual-ized version of the nine-speed automatic Light Speed Transmission and more than 1,000 horsepower.

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Czinger 21C gets a V Max variant with new bodywork for top speeds

Even salesmen with delicious cuts of meat to offer know that you sell the sizzle, not the steak. That’s what Czinger went to Monterey Car Week to do with a third version of its tandem two-seater 21C and its planned Hyper GT. We’ll start with the 21C, which, remember, launched with two body styles. There was a road version and a track version whose aero accoutrements provided three times the downforce of the road car. The 21C V Max takes the road car in the opposite direction of the track car, streamlining and elongating the bodywork to trade drag for velocity.

The package should make more speed from the 2.88-liter twin-turbo V8 that sits behind the cabin in all 21Cs, aided by the two electric motors on the front axle. Founder Kevin Czinger said in Monterey the 1,233-horsepower powerplant enables the same sub-two-second 0-60 time as the other variants. Having reworked everything from the front splitter to the rear diffuser, the Vmax should be even faster than the claimed 27-second sprint from zero to 250 miles per hour and back to zero for the regular 21C. Claimed quarter-mile time is 8.1 seconds, claimed top speed is 253 miles per hour.

The V Max will be part of the 80-unit build of the 21C, giving buyers three flavors to choose from at a cost of $1.7 million per. First deliveries are planned for the end of next year.

At some point after the 21C begins deliveries, Czinger plans to have its second vehicle headed to production, known for now as the Hyper GT. It’s powered by the same hybrid setup as the 21C but with the ICE put up front and — we assume — the e-motors in back. Czinger says this will be “the most powerful grand tourer ever produced” and “by far, the top performing GT ever built and ever put out on the street” that also happens to have room for four adults and their luggage; those occupants will enter via gullwing doors, because you can’t see the wow factor of 1,233 hp at the valet stand.

Being so far out from production, we’re not sure what the interior will hold. But the company plans to produce 1,000 of the Hyper GT at its Los Angeles headquarters, each costing between $750,000 and $1 million, and then follow it up with a battery-electric model sometime before 2030. Czinger told Autocar, “The original conception of Czinger was to produce that ultimate road-track car [the 21C] that could set all of the records.” After the reception to the 21C and breaking the Laguna Seca lap record, he said, “Then the idea was ‘This could be a really, really cool brand,’ with the father-son combination [referring to his son and co-founder Lukas], that creates a whole series of the most off-the-hook vehicles in each of the categories.” 

Bentley Mulliner Batur celebrates the W12, previews EV style

Bentley has revealed its second special Mulliner coach-built model, and it represents a crossroads for the brand. It’s called the Bentley Mulliner Batur, and it’s a sendoff for the core engine for Bentley, the twin-turbo W12. It’s also a sign of things to come. The styling you see here will be adapted for Bentley’s future electric cars.

The car is clearly Bentley right from the get-go. It has the long front end, the prominent, rounded rectangular grille, rearward placed cabin and wide, flowing rear fenders. But it has a more aggressive look than some recent Bentleys. The grille looks as though it’s leaning more forward. Instead of round headlights, it has sweptback units that look like eagle eyes. The rear glass, instead of kicking up, stays low along the belt line. The tail has almost a boattail look and has slender taillights. It’s Bentley, but it’s also new.

The inside is clearly closely related to the Continental GT, which is no bad thing. But it can be set apart with special materials. Buyers of the Batur will have the ability to customize almost every aspect of the car with different leathers from different locations, different interior trimmings and upholstery designs. Bentley is offering some very unique materials, too. Metal pieces such as the organ stop vent switches can be made from titanium or even 3D-printed 18-karat gold. Some of the interior trim can be made from a natural fiber composite, which is like carbon fiber, but made from naturally occurring fibers rather than synthetically created carbon. The natural fiber can be used for the front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser as well. And of course the exterior can be customized with just about any paint and graphics imaginable.

Bentley says that the Batur is powered by the most powerful iteration of the twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 yet. It makes 730 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with adaptive air suspension, active anti-roll bars, all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, an electronic limited-slip differential and torque vectoring to help it handle as well as it can go in a straight line. Stopping it are a set of carbon silicon carbide brakes with 10-piston front brake calipers and four-piston rears.

Only 18 Baturs will be built, and they’re all spoken for. Pricing started at 1.65 million British pounds, or $1.95 million. Though there will only be a few of these Baturs, keep an eye out for its design to show up in the Bentley EVs that are coming starting in 2025.

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Koenigsegg CC850 shown with 1,185 horsepower, fascinating gated manual

This is a big year for Koenigsegg. It’s the 20-year anniversary of the Swedish supercar builder’s first production car, the CC8S. It’s also the 50th birthday of the founder, Christian von Koenigsegg. To celebrate, the company has put together the CC850, which is a reimagining of that original supercar, but using modern technology. It looks very much like the old car, but packs way more power and some wild features.

The exterior is quite close to the original. The biggest changes are the switches to more flowing LED lighting up front and in the rear. It has reworked wheels with the phone-dial round openings and has a smooth, uncluttered design. Part of that is due to the hidden rear wing that deploys at speed. The car has the signature tumble-forward doors, powered hood and engine cover, and it has a removable top that can be stowed in the car just like the CC8S. The interior is much more modern Koenigsegg, and the highlights include the beautiful analog instrument dials and the gated shifter in the middle. That shifter features a wood knob with a Swedish flag, again like CC8S.

As is often the case with Koenigseggs, the parts that make it go are as interesting if not more so than the swoopy shell. The CC850 is powered by a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8 that makes 1,185 horsepower and 1,022 pound-feet of torque on gasoline. Put E85 ethanol in it, and power climbs to 1,385. Christian von Koenigsegg noted that these numbers are a bit lower than for the Jesko, which provided the base for much of the CC850. The reason is because the company went with smaller turbos for better response and less lag, since the car has a manual transmission, sort of.

Ok, so let’s talk about the transmission. It’s a version of the Light Speed Transmission, which has a set of seven clutches and nine gear ratios and can jump from any gear to any other gear, unlike most dual-clutch transmissions that have to shift sequentially. In the Jesko, it’s an automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Here, it has an automatic mode, but it also has a manual mode, complete with clutch pedal. The clutch pedal does actuate the transmission’s multiple clutches, and it is possible to stall the car if you’re not balancing your clutch and throttle inputs. And the shifter will tell the car which gear you want. Curiously, there are only six gates for the manual mode. Christian von Koenigsegg said that having to pick through nine gates would be complicated, so the company stuck with six. Depending on what drive mode you’re in, though, the different gates will get you different ratios. So hypothetically, you could have a set of closer ratios for a track mode, and more widely spaced ones with a tall top gear for street and highway driving.

Naturally, the CC850 is also light. With its carbon fiber construction, it weighs in at just 3,053 pounds. It actually has the same power to weight ratio as the Koenigsegg One:1 when measured in metric with the ethanol output. The car also features adjustable ride height and damping.

Only 50 CC850s will be built. No price was given, but we’re sure buyers don’t care. We also imagine that the car will be sold out very soon after this reveal.

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Koenigsegg livestreaming debut of ‘latest family member’ at 12:00 EDT Friday

On January 1 this year, Koenigsegg teased a new vehicle on Instagram with the caption, “Dear 2022, here’s our New Year’s resolution – More ultimate performance through clever engineering and optimal design.” The company broke its ensuing silence Thursday night by teasing a live debut to begin at 12 p.m. Eastern / 9 a.m. Pacific in Pebble Beach. The teaser image boasts a silhouette that looks like the CC8, the Swedish manufacturer’s first car, with the addition of a roof scoop. Beyond that, we have nothing more than gathered speculation as to what it could be.

There’s the entry-level Koenigsegg that founder Christian von Koenigsegg has said for a while that he wanted to release. There’s the CC12 project with Swiss retailer and supercar garage Carage, which appears based on the CC8S production prototype and would satisfy the note about “ultimate performance and clever engineering,” but the timing is off; in April, Carage owner Kim Struve said the CC12 would “be released in a year’s time.” The Supercar Blog has heard this new thing could be Christian’s 50th birthday gift to himself, called the Annira or the CC850S, packing more than 1,300 horsepower into a 1,300-pound curb weight and fitted with a “magic transmission.” Some surmise it’s Koenigsegg finally reckoning with a battery-electric vehicle, but we think that’s the longest shot of all. He told CarBuzz two years ago, “It actually would be much easier for us to just do a pure electric car, because we could throw away complexity but add weight. But I’d rather have complexity in the super expensive sports car than add weight.”  

That seems to us to be enough guessing for today. The only other rumors we’ve heard that we would believe true are that there will be a tiny production run and every unit is already sold out. We have but a few hours to find out what’s really happening. Based on the company’s products since, oh, ever, it will probably be special.

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Pininfarina Battista First Drive: Meet the 1,900-hp electric hypercar

MALIBU, Calif. — The all-electric Pininfarina Battista throws around some impressive numbers. Power output in the 1,900-horsepower neighborhood. A 0-to-60 time of less than 2 seconds. A range estimated to be 300 miles. A starting price of $2.2 million. All of that might invite the names hypercar or supercar, but that would imply it’s harsh and unforgiving. Instead, Pininfarina defines the Battista as a hyper GT, giving it the otherworldly power and performance of a hypercar while remaining comfortable enough to take on a road trip.

That’s a tall order for any vehicle, let alone the first car produced by a new manufacturer. After spending an afternoon with the Battista on some of our favorite roads above Malibu, we can definitively say that their boldness has paid off.

Automobili Pininfarina is the new manufacturing offshoot of the Carrozzeria Pininfarina design firm that has penned some of the most iconic cars in history. These include the 1947 Cisitalia 202, which is regarded as the first car that integrated fenders into the rest of the bodywork. Then there are icons such as the Fiat and Alfa Romeo Spiders (above right) along with the nouveau-classic Cadillac Allante. But it’s Pininfarina’s association with Ferrari that is most notable, including most of the 250 GT line (above left), Daytona, 512 BB, and wild 1980s Testarossa.

The Battista is named for Battista “Pinin” Farina, who founded Carrozzeria Pininfarina in 1930. A lot of its battery, chassis and motor componentry comes from Rimac, the nascent Croatian electric supercar maker that recently paired with Porsche to take over Bugatti.

The Battista’s exterior styling certainly has echoes of Ferrari, and really, can you think of a better compliment? As an all-electric vehicle, it doesn’t have the same kind of cooling and air intake needs as the gasoline-powered Ferraris and results in a cleaner and more elemental shape. The design is still aggressive as hell, but less shouty, and that plays well with the hyper GT positioning.

Once you pop the dihedral driver’s door, you’re greeted by a rather narrow passage between the dash and seat. Getting in takes a bit more stooping and maneuvering compared to conventional sports cars, but there are certainly exotics that are more difficult to access. Pulling the door down doesn’t take much effort, but you have to give it a strong slam to get it to fully shut, making it a strong candidate for soft-close doors.

The seats are firm and have excellent side bolstering to keep you in place when cornering. There are also more aggressive racing shell-type seats available, but in our estimation, unnecessary. Your feet can extend mostly straight ahead since front wheelwell intrusion is minimized. We haven’t even moved yet and the Battista is already fulfilling part of its hyper GT promise.

The cockpit is modern and minimal, with two horizontal touchscreens flanking the steering wheel and a phone-like display in the middle that displays speed and other primary information. Off to the sides, at the 5- and 7-o’clock positions, are two dials. The left selects drive modes and the right is the start button and gear selector. The cabin is cozy but not confining, and has a good amount of lateral space.

The Battista is already activated as we get in, a fact indicated by the subtle high-pitched whine and fan noises, much like a jetliner running on its auxiliary power unit as you find your seat. Foot on the brake and a quick spin of the right dial puts it in drive. A little pressure on the throttle and the Battista starts to roll forward on the gravel valet circle. Once on the broad, sweeping roads in the Santa Monica Mountains, it’s striking how well-mannered a 1,900-hp car can be.

We’re in the Pura (Pure) drive mode, which seems equivalent to a default comfort mode. It’s easy to drive, with no fear that you’ll accidentally overdo it and spin into a ditch. At the same time, it’s way more potent than most drivers will ever need. In this way, it’s as approachable as a 911 Carrrera 4S and we fantasize about an alternate reality where this is our daily driver.

The ride is stiff, but not punishing. There’s a lot of jostling over the pavement’s undulations, but the smart suspension keeps potholes from sending sharp jolts into your backside. You also hear every tire impact and slap over seams, along with the frequent ricochets of pebbles and debris off the undertray. There’s just enough harshness to remind you of its sporting potential and just enough compliance to consider driving it six hours somewhere.

Now that we’re acclimated, it’s time to turn up the performance. We skip the Calma (Calm) and Carattere (Character) drive modes, which equate to eco and individual modes, respectively. The Energica (Energetic) mode is what can be considered the sport mode. The ride gets firmer, the throttle response more immediate and the steering seems livelier. The synthetic driveline noises also get louder as you muster enough courage to give that pedal a proper stomp.

The Battista instantaneously obeys, launching forward with unstoppable determination. In a time when sub 3-second acceleration to 60 mph is considered increasingly normal, the all-wheel-drive Pininfarina still manages to impress as it’s estimated to hit 60 a whole second earlier. On the rougher sections of winding pavement, the suspension is just a bit too stiff. Mid-corner bumps will keep you alert and the larger whoops will have you thanking your racing school coaches.

Selecting Furiosa activates an equivalent race or track mode, unleashing the full power output and relaxing the driver assists. It’s every driving trope wrapped up in one. It goes to 11; face-warping acceleration; you’ll see the grim reaper and he’ll give you a thumbs up; pick your favorite exaggeration and it applies here. Off the line, the Battista launches hard enough that your vision gets blurry. There’s a slight side-to-side squirm that also indicates you have indeed found a limit and you should proceed at your own peril. It’s unyielding and unforgiving when provoked, and that’s precisely what we wanted on the high end.

The range of comfort and performance afforded by these drive modes is vast. The Battista does indeed warrant the new hyper GT classification. But it’s also so much more. The details could keep us yammering on for days, but we’ll try to pare it down to a few paragraphs.

The interior features an abundance of impeccable leather surfaces, and those hides are sourced close to the Cambiano, Italy, factory. They’re tanned using more environmentally friendly methods that somehow involve local olive leaves. There aren’t any vegan alternatives as Pininfarina says production of those materials have their own chemical drawbacks. The aluminum trim elements aren’t cast, they’re machined from solid billets. They’re attractive while not going as over-the-top as in a Pagani.

On the outside, the charge port is at the center of the tail, a move that Chief Design Officer Dave Amantea lobbied for and won. It keeps charging cables from being draped over the carbon fiber bodywork and is easily accessible. A Pf logo between that port and the trunk (yes, there’s a trunk) illuminates when charging and the outer frame of the badge shows the charge state so you can know with a quick glance how much juice is left.

The glass trunk lid is power deployed and closed. Its stepped floor makes it difficult to load even a paper bag full of groceries, but Pinifarina offers a custom set of luggage that fits perfectly and can be upholstered to match the rest of the cabin. The price? Try $20,000, or the equivalent of a new Nissan Sentra.

There’s even a pragmatic side to the Battista, as you can add a five- or 10-year maintenance program and extend the warranty coverage for the massive 120-kilowatt-hour battery pack to 10 years. Then there’s the Eterna program that offers a replacement body parts kit that is painted at the same time as your Battista. Take a moment to let that soak in because we’re already imagining the most amazing garage wall art.

As Paolo Dellachà, Pininfarina’s Chief Product and Engineering Officer was eager to point out, these programs enhance the ownership experience and also increase the value of the Battista. Considering production is capped at 150 examples and no two will be allowed to be identical (unless, we suppose, you buy two!), there’s no doubt it’s an instant collectible that should only increase in price. As a fully electric hyper GT, may also be more future proof than the current raft of internal-combustion supercars.

Trying to remain impartial and objective during this review is a challenge, but with a sub-orbital price of $2.2 million, most normal sensibilities are obliterated. This is one of those cars that have you questioning past life choices or pondering how much you could sell a kidney for (you can’t, it turns out). The few nitpicks are limited to the hard-to-shut doors, a distracting reflection from the dash top in the windshield, and the tedious infotainment screens that you have to use to even adjust the seats. These drawbacks are as easily dispatched as any vehicle trying to keep up with the Battista.

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