GirlsnBoys: CARS

World's Fastest Cars:

1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport: 267 mph (429 km/h), 0-60 in 2.4 secs. Aluminum, Narrow Angle 8 Liter W16 Engine with 1200 hp, base price is $2,400,000. Although the Bugatti Veyron lost the title to SSC Ultimate Aero on March 2007, Bugatti challenge the record in Germany on July 10, 2010 with the new 2010 Super Sport Version and the Veyron once again claims the title of the fastest car in the world at 267 mph. The original Bugatti Veyron has a top speed of 253 mph, priced at $1,700,000 and equipped with 1001 hp.

#2 is a tie at 260 mph!
2. Hennessey Venom GT: 260 mph (418 km/h), 0-60 in 2.5 seconds, has a 6.2-liter LS9 Turbocharged V8 Twin Turbo V8 Engine producing 1200 hp, has a price tag of $950,000. The Venom GT has yet to be tested and proven, but could possibly hit a top speed of 275 mph. This might just be the Veyron Super Sport's closest competitor!

2. Koenigsegg Agera R: 260 mph (418 km/h), 0-60 in 2.9 secs. 5.0-liter V8 Engine with twin turbo’s, housing 1099 hp. Base price is $1,600,000. If you're into snow sports, the Agera R can be fitted with a Ski Box as well as winter tires, not that I would take one on a ski trip or anything like that. While the Agera R has a massive theoretical top speed, the current tested top speed is 260 mph. Expect this snow car to be the Bugatti's arch enemy for the next 5 years.

Also a tie for #3.
3. SSC Ultimate Aero: 257 mph (413 km/h), 0-60 in 2.7 secs. Twin-Turbo V8 Engine with 1183 hp, base price is $654,400. Tested in March 2007 by Guinness World Records, The SSC Ultimate Aero was the fastest car in the world from March 2007 to July 2010. On March 2011, the Koenigsegg Agera R also surpassed it, forcing this American made car to the #3 spot. Shelby SuperCars will continue their quest to reclaim the fastest car title, and their new SSC Tuatura might do the job (we'll just have to wait).

3. 9ff GT9-R: 257 mph (413 km/h), 0-60 in 2.9 secs. 4.0 Litre V6 Twin-Turbo Engine with 1120 hp, base price is $695,000. Based on the Porsche 911, the 9ff GT9-R 1120 hp version is limited to 20 units and the exterior may be modified to suit the owner.

4. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo: 248 mph (399 km/h), 0-60 in 2.8 secs. Twin Turbo All Aluminum V8 Engine with 750 hp, base price is $555,000. Smooth and bad-ass. It will make you want to show it off non-stop.

Saleen S7 Twin Turbo dark orange front view

5. Koenigsegg CCX: 245 mph (394 km/h), 0-60 in 3.2 secs. 90 Degree V8 Engine 806 hp, base price is $545,568. Made in Sweden, it is the older brother of the Agera R, only losing to 4 other supercars in the world.

6. McLaren F1: 240 mph (386 km/h), 0-60 in 3.2 secs. BMW S70/2 60 Degree V12 Engine with 627 hp, base price is $970,000. The fastest car in the 20th century with doors that looks like bat wings. Maybe Batman needs to order one and paint it black

7. Zenvo ST1: 233 mph (374 km/h), 0-60 in 2.9 secs. Twin-Charged 7.0 liter V8 Engine forging 1,104 hp. Base price: $1,225,000. The first Supercar from Zenvo Automotive, a Danish sports car company in pursuit of speed and perfection. This 100% Danish made supercar is limited to 15 units and the company even promised "flying doctors" to keep your baby functioning.

There is a tie for 8th place at 225 mph.
8. Gumpert Apollo: 225 mph (362 km/h), 0-60 in 3.0 secs, 4.2 liter V8 Engine that houses 650 hp. Base price: $450,000. Gumpert claims that the Apollo was designed such that it could drive upside-down in a tunnel with speeds at 190 mph or above. Of course, no one has tested this yet.

8. Noble M600: 225 mph (362 km/h), 0-60 in 3.7 secs. Twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 Engine with 650 hp. Base price is $330,000. The Noble M600 also happens to be a very cool car. Its inconspicuous design sports a slender and contoured body which does not scream out for attention at every second of the day.

There is a 3-way tie for #9!
9. Aston Martin One-77: 220 mph (354 km/h), 0-60 in 3.4 secs. 7.3 litre V12 Engine with 750 hp. Base price: $1,850,000. The production of this is limited to 77, hence the name One-77. This is beauty and power packed into One.

9. Ascari A10: 220 mph (354 km/h), 0-60 in 2.8 secs. 5.0 litre BMW V8 S62 Engine with 625 hp. Base price: $650,000. The company planned to produce 50 of these supercars at its factory in Banbury, England.

9. Lamborghini Aventador: 220 mph (354 km/h), 0-60 in 2.9 secs. V12 Engine with 700 hp, base price is $379,700. According to Lamborghini, Aventador is the name of a Bull that entered into battle at the Saragossa Arena on October 1993. This is the fastest bull in the world!

We have another 3-way a tie for 10th place:
10. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster: 217 mph (349 km/h), 0-60 in 3.4 secs. Twin turbocharged AMG V12 engine that produces 678 hp. Base price is $1,850,000. The Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster is a limited-edition, with five ever produced. It is the quintessential exotic and exclusive supercar.

10. Ferrari Enzo: 217 mph (349 km/h), 0-60 in 3.4 secs. F140 Aluminum V12 Engine with 660 hp, base price is $670,000. Only 399 were ever produced; the price goes up every time someone crashes.

10. Jaguar XJ220: 217 mph (349 km/h), 0-60 in 3.8 secs. Twin Turbo V6 Engine with 542 hp, base price was $650,000. Made in 1992, this car still has what it takes to make the list.

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The cooled and fastest cars are here, check it out if you are looking for the ultimate exotics and supercars.

Lamborghini CEO predicts that 2013 will be a down year for supercar sales in Europe

Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann is not one to mince his words. The man is a straight shooter, and when he says that the supercar industry could be in for a rough 2013, people should take notice.

Recently, the outspoken Winkelmann was quoted during a Bloomberg Television interview in Singapore saying "We are very cautious for next year. The Europe crisis is not over."

The Lambo head is referring to the European economic crisis that has put a stranglehold on the region and is expected to continue to do so at least until 2015. This crisis will inevitably lead to a whole lot of casualties, which could include high-end supercars that aren’t exactly the cheapest automotive purchases out there.

While it does seem that brands like Lamborghini have resigned themselves to slow sales in Europe in the coming years, the Italian automaker isn’t going to sit back and take its lumps. Lamborghini is banking on its expansion into the Asian market to keep its bottom line from, well, bottoming out during this crisis. This Asian expansion includes a second dealership in India, which opened this year, and expansion into Hong Kong and Singapore next year.

The U.S. market is also showing signs of recovery, which helps give Lambo a little hope. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said in Europe, the automaker’s home continent. Gloomy days are in the forecast in that region and that, in turn, could have negative effects on supercar sales.

gallery: 2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster

Source:Auto News

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2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster

lamborghini aventador lp700-4 roadster picture

As promised, today is the day that Lamborghini has dropped the official details on the new Aventador LP700-4 Roadster. The model has been described as "the most exciting series production Lamborghini ever built and the new benchmark in the world of open-top luxury super sports cars."

To no surprise, the new Roadster version features a design language similar to the coupe version, except for the changes any open-top model requires. For example, the rear pillar has been redesigned to offer total support for the removable roof and a new engine hood that features a central "spinal column" with two pairs of hexagonal windows connected at the sides.

The new Aventador Roadster is being offered with a two-piece roof made entirely from carbon fiber that can be stored in the front luggage compartment.

Under the hood you will find the same 6.5 liter aspirated V12 that delivers a total of 700 horsepower and mated to an ISR 7-speed gearbox. The Roadster version will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3 seconds and can hit a top speed of 217 mph.

In Europe the model can be already ordered and the price will start from 300,000 euro or about $380,000 at the current exchange rates.

UPDATE 11/15/2012: Lamborghini has finally announced the U.S. prices for its new Aventador Roadster, and we have to admit it’s a little bit more than we were expecting: $445,300, including the $3,700 gas-guzzler tax.

Hit the jump to read more about the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Spyder.

gallery: 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4

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gallery: 2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster

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TopSpeed Exclusive: Aston Martin Vanquish Reveal

Okay folks, we’ve all been awaiting for this day since the moment we found out that the Aston Martin DBS was being discontinued and the Vanquish would swoop in to takes its place. Well, the wait is now over, as we were at its Miami Auto Show unveiling and got plenty of images to pass onto you.

When Aston Martin pulled the sheet back on the tangible version of the Vanquish, we were amazed by a stunning light blue color that wouldn’t quite look right on any other model. The computer generated images and the spy shots that we all saw just didn’t quite do this beauty the justice it deserves. Its silk roofline, highlighted by a black-tinted roof gives the air a rather scenic route on its way over the top of this sexy Aston.

One of the most stunning parts of this new model is by far the fender heat extractors. These are pretty much standard on every Aston Martin, but these ones are a little different. On the Vanquish, Aston stretched the chrome strikethrough on the center of the extractors back the forward most end of the door, then a raised bodyline almost creates an extension to the end of the chrome strikethrough. Truthfully, the images do it so much more justice than we could ever put into words.

Don’t let our obsession with the heat extractors take away from the rest of the Vanquish’s stunning body. Its hood features a pair of ridges that start near the center of the hood and shoot outward as you approach the shallow-raked windscreen. Underneath this sharp hood lies the beast that makes this car a true Aston Martin, and that is its 565-horsepower, 6.0-liter V-12 engine that is also good for 457 pound-feet of twist. Unfortunately, Aston Martin didn’t crank this beast up for us, but we’ll hear it in due time.

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Aston Martin is Up For Sale

With premium automakers like Bentley, Porsche, Land Rover, and Lamborghini all being snatched up by more mainstream automakers, like Volkswagen and, dare we say, Tata, it is pretty obvious that it’s tough going for independent, niche automakers. Even Ferrari, which is doing extremely well so far in 2012, has a parent company in Fiat S.p.A.

Aston Martin is one of the few niche automakers that is almost going it alone, as Ford only holds a 15-percent share in the premium sports car company and the rest is shared between privateer David Richards, and Kuwaiti investment firms Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co. Of those three, Investment Dar owns the majority of the company, which sits at 68 percent.

According to reports from Bloomberg Businessweek, Investment Dar is searching for a new home for Aston, but having a rough time selling the brand. It is trying to sell its share of the company for the same $800 million that it bought the company for just five years ago. One possible buyer is Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., the current owner of SsanYong, but it appears as if Mahindra is not in the market to blow that kind of cash on the British automaker.

Another potential suitor, which is a bit of a surprise, is Toyota. The Japanese automaker actually went as far as to hire an outside auditor to do a week-long survey on the possibility of buying Aston Martin. From the looks of things, that audit didn’t turn out too well, as that happened two months ago and there is still no movement by Toyota.

As expected, Toyota and Mahindra declined to comment on the situation, and Investment Dar outright denied the claims that Aston is up for sale. Regardless of denials and lack of confirmation, the debt that Aston Martin has accumulated – about 1.37 billion dinars ($4.9 billion at the current exchange rates) – via an Islamic bond needs to be paid off and selling the company may be the only option.

Short of that, we may see Aston Martin go the way of the dodo bird…

Source:Bloomberg Businessweek

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Ferrari Will Auction off the First F12berlinetta to Benefit Hurricane Sandy Victims

The northeast U.S. is still in recovery mode after Hurricane Sandy rolled through and left it in shambles. Ferrari is now stepping in to help out the recovery process by not selling the first-run F12berlinetta in a traditional fashion. Rather, Ferrari will offer the first F12berlinetta sold in the U.S. to the highest bidder. No, Ferrari is not trying to increase it profits; it is taking all of the proceeds from the auction and donating it to the American Red Cross, which will then use that money to help out the victims of Sandy’s wrath.

This auction will take place on November 17th at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, which kicks off in Austin Texas. The auction will start at 9:00 p.m. EST and the car will be given to the highest bidder. If you cannot attend the auction, you can still bid, but you’ll have to any Ferrari dealer to place your absentee bid.

The F12berlinetta will carry a $315,888 base MSRP, but as expected, the first-run example will pull in a lot more money than the typical model. Look for this to pull in somewhere near the $500 to $600K mark, maybe even more, if folks are feeling generous.

In addition to auctioning off its newest supercar, Ferrari and the American Red Cross have teamed up to launch a donation page, so you can sign up to give blood, volunteer or donate cash. What a wonderful act by Ferrari and something that many of these supercar companies just don’t get into all that often.

gallery: 2013 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

Source:New York Times

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2014 Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series

The current Mercedes SLS line-up is quickly filling up with a Coupe, a Roadster, a GT3 version, and, sometime in the near future, an E-Cell version. However, Mercedes isn’t done yet. As promised yesterday the fifth model in the line-up has been officially announced today: the SLS AMG Black Series.

The new SLS Black Series has borrowed some of the styling cues seen first on the GT3 version and of course combines them with some of the usual Black Series design elements. But first Mercedes worked on reducing the car’s total weight: they added lots of carbon fiber elements, a new titanium-made exhaust system, new wheels and some lightweight sports seats. As a result the new Black Series is about 154 lbs lighter than the current model.

When you add an improved engine under the hood: a 622 HP V8 engine, you will easily notice that the car’s performance numbers have also improved: the 0 to 60 mph sprint time drops 0.2 seconds and top speed is now 195 mph.

Updated 11/09/2012: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specs.

Hit the jump to read more about the new Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series.

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gallery: 2014 Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series

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Ferrari Having a Record-Setting 2012, To Date

To say Ferrari has had a pretty stout 2012 fiscal year would be a huge understatement. In fact, Ferrari has just announced that it has broken its industrial net cash position record through September 2012. As of the close of September, Ferrari has raked in €959 million ($1.22 billion at the current exchange rates) in industrial net cash position

Industrial net cash position isn’t the only place that Ferrari is excelling in 2012. As of the close of September, it is showing revenue of €1.764 billion ($2.25 billion), which is a stout 10-percent increase to date. Of that revenue, it managed to milk out €152.4 million ($194 million) in profits so far this year, which is a 7.6-percent increase.

There are several factors that have created these huge jumps for Ferrari. First of all, it has delivered 5,267 road-dwelling cars, which is a 6-percent increase as of September. Much of this increase in delivery can be attributed to huge sales increases in the U.S., UK, Germany and Japan. These increases were 16 percent, 37 percent, 9 percent and 20 percent, respectively. The 37 percent jump in the UK is particularly strange, given the economic troubles in the entire area and the small fortune that a gallon of gasoline costs. Then again, when your net sales in the UK are just shy of 500 units, it doesn’t take much to move that needle to 37 percent.

Also seeing growth was China at 7 percent, and the Middle East stayed steady at 274 units delivered.

With all of the turmoil going on in Europe right now, we are rather shocked to see Ferrari doing so well. Then again, the people that Ferrari caters to likely have a little bit of “cushion” money during economic downturns like Europe saw.

We’ll keep an eye out to see how Ferrari finishes up the year.

Click past the jump to read Ferrari’s full press release.

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Ford Unveils 2014 Mustang Changes: Boss 302 Discontinued and Some Minor Additions

The Ford Mustang Boss 302 has only been around for a pair of years now and when it was first released, Ford promised us that it would only have a two-year lifespan. We mostly scoffed at the idea, thinking that Ford would darn sure keep it around if it sold like hotcakes and was profitable. Well, if there’s one thing Ford is good at, it’s keeping promises, as it has announced a slew of changes for the 2014 model year and one of those was bye-bye Boss 302.

So, if you have had your heart set on getting a Boss 302, you had better scrape up the $42,200 buy-in and head out to your closest Ford dealer to pick up a 2013 version — we’re willing to bet that they will go pretty fast. In an inventory search of our local Ford dealerships, we are only coming up with three Boss 302 models available, and it’s likely the same around the country.

Okay, enough with the depressing stuff, as Ford also released other information for the 2014 model year. A pair of new colors will be added to the 2014 Mustang: Oxford White and Ruby Red Metalic with Tinted Clearcoat. With those additions comes the deletion of two similar colors and one Boss 302-specific color: Red Candy Metallic with Tinted Clearcoat, High Performance White, and the Boss 302-exclusive School Bus Yellow.

Exterior Package 101A, which includes that cheap-looking lower tape stripe and a rear deck spoiler, will be axed in 2014. There are, however, two appearance packages that Ford will add to the 2014 Mustang. The first package is the FP6 Appearance Package (541), which includes: painted black outside mirror skull caps, painted black deck lid spoiler, quarter window louvers and 18-inch painted black aluminum wheels. Also added in is the FP8 Appearance Package (542), which boasts the same items as the FP6 Appearance Package, but adds in 19-by-8.5-inch machined aluminum rims.

Though the Boss 302 is going away, the super-high-performance `Stang – the Shelby GT500 – is staying and gaining standard heated seats, and the two new exterior colors that we mentioned earlier.

So there we have it, the last model year before the supposed big 2015 redesign will include the axing of a crowd favorite and some very basic additions. Nothing to get really excited about, but plenty to be sad about.

gallery: 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302

Source:Mustangs Daily

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Does Obama’s Re-Election Spell the End of the Gasoline-Powered Sports Car?

does obama 8217 s re-election spell the end of the gasoline-powered sports car picture

After nearly a year of seeing Mitt Romney and Barack Obama fling mud – maybe even a little poo – back and forth at each other, the election is finally over. Love him or hate him, Obama is in office for another four years and he has already shown that he likes to dwell in the automotive realm (see: automotive bailout, Chrysler bankruptcy, and DOE loans for EV technology).

A big one on our radar these days is the renewal of the CAFÉ standards – yes, it was a renewal; the CAFÉ standards are nothing new – and their direct impact on the sport car realm. By the year 2025, all automakers must have a corporate average fuel economy rating of at least 54.5 mpg, a number that sports cars often drag down.

There is a good possibility that one of three things will happen due to these standards. First, is the chance that automakers install more advance turbocharging technologies on vehicles in order to keep their power output high and fuel economy high too. With those technologies come rising price tags – something we are already experiencing today. The second – most unlikely – scenario is the complete elimination of all powerful sports cars, leaving behind just the likes of the underpowered-for-a-true-sports-car Scion FR-S-like vehicles. The third scenario is one that would satisfy our itch for fast cars and the EPA’s itch for eco-friendly cars, and that is the widespread development of super powerful electric, hydrogen fuel cell or natural gas sports cars.

The latter situation is one that we already know is possible. Have a look as the Tesla Model S and you’ll see a car that can travel 300 miles on a charge and still zip to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. And that is a rather large sedan, so imagine it as a sports car. Same goes for the mid-5-second sprint to 60 mph that the 5,000-pound Fisker Karma completes. The final example is the Maxximus LNG 2000 and its 1,600-horsepower natural-gas-powered engine.

We think that this renewal of Obama’s stay at the White House won’t necessarily bring about the conversion to alternative fuel sports cars in the next four years, but it will certainly accelerate the process significantly. We honestly think it is a thing to look forward too, not be afraid of. Just think, no more gas station trips!!

gallery: 2013 Maxximus LNG 2000

gallery: 2011 Fisker Karma

gallery: 2012 Tesla Model S

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Fisker Determines the Cause of its Hurricane Sandy Fires

Yesterday, we let you know that 16 Fisker Karmas went up in flames after they were submerged at a New Jersey port following Hurricane Sandy. We now have Fisker’s official announcement regarding these fires, and it’s actually a little better a situation than we had initially assumed.

According to the report from Fisker, a single Karma caught fire after saltwater left corrosive residue on the vehicle control unit. This component then shorted out and caused a fire. The heavy winds from the Hurricane then spread the flames to the other 16 Karmas parked near it. This means that the other 15 burned Karmas actually survived submersion without catching fire. To us, that’s actually pretty incredible.

Also being reported is that the Karma was not the only vehicle that burned after Sandy beat the hell out of the northeast, as several Toyota Priuses and even a few gasoline-powered cars joined in on the automotive BBQ. Fisker has also debunked the myth that there was an explosion from the burning Karmas and that the lithium ion batteries – one of the more scary parts of electric vehicles – were not a contributing factor in the fire.

Just like we said before, when you add water to electronics, bad things are bound to happen. It’s actually pretty incredible that just one Karma went up in flames as a direct result of being submerged. In case you are thinking Fisker may have “cooked the books” on this investigation, keep in mind that the NHTSA was involved in the investigation.

UPDATE 11/08/2012: After a crazy week at Fisker, our contact was finally able to get back to us and let us know that the Karmas damaged totaled 338 and Fisker is putting through an insurance claim for them. Also, the cars destroyed were simply dealership stock and were not pre-sold vehicles, so no customers will be out of a car. Additionally, the damaged Karmas will not affect Fisker’s normal business operations moving forward.

Fisker also provided us with their full press release regarding the situation.

Click past the jump to read the full presser.

gallery: 2011 Fisker Karma

2013 Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG by GAD

Mercedes-Benz tuners in Germany are pretty much a dime a dozen, so many times we see just basic upgrades and overwhelmingly “blah” modifications. Fortunately, GAD Motors is one that rarely, if ever, puts together a “blah” kind of Benz. Its recent program for the CLS 63 AMG, which pumps out 563 horsepower straight off of the showroom floor, proves it.

This 4-stage program starts off with the Wattage V1 program, which adds in replacement, high-flow air filters, a mild boost in boost psi, remapping of the fuel and ignition systems, and a V max upgrade. This bumps the CLS 63 AMG up to 640 PS (631 horsepower), a 68-horsepower increase. This kit costs €3,000 ($3,841 at the current exchange rates)

The second stage is the Wattage V2, which adds in high-flow air filters, water-to-air intercooler with water pump, low-resistance downpipe with high-flow cats and a low-resistance exhaust system, an increase in turbocharger boost pressure, remapped ignition and fuel systems, and a V max upgrade. This is good for 670 PS (661 horsepower), which is an impressive 108-horsepower jump. This kit will set you back €8,600 ($11,011)

Stage three, known as the Wattage V3 kit, includes everything found in the Wattage V2 kit, but it adds in 30-percent larger GAD turbochargers, which significantly increases the overall boost. This jumps the CLS 63 AMG’s V-8 engine to a massive 730 PS (720 horsepower). That is a full 157 horsepower more than the 63 AMG made from the factory. The V3 kit will cost you €16,400 ($20,998)

The fourth and final stage is dubbed the Wattage V4 and includes everything from the V3 package and then some. The extra goodies on the V4 package include: boost increase and an optimized exhaust system – the exact exhaust specifics are not known. This jumps the CLS 63 AMG’s power to 800 PS (789 horsepower) – a huge leap of 226 horsepower. The V4 kit runs a grand total of €25,600 ($32,778)

There is no mention of what kind of track number this model can pull, but we assume a 0-to-60 time in the low-3-second range, maybe even into the high-2s.

On the outside, there are a few minor upgrades, including gunmetal-colored HRE wheels, as well as gunmetal-colored grille and side-view mirrors.

gallery: 2012 Mercedes CLS63 AMG

gallery: 2013 Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG by GAD

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2012 Dodge Challenger R/T Blacktop Edition

dodge challenger r t blacktop edition picture

If you’re not already a fan of the Dodge Challenger R/T, Dodge is set to try to draw you in with a special edition version of it. Just like the Charger and Avenger, Dodge is now releasing a Blacktop package for its powerful V-8 coupe.

The Blacktop package adds in a ton of exterior upgrades to give the Challenger an even more menacing look, something that is tough to do. However, this package is not all about simply making the Challenger look good. Dodge also added in a usually optional package to the Challenger R/T Blacktop to help it handle and accelerate more effectively. The latter has never been complained about, but the former is one of the sticking points with the Challenger, it’s not really a good handler.

So, is this package really worth the money that Dodge is charging for it, or is it just another Dodge special edition that will fizzle away?

Click past the jump to find out.

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Report: 16 Fisker Karmas Burn Following Hurricane Sandy

Fisker had some issues with Karmas and spontaneous combustion, as of late, and even mentioning the word “Fire” in Fisker’s home office is likely an offense likely worthy of firing. Wait, but you can’t say “Firing” either, so how about “Termination.” Reports out of New Jersey of Karmas catching fire following Hurricane Sandy couldn’t have possibly come at a worse time.

According to the reports, a group of Fisker Karmas were sitting at port in New Jersey when seawater submerged them. A short time after their submersion, 16 of the stored Karmas burst into flames. From the images we are seeing, they are total losses and we will likely never know the precise cause, but Fisker is diligently investigating the situation.

One thing is for sure here, this will likely not have anything to do with a flaw in the Karma’s design. It’s likely no more Fisker’s fault than a blow dryer’s fault for you getting electrocuted while drying your hair in the bathtub. It’s simple: deep water + electronics = “zap” and “boom.” This is multiplied when you add in the corrosive salt in the ocean and the fact that these cars were likely submerged for a long time.

We are more concerned with whether these cars were already sold to customers or if they were just dealership stock. Plus, with the financial eggshells that all startups walk on, we are concerned with how losing this large of a percentage of Karmas produced will affect Fisker’s 2012 and 2013 outlook.

We’ve reached out to Fisker to try to get a better grasp on the situation. We’ll pass any information we get along to you.

gallery: 2011 Fisker Karma

Source:World Car Fans

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2013 Citroën DS3 RRC

Pending the final release of the 2012 WRC standings, the Citroën DS3 WRC is a two-time World Rally Championship champion, which just solidifies the fact that it knows a thing or two about racing. On the heels of this championship, Citroën is set to debut yet another racecar, but this time around, it is for private owners only.

This new model, dubbed the Citroën DS3 RRC, is designed to run at rally levels just below the WRC, like the European Rally Championship (ERC), WRC-2, Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) or other national championships. Citroën was very careful in its homologation of this model to make 100 percent certain it wasn’t stepping on its own tailpipe.

So can this baby-brother version of the championship-winning Citroën DS3 WRC be held up to the same relative standard as its big brother?

Click past the jump to read all about the Citroën DS3 RRC and find out.

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gallery: 2013 Citroën DS3 RRC

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2013 Volkswagen Beetle “Chopped Top” by Galpin Auto Sports

volkswagen beetle chopped top by galpin auto sports picture

Wow, VW hit SEMA really hard this year, especially with the Beetle. Pretty much every model of Beetle that was heading to SEMA – Rotiform Beetle, Beach-Battle Cruiser Beetle, and the Super Beetle – were all readily available with images, but the Chopped Beetle by Gaplin Auto Sports was not, for some reason.

Well, GAS has just released an image of this chop-top Beetle and some extra information. It is based on the 2013 VW Beetle Turbo, which means it features a 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and a 6-speed transmission. There’s no mention of any additions to the engine, so we assume that it remains bone stock.

On the outside, GAS doused it with an Onyx Black base coat and accented the sides with Candy Apple Red metal-flake paint, giving it an awesome look. GAS then took to the top of the Beetle, hacking 5.5 inches off of the A-pillar and 2.5 inches off of the B-pillar, giving it that classic chop-top look, while retaining the classic humped roofline.

Adding to its bespoke look, GAS deleted the rear windows and added in rear air scoops in their place. If you have seen rodded beetles that retain their rear-mounted engines, this is a very common modification to get a little more airflow to the engine. Given this is a front-mounted engine, it’s just there for show.

Adding to its style is a set of 20-inch, 3-piece Forgiattos handmade rims. GAS them topped off the outside by adding tint to the headlights and taillights, giving this already sinister- and vintage-looking Beetle a little more darkness.

On the inside, the vintage treatment continued, as GAS tossed in vintage-style black leather that features red accent stitching. The headliner is dyed to match the vintage cow hide on the rest of the interior. Wrapping the inside and outside together, GAS painted the interior trim panels and dashboard with the same Candy Apple Red metal flake that sets off the exterior. We are still awaiting images of the interior and we will get them to you ASAP.

Overall, we think this was well worth the delay in getting the images, we just wish it had a little something extra under the hood.

gallery: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Black Turbo Launch Edition

gallery: 2013 Volkswagen Beetle “Chopped Top” by Galpin Auto (...)

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2013 Scion FR-S "minty FReSh" by Chris Basselgia

scion fr-s minty fresh by chris basselgia picture

The second entry in Scion’s FR-S tuner competition, which competitors have $15K to build the most bad-ass FR-S for a change to win $10K, is Chris Basselgia’s entrant “minty FReSh” – you see what he did there? This custom FR-S creation, much like the “Carbon Stealth” before it, takes a much calmer approach to tuning.

Much like his competitor, John Toca, Basselgia left off all of the gaudy bodywork and focused mainly on a clean design. That’s not to say that his “minty FReSh” concept is free of any additions to the body, he was simply more careful and calculated with where he placed them. This ultimately brings the focus to the performance interior styling and sound system in the “minty Fresh” FR-S.

So, is Chris’ “minty Fresh” Scion FR-S up to the challenge of beating out its other two competitors and taking home the top prize of $10K?

Click past the jump to read our full review and find out.

gallery: 2013 Scion FR-S

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gallery: 2013 Scion FR-S "minty FReSh" by Chris Basselgia

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2013 Scion FR-S "Carbon Stealth" by John Toca

scion fr-s carbon stealth by john toca picture

Just recently, we announced that Scion was planning a friendly little competition for the 2012 SEMA Show. In this contest, Scion handed each of three tuners a 2013 Scion FR-S base model and a $15,000 budget. The task at hand: to build the most awesome FR-S inside of the $15K budget. For their work, Scion will hand over a $10,000 grand prize.

The unfortunate reality of this contest is that, like most SEMA cars, these three FR-S’ will likely be stripped and crushed just after the show, but we get to enjoy them for just a short amount of time. Scion has decided to let us in on the main specs of the three cars as we close in on the opening of SEMA, and one of these models is the “Carbon Stealth” FR-S by John Toca.

Scion’s release on this car indicates that John built this car to give you the practicality and enjoyment desired from a daily driver, but the ability to toss it around a track at the drop of a hat. So, is this custom-built Scion FR-S really up to snuff?

Click past the jump to find out.

gallery: 2013 Scion FR-S

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Newly Signed Proton and Honda Partnership Could Return Honda to the Sports Car Realm

There had been some reports floating around that DRB-Hicom was seeking a strategic partnership from a Japanese automaker lately, and we just received word that a deal is now in place. Proton will be teaming up with Honda to develop technology enhancements and a new product lineup, as well as share platforms and facilities.

For the most part, Proton builds cheap econoboxes for the UK market, so the direct team up is really not too inspiring. However, peeling back the skin a little bit, you reveal that this deal will likely include its subsidiary, Lotus. While Lotus would benefit greatly from having the technology that Honda has to offer and some financial relief by building certain components together, we are mostly interested in what this deal could potentially bring Honda.

Honda really doesn’t need Proton, as its econobox lineup is stout, but it is lacking a sports car, ever since the S2000 fizzled out in a fit of torque-lacking rage. With Lotus’ expertise being in the lightweight sports car realm and both Honda and Lotus looking for ways to build sports cars without taking on 100 percent of the risk, a team up between the two would be equally beneficial.

We all heard rumors about the S3000 a few years ago, and Lotus has the perfect line of 3.5-liter, V-6 engines sitting in its Evora lineup. So why not team up on a shared model?

According to reports, DRB-Hicom will be laying out Proton’s business plan next month, which will likely include Lotus updates, so we will keep an eye out for this new business plan, and how Honda and Lotus are involved.

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has been the apex of the luxury automaker’s sports car lineup since 2011. In 2012, Mercedes released the GT variant of the SLS AMG as the official safety car in the Belgian Grand Prix. The GT variant was a highly desired car, but Mercedes did not offer it up to retail customers.

That was until now, as Mercedes announced it will offer up this model to the public for the first time. What’s more is that Mercedes has also released the official details on this all-new variant of the famed SLS AMG. Being the official F1 safety car, the 571 ponies that the standard SLS AMG’s 6.3-liter V-8 pumps out just won’t cut it, so we will see a nice boost in this variant’s powerplant.

Also included are minor aesthetic and functional additions to the interior. The real test is how this supercar stacks up to its competition, though there is not much out there that can compete with it.

Click past the jump to read all about the SLS AMG GT and to see how it stacks up to its competitors.

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gallery: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT

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Evolution of the Corvette and the Crossed Flags Logo

The Chevrolet Corvette is heading into its seventh generation and it’s set to be unveiled in Detroit on January 13th, 2013. With the release of this almost 100 percent all-new `Vette – only the cabin air filter and the top latch are carried over from the C6 generation – also comes an all-new version of the Corvette’s signature crossed flags logo.

GM was rather generous with us upon announcing the upcoming release of the C7 Corvette, as it also released an image of the restyled badge. Sure, it is essentially a modernized version of the C6’s badge, but it’s still cool nonetheless.

In celebration of this upcoming release, we thought we would outline all seven renditions of the Corvette’s crossed flags badge and connect them to their respective generations. So kick back and enjoy as we take you from 1953 all the way through 2014!

Click past the jump to read the full evolution of the Corvette and its emblem.

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gallery: Evolution of the Corvette and the Crossed Flags (...)

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Confirmed: C7 Corvette to Debut on January 13th in Detroit With a New Crossed Flags Logo

We have speculated, spied, and even rendered the C7 Corvette as we anxiously awaited any news on its upcoming release. Well, the speculation will officially be over in less than three months, as Chevrolet has just announced that it will officially unveil the C7 Corvette on January 13, 2013.

GM also let us know that the Corvette will be a “world-challenging sports car with design, refinement, efficiency and driver engagement that is second to none.” We also learned in GM’s presser that the C7 Corvette will be nearly 100 percent new, as it will use only two components from the C6 generation: the cabin air filter and rear latch for the removable top. That gets us extremely excited, as a fear of ours is a body overhaul but the same old driveline and chassis under the skin. Maybe the rumors of a 5.5-liter V-8 powerplant are true...

With these all-new components also comes a brand new Crossed Flags logo. GM was actually kind enough to provide us with an image of the new Crossed Flags logo (pictured above) and it is definitely far more modern and aggressive than any one before it. According to GM, there were over 100 different prototypes for the new emblem reviewed before executives finally decided on this one.

It seems as if GM is just as excited about this upcoming release, as it has launched a website – www.one13thirteen.com – dedicated to tracking all of the C7 `Vette release details over the next few months. In fact, the first video on the site unlocks on November 15th. You can also track all of the release info at the Corvette’s Facebook page.

Chevy also announced that we will see the C7.R Corvette running in the 2014 ALMS. So, the question now is what in the world does GM have up its sleeve? We’ll keep close tabs on every bit of info that GM releases.

Click past the jump to read GM’s full press release and see a video on the Crossed Flags’ evolution.

gallery: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette

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Porsche Claims it Has No F1 Aspirations

Posted on 10.17.2012 18:00 by Justin Cupler +
Filed under: Porsche | formula 1 | car racing | sports cars | cool fast cars

On Monday, we let you know about our suspicions that Porsche was mulling over a return to the world of F1, as it was snagging up what seemed like every unemployed F1 engineer available and was looking for more. It looks like us media folk have kicked up a bit of dust in the Porsche offices, as its motorsport spokesperson, Oliver Hilger, spoke out in reference to the speculation.

Hilger made it quite clear that the speculation is exactly that – speculation – and there is no truth behind it. He was quoted saying “We have no ambitions for Formula One” and that “if you need good people, of course you have a look around also in Formula One.”

We’ll take Hilger at his word for now, but hiring a pile of F1 guys really seems like a strange trend if you are simply trying to hire the best people. We wouldn’t be surprised to hear Porsche singing a different tune in the future.

Image Credit: John Chapman

Source:World Car Fans

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Toyota GT86 Wins "Best Coupe" in Scottish Car of the Year Awards

Love them or hate them, the Toyoscibaru triplets are a relative success and the Scottish Car of the Year award brass have confirmed its UK dominance by gracing it with the “Best Coupe” award. While the GT86 may not be a powerhouse, pumping 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque from its 2.0-liter Subaru-built flat-4 engine, its lightweight body and low stance make it a true “driver’s car.”

Ultimately, its “driver’s car” feel combined with its 164 g/km of CO2 emissions and 39.8 mpg was what convinced the voting members of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers to give the Toyota the award. There is no mention of what other cars contended the GT86 for the title, but the press release alludes to the fact that the Toyota GT86 was a come-from-behind winner this year.

Congrats to Toyota on its latest achievement. This only leads us to wonder what else Toyota has in store for us, especially considering the fact that Toyota recently confirmed that the GT86 is just the first of a series of sports cars that the automaker will release. We all anticipate the other two being a return of the Celica and a redo of the MR2 that would hopefully put to bed the underachieving MR-2 Spyder that we saw in the mid-2000s.

Click past the jump for the full press release.

gallery: 2013 Toyota GT 86

Click past the jump to read all about the SLS AMG GT and to see how it stacks up to its competitors.

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gallery: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT

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Evolution of the Corvette and the Crossed Flags Logo

Click past the jump to read the full evolution of the Corvette and its emblem.

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gallery: Evolution of the Corvette and the Crossed Flags (...)

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Confirmed: C7 Corvette to Debut on January 13th in Detroit With a New Crossed Flags Logo

Click past the jump to read GM’s full press release and see a video on the Crossed Flags’ evolution.

gallery: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette

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Porsche Claims it Has No F1 Aspirations

Posted on 10.17.2012 18:00 by Justin Cupler +
Filed under: Porsche | formula 1 | car racing | sports cars | cool fast cars

Image Credit: John Chapman

Source:World Car Fans

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Toyota GT86 Wins "Best Coupe" in Scottish Car of the Year Awards

Click past the jump for the full press release.

gallery: 2013 Toyota GT 86

Pair of Ferraris Demolish Each Other in China

Ten years ago, seeing a Ferrari in China was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but with its economy being one of the few thriving in the world and its people slowly climbing the world’s income ladder, it is becoming far more common. Along with the Ferraris on the road come more smashed up Ferraris on the shoulder of the road. Enter in the latest crash on the Baomao Expressway and you have one of the more extreme ones that we have seen in a while.

It’s not the number of cars or the cumulative amount of automotive damage caused, but rather the fact the Ferrari California and 458 Italia hit each other so hard that it ripped the California’s 453-horsepower, 4.3-liter V-8 engine – we assume it’s the California’s because the rear end of the Italia is intact – along with half of the drivetrain, right out of the car. Now, we are not too sure of the exact timeline and details of the crash, but it is apparent that the California and Italia hit each other at extremely high speeds. Scary stuff…

We don’t know anything about injuries, so we can’t comment on that. We simply hope everyone made it out alive. We can all assume that both Ferraris are too far gone to recover and are set to meet their final resting place in a scrapyard somewhere in China.

We’ll pass along more information, if it becomes available.

gallery: Pair of Ferraris Demolish Each Other in China

Source:Jalopnik

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Report: Fisker Atlantic Delayed at Least Two Years

The last time we checked in on Fisker, it had fallen short of its $150 million fundraising goal by about $50 million, but said that was plenty to help fund the development of the upcoming Atlantic sedan. Just recently, Fisker had an investor meeting and it had a little bit of bad news, per reports, as the Atlantic’s pre-production may not start until 2014. The anticipated timeline for the Atlantic was a 2013 startup, so this would place it about two years late to the party.

There are no reports as to why production is being delayed, but it is likely either a delay in getting the former GM plant that it purchased up to date for production or choosing an overseas assembly site. Once production gets rolling, Fisker will be adding over 1,000 jobs – hopefully to the U.S. market – plus it’ll be able to use this opportunity to put some of the Karma issues behind it. One issue that will certainly be resolved is the Karma’s high price, as according to the report, the Atlantic will come in at a relatively affordable $55,000 base price.

Also outlined in the presentation is the fact that Fisker is looking to partner up with other automakers to spread the Atlantic’s platform to other makes. That really comes as no surprise because that was already rumored, but now we have a little confirmation.

We are due to have a sit down with Fisker reps soon and this information will certainly be added onto the list of topics that we will cover.

gallery: 2013 Fisker Atlantic

Source:Reuters

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2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spyder

After months and months of spy shots, and a very special teaser, McLaren Automotive has finally unveiled the MP4-12C Spider and boy, was it worth the wait!

Featuring all of the updates recently found on the updated MP4-12C coupe, the Spider promises to take the fight to the Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder and help reinvigorate life into the high-performance sports car market.

As you would expect, the MP4-12C Spider is essentially identical to its coupe sibling, meaning it’s also made good use out of the advanced carbon fiber monocoque, tipping the scales at just 165 lbs. Despite the added weight of the electronic systems required to open and close the hardtop, the Spider has only gained 40kg/88 lbs over the coupe, meaning no modifications to the monocoque were needed.

The new MP4-12C Spider is offered with the same engine as the updated version of the MP4-12C Coupe: a 616 HP 3.8-liter V8 twin turbo engine combined with a 7 Speed SSG dual-clutch transmission. The Spider version will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds and will hit a top speed of 204 mph (3 mph less than the coupe).

One of the most innovative features of the new 12C Spider is its unique RHT (Retractable Hard Top) folding roof system that may be operated while on the move at speed of up to 19 mph.

Confirmed back in 2009, the new MP4-12C Spyder will be available for sale in 22 countries worldwide. On the British market, it is priced at £195,500, about $300K at the current exchange rates. On the US market, it will be priced at $268,250, which is about $37,250 more than its coupe sibling priced at $231,000

UPDATE 08/21/12: The McLaren MP4-12C Spyder has made its public debut at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours! Check out the new images in the photo gallery!

UPDATE 10/15/12: McLaren has unveiled a set of 50 new high res images for their latest 12C Spider. Check the picture gallery to see them all!

Hit the jump for more details on the 2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spyder.

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gallery: 2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spyder

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The MPG Battle Could Spell the Death of the Sports Car

For the vast majority of the automobile’s life, horsepower has reigned supreme as the bragging right of most car owners. Torque snuck its way in through the 1980s and is now a little more relevant, but it was all about that almighty HP for the most part. Well, as the emission standards and fuel crisis of just about every decade emasculated muscle cars more and more, a new spec started rearing its wallet-friendly little head: miles per gallon.

With the price per gallon of gas tickling Abraham Lincoln’s feet in some areas of the U.S., mpg is becoming more and more important. In fact, just months ago, Consumer Reports did a survey that showed 37 percent of car buyers actually make their car-buying decision based on the mpg of a car. The next highest percentage chose build quality, and that tallied up to only 17 percent of the people polled.

It has gotten to the point now that even Lamborghini has introduced a start-stop feature on the 2013 Aventador, Ferrari and Porsche are building hybrids, and there is an electric-powered sedan hat hits 60 mph in 4.4 seconds while getting 90 mpg equivalent. This leads us to the inevitable, the sports car world is the next thing that has to change or die off altogether, as the supercar world is already rolling toward the mpg side.

There is mention of the Mustang and Camaro both switching over to turbocharged V-6 or, god forbid, 4-cylinder engines. If the pony cars can do it, chances are the sports cars of the world – Nissan 370Z, Porsche Boxster, Mazda Miata, etc. – are all going to have to push their mpg to extremes to remain competitive. This could ultimately increase sticker prices significantly and might result in buyers having no problems saying, “yeah, my car only has 100 horsepower and looks like a shoe, but it gets 75 mpg!”

The UK has been dealing with terrible gas prices for ages and you can see it in its cars. For example, the Nissan 370Z costs $33,120 in the U.S. and gets 26 mpg highway. In the UK, however, Nissan had to tweak it to meet the EU’s more stringent fuel economy regulations, raising its highway mpg to 36, but bringing the 370Z’s cost to an astronomical £29,975 ($48,202 at the current exchange rates). Would you pay nearly $50K for a base 370Z? I know I wouldn’t.

This may very well result in the death of the sports car, what a scary thought. Ultimately it is a change-inexpensively-or-die situation for the sports car as we know it in next 10 years…

Source:Consumer Reports

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Kendra Messer Sexy Models by Nino Batista Potography

The Japanese drift scene is one of the more mysterious yet fascinating things about the entire industry. The cars are insane, they’re customized to the hilt, and best of all, they attract some of the finest looking hotties in the country.

Kendra Messer is by no means Japanese, although she looks perfectly at home with all those Japanese drift cars. No, we’re not just talking about her looks; this lady is also a bonafide car enthusiast and a recognized racer and drifter.

Talk about the ultimate babe, right?

Photographer Nino Batista was able to capture the essence of what makes Messer such an attractive lady. Lingerie with Japanese drift cars? Yeah, that just about sums it up for us.

Nino put her next to a series of Japanese sports cars usually used for racing and drifting. Kendra, to her credit, has pulled off some sexy poses to go with those sports cars, and trust us, it’s a gallery that’s worth checking out.

Hop on over then to the gallery and look at how Nino Batista pulled off photography awesomeness yet again.

gallery: Kendra Messer Sexy Models by Nino Batista (...)

Source:Nino Batista

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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series Prototype Goes up in Flames on the `Ring

As we all expect, Mercedes has been hard at work testing out its upcoming SLS AMG Black Series, making sure its 600-plus-horsepower engine, upgraded suspension, and brakes are up to the task of daily use and high speeds. One place that every supercar needs to test at is the Nürburgring. Well, with the Nürburgring comes some of the most spectacular wrecks ever.

This time around, the SLS Black Series prototype got the short end of the `Ring’s stick, as it was smashed up in a wreck on the Dӧttinger Hӧhe section of the track – one of the fastest sections – and went up in flames. Fortunately, the engineers in the car were unharmed, proving that Mercedes put some serious work into the SLS’s safety devices and that the `Ring has some fast safety crews.

Before everyone gets up in arms about a Benz burning, don’t get too worried, as a wreck of this nature is bound to cause some flames and likely has nothing to do with the quality of the prototype. It is rather unfortunate to see such an expensive piece of experimental metal and carbon fiber go up in smoke, but we are willing to bet that Mercedes has a few more of these in the stable and the funds to build a new one, if needed.

What’s even cooler is that we actually got our hands on a few spy shots of the aftermath from this wreck. On top of the carnage, you also get a good look at this upcoming model with most of its camo… well, burned off…

gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series Prototype Goes (...)

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Lotus Has 30 Million Pounds in Overdue Debt

We all know that Lotus has a lot of issues, but there has never been any confirmation of exactly how much trouble Lotus is really in. After DRB-Hicom requested a delay in tax payments to the Inland Revenue, people started looking a little closer.

According to reports, Lotus has about £30 million (roughly $48 million at the current exchange rates) in overdue debts to various suppliers. £23 million (roughly $36.8 million) of this debt is 90 days overdue and £7 million (roughly $11.2 million) of it is between 30 and 90 days overdue. Here comes the oddest of claims by DRB-Hicom; a source close to the company says that the blame for the overdue payments is related to prior management ::cough::Dany Bahar::cough::.

Okay, Bahar has been gone since late May and that means that DRB-Hicom has had full control of Lotus, and its bills, for over five months now. We will gladly give Bahar a lion’s share of the credit for taking one of the greatest sports car companies and flushing it down the toilet, however, we cannot put the blame on him for bills that are now three months overdue.

This issue falls directly on the plate of DRB-Hicom and the CEO it appointed to run Lotus, not Bahar and not any other previous management. Sure, previous management may have spent money that it didn’t have carelessly, but you have had five months to figure out how to pay the bills, so deal with it.

DRB-Hicom may start rethinking the £1 offer it received several months ago. That’s a small sum of money to hand someone a debt-burdened and troubled company… We’ll keep an eye out for more on this situation.

TopSpeed Rendering: 2014 Lamborghini Cabrera

With the Gallardo lineup winding into its final production years, everyone is antsy to get a look at the all-new Cabrera. With Lamborghini being, well, Lamborghini, it tends to play its cards very close to its chest and only the information it wants out gets out – unlike GM, which has many leaky valves.

Fortunately for us, Lamborghini has been more giving than usual, as it has released just enough information about the Cabrera to keep us interested. So far we know that Lamborghini is calling the Cabrera’s design a “revolution not an evolution,” so we can assume that the its body will be significantly different than the Gallardo. As you can see from our rendering, we anticipate it to take some of the Sesto Elemento’s styling cues.

We have also learned that the Cabrera will be a much simpler lineup than the Gallardo, so we won’t see the laundry list of available options, as we do on the current Gallardo. We also know that the Cabrera will feature the same 5.2-liter V-10 as the Gallardo and will likely boast a supercharger to pump it up to 600, or more, horsepower.

The Cabrera will carry over the same 6-speed automated manual transmission as the Gallardo. The traditional manual transmission was axed as a possibility recently. We have also heard that it will definitely come in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive is still on the table.

Add in the fact that is will feature carbon fiber body panels to drop its weight by 66 lbs and you will get a supercar that hits 60 mph in only 3.4 seconds – roughly 0.2 seconds quicker than the base Gallardo – and a 203 mph top speed.

We’ll keep an eye out for more information to make its way onto the wire, but given the history of Lamborghini, we likely have to wait until it is good and ready to drop the info.

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2011 BMW 1M Coupe by TJ Fahrzeugdesign

bmw 1m coupe by tj fahrzeugdesign picture

So, maybe it was a money issue or a timing issue, but you held off on putting your deposit down on the limited-run 1M Coupe. Now, you’re likely kicking yourself as you realize just how popular it was and just how tough it may become to get your hands on one of the 6,331 of them in existence today. If you don’t feel like waiting for a reasonably priced 1M to hit the used market and really only care about the performance of the 1M and not the “official” name, German Tuner, TJ Fahrzeugdesign, may have the answer for you.

TJ Fahrzeugdesign, which translates out to TJ Vehicle Design, has released a tuning and appearance kit that will give your run-of-the-mill 1-Series coupe the look and feel of the 1M coupe. Actually, you will likely annihilate any 1M coupe on the street in this machine, thanks to four extra cylinders and loads more power than the stock 1M.

So how does TJ Fahrzeugdesign’s really stand up to the 1M coupe?

Click past the jump to read our full review and find out.

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gallery: 2011 BMW 1M Coupe by TJ Fahrzeugdesign

Source:Bimmer Today

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Cadillac Considering Two New Models, Including a New Two-Seat Sports Car

Okay, let’s start with the not-so-cool stuff… Cadillac’s new CEO, Robert Ferguson, announced recently that Cadillac is considering two new models. The first of the two is a large flagship model to do battle with the likes of the BMW 7-Series and the Mercedes S-Class. While that’s all well and good, we want to hear the more exciting side of this pair of potential new models.

For the second model, we need to have a look back at the 2009 model year, which was the final year of the relative flop that was the XLR and XLR-V – Cadillac’s Corvette-based sports car. It was cool looking, but ultimately it was way ahead of its time in Cadillac’s brand overhaul and in its base format was relatively slow (6 seconds to 60 mph).

According to Cadillac’s CEO, an all-new two-seat sports car is “being considered.” With the CTS and CTS-V doing pretty well in the lineup and performance luxury cars becoming more popular, we think this is an awesome idea. Add in the fact that Cadillac’s image has officially been changed to and accepted as a luxury car maker with a little bit of pop under its hood and Cadillac may be sitting on solid gold.

You see, even the XLR-V and its 4.4-liter V-8 could only muster up a 443 horsepower and a 4.6-second sprint to 60 mph, but retailed at nearly $100K. Now with the CTS-V pumping out 556 horsepower, hitting 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds, and carrying a $63K base price, a new Caddy roadster could step right in, borrow some components from the CTS-V and make a run at the likes of the Jaguar F-Type and others.

While this is all still speculation, we can’t help but be excited by even the potential of a performance roadster in the Cadillac lineup. Stay tuned!

gallery: 2009 Cadillac XLR-V

Source:Detroit News

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2013 ATS Sport 1000

It’s official that Italian automaker, ATS, is coming back and in full force. Back in the 1960s, ATS began its short, but storied, history as a racecar manufacturer, then quickly turned to manufacturing road-going cars when racing fell through. Well, we have already seen the road-going ATS model, the 2500 GT, and now we are going to have a look at the other end of the spectrum, the race-ready ATS Sport 1000.

The thing about racing is that it is not always about massive power. In most road races, it is more about agility, acceleration, and fast-revving engines. Judging by some of the details on the ATS Sport 1000, this car certainly meets and even exceeds some of the expectations of a racecar. So, can this up-and-coming automaker really produce a successful racecar and road car at the same time?

To figure that out, we need to have a look at what makes this car tick.

UPDATE 11/11/12: ATS has officially announced pricing details for the Sport 1000. If you’re a little nervous about how much it’s going to cost, don’t be. It was a little cheaper than what we initially expected.

Click past the jump to read our full review on the ATS Sport 1000 and find out if it has what it takes to dominate the racing world.

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gallery: 2013 ATS Sport 1000

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2006 - 2013 Mazda Miata MX-5 by BBR-Cosworth

mazda miata mx-5 by bbr-cosworth picture

The Mazda Miata MX-5 has lived mostly by one trademark since its debut in 1989: offer superior handling with capable performance. From 1989 through 2003, the MX-5 did just that, but in 2004 and 2005, Mazda broke its mold by releasing the turbocharged Mazdaspeed MX-5 in limited numbers. Combined with the revised suspension, the Mazdaspeed MX-5 gave Miata enthusiasts a little extra power to go along with the precision handling of the compact roadster.

When Mazda revamped the MX-5 Miata in the 2006 model year, it gave the Miata a bold look that it had always missed, but it also took away the option to add the famed “Mazdaspeed” badge to the model. For those that want to have their cake and eat it too, BE-Cosworth may have the solution for you, in the form of two stages of supercharger kits for your Mk3 and Mk3.5 (2006 through 2013) MX-x Miatas.

Click past the jump to read all about the Mazda Miata MX-5 by BBR-Cosworth.

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gallery: 2006 - 2013 Mazda Miata MX-5 by BBR-Cosworth

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2013 ATS 2500 GT

When Enzo Ferrari had a falling out with his top associates, said associates chose to leave Ferrari’s side and go their separate ways. One of the more famed companies to come from this massive falling out was ATS. No, not the Cadillac ATS, but rather the Italian sports car manufacturer Automobili Turismo e Sport. Carlo Chiti started the company to produce both racecars and road cars, but the racing side didn’t work so well.

The 2500 GT, which was a blessing passed down from the pen of Franco Scaglione, made its debut at the 1963 Geneva Auto Show as one of the first ever mid-engine vehicles. For the era, the 2.5-liter V-8 engine’s 210 horsepower was a marvel and its 241 km/h (149.75 mph) top speed was almost unsurpassed.

The precise number of these cars built between 1962 and 1965 is not really known, though some say it was a total of 12 units. What is known, however, is that only five units remain today. This is all about to change, as after 47 years, the ATS brand and the 2500 GT is being risen from the ashes and presented as a new model to contend with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini.

So, can this resurrected ghost of automotive past actually compete with its ultra-powerful fellow automobili Italia?

Click past the jump to read our full review on the ATS 2500 GT to find out.

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gallery: 2013 ATS 2500 GT

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2013 VDS GT 001

Seemingly, everyone is getting into the world of limited supercar building lately. The latest supercar to hit the market hails from Belgium and is the brainchild of former racecar driver, Raphael van der Straten, and it is a wild one to say the least.

The all-new VDS GT 001 sits atop the basic platform of the Gillet Vertigo supercar, which gives it some rather impressive numbers and an oddly stout appearance. To boot, the production of this Belgium supercar is extremely limited, so you are likely in for a ride that will be worth some significant money in the near future.

So how well does this oddly proportioned supercar hold up in the ever-growing supercar realm and will its strange appearance be accepted in the real world?

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gallery: 2013 VDS GT 001

Source:Supercars.net

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2012 Audi R8 by Autodynamica

For 30 years now, Autodynamica has been taking some of the hottest supercars on the market and turning them into some of the most awesome cars on the road. The latest monster to come rumbling out of Autodynamica’s shop is an impressively modified Audi R8.

Now, the R8 4.2 is already a wonderful piece of German engineering, so not much can be done to make it even better. Straight from the factory, it features a 4.2-liter V-8 engine that punches out 420 horsepower at 7,800 rpm and 317 pound-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm. With all of that power and torque, Audi’s famed Quattro system, and a 3,605 curb weight, the R8 can not 60 mph in an impressive 4.5 seconds.

So how exactly does Autodynamica plan on making this awesome coupe better than it already is?

Click past the jump to read our full review and find out if and how Autodynamica made this already sweet machine a little sweeter.

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