Ferrari 599XX Die Cast models by BBR

Posted on 09.29.2012 23:00 by Simona Filed under: Ferrari | coupe | Ferrari 599 | sports cars | car gift ideas | Cars | Car News

It’s time to take a little break from all the Paris Auto Show related news and talk about something a little more fun: toys! Whether you’re a child or not, we’re pretty sure many of you can appreciate the art behind die-cast models. These small versions of high-end supercars are an adult child’s dream, but this one in particular, a very cool Ferrari 599XX collection developed by BBR, is simply drool-worthy.

These 1:18 scale models are painted in the same Evo Rosso and Rosso Corsa colors used for the real car. Unfortunately, they will be built in a limited run - 50 units painted in Evo Rossa and 25 units painted in Rosso Corsa - combined with a very cool F1 2007 Italian Flag.

The bad news is that these amazing toys are not cheap. Each unit is priced at $475, cheaper that the real car, but still a ton money for a toy.

Video: 1,000hp Shelby Mustang Thunders Through Desert

What do you do when you have near 1,000 horsepower Shelby Mustang, a massive stretch of open desert road and some cameras? You defy the laws of physics laterally, vertically, horizontally and every variation of -ally you can think of.

That is exactly what watchmaker David Yurman did with his 950 horsepower Shelby go-fast machine. The watch business looks to be booming for Mr. Yurman. The 2012 Shelby 1000 boasts an impressive 5.4 liter supercharged V8 making 950 horsepower at 6,450rpm and 750lb-ft of torque at 4,500rpm.

While it may be a not so subtle attempt at advertising his watches - it's a nominal price to pay to watch pure Shelby goodness. No tire smoking, sideways malarkey in this one. Just the sound of the engine intertwined with a breathtaking road.

Skip to 1:45 for the good stuff.

Paris 2012: Audi R8 V10 Plus

The Audi R8 V10 Plus is the new top model in the R8 line up. The Germans displayed the V10 Plus facelift model at their stand here in Paris. The new Audi R8 V10 Plus model is available only as a coupe. It develops 550hp, with maximum torque of 540Nm at 6,500rpm. With the S tronic gearbox, the R8 V10 plus catapults from zero to 100km/h in 3.5 seconds and achieves a top speed of 317km/h. The key data with the manual transmission are 3.8 seconds and 319km/h.

The main changes for the facelift include the seven-speed S tronic dual clutch transmission which replaces the six-speed automated manual R tronic, a redesigned front bumper with new LED headlamps which are standard on all versions and a new rear end including LED taillights, a redesigned 'R8 logo, a restyled diffuser and new exhaust tips. Interior trim levels also benefit from the refresh.

Paris 2012: BMW M135i xDrive

At the Paris Motor Show 2012, BMW are displaying two new all-wheel drive 1-Series models, the M135i xDrive and the 120d xDrive. Of most interest to us is the M135i xDrive, an M Performance model.

The M135i xDrive features a 3.0 liter six-cylinder engine with a Twin Scroll turbocharger. It produces 320hp at 5,800rpm and 450Nm of torque at 4,500rpm. BMW’s xDrive, four wheel drive system is fitted which means that the M135i gets better traction and is now capable of producing 0-100km/h times of 4.7 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the rear wheel drive version, with a top speed limited to 250km/h.

Enjoy the photo gallery above and look out for more Paris Motor Show coverage by following the embedded link!

Leaked: Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Concept

Porsche will present the Panamera Sport Turismo Concept at the Paris Motor Show tomorrow. The Panamera Sport Turismo Concept is a shooting brake-style Porsche Panamera featuring a hybrid drive system lifted from the current Panamera hybrid.

The pictures you see below here have leaked ahead of the official release tonight at the traditional Volkswagen Group conference. It’s possible that this might be the first version of the rumoured Porsche plug-in hybrid system. Keep checking back for more details which are expected tonight!

[Via Autoblog.nl]

Video: Lamborghini teases new "Nova" Gallardo; Rendering created

Posted on 09.25.2012 15:00 by Simona Filed under: Lamborghini | coupe | Supercars / Exotic cars | Paris Motor Show | video | Lamborghini Gallardo | 2012 | Cars | Car News

A while ago, we reported that Lamborghini was preparing to bid adieu to the current Gallardo supercar with one last special edition that will be unveiled at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. Today, with just a few hours before the show’s official launch, the Italian company has dropped a teaser video for this new Gallardo.

The video doesn’t show much about the new car, but it does feature a "Gallardo" logo towards the end. Then there’s the official description of the video which states "#nova is unveiling at Paris Motor Show 2012: September 27th - 9:00 am CET What’s next?"

The word "Nova" sticks out like sore thumb in that description. The Italian word for "new" is "nuovo," so it can’t be describing the new Gallardo as many of us expected. "Nova’ is the Portuguese word for "new," but we just don’t see Lamborghini going all Portuguese on us. The logical assumption would be that Lamborghini is preparing to unveil another special edition model, which is what the guys over at LamboCars.com think. In fact, they have created a rendering of said "Nova" model, or could this be a leaked image? They state that the model teased in the video is the final edition in the Gallardo lineup. Their keen eyes noticed a Superleggera style wheel, carbon fiber exterior rear view mirrors, and a Gallardo seat. Bottom line: This may just be a special edition Gallardo that delivers more power than the LP560-4.

Guess we’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to get the official information on this mysterious Gallardo Nova!

Render: Lamborghini Aventador Roadster by Wild-Speed

The Lamborghini Aventador Roadster is almost certain to make its official release at the Los Angeles Motor Show later this year. Wild-Speed created these renders of the roofless Aventador supercar, based on the spyshots we’ve seen over the past year. We believe that they are pretty close to what Lamborghini will unveil at the end of November!

The test mules photographed so far illustrate the Aventador Roadster‘s targa-style removable roof. Our renders show an Aventador with solid panels, more like the Diablo Roadster than the Murcielago Roadster’s rag-top. It is unknown if Lamborghini will create storage space for the panels in the front luggage compartment, or if you will have to leave them at home.

Of course, underneath, the Roadster will share the same characteristics as the Lamborghini Aventador coupe. It will be powered by the same drivetrain as its coupe sibling, a 700 horsepower V12 engine paired with a seven-speed sequential automatic gearbox which transfers the power to all four wheels.

The monocoque is constructed entirely from carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), a technology which Lamborghini pioneers. This ensures extreme rigidity and performance on the road, as well as a high level of passive safety for the driver and the passenger. It also allows weight reduction, the Aventador coupe weighs just 1,575kg. Expect the Roadster to maintain similar levels of rigidity and weight.

Of course, if you can’t wait until Geneva, Oakley Design currently have an Aventador Roadster build ongoing!

More Execs Jump on the Lotus-Suing Bandwagon

Posted on 09.24.2012 14:00 by Justin Cupler Filed under: Lotus | industry news | government | UK | sports cars | cool fast cars | Asia | Cars | Car News

In the dust stirred up by Dany Bahar, we managed to miss the fact that DRB-Hicom also dismissed two senior executives from Lotus for "gross misconduct." One was the 6-year head of legal resources and the other had 17 years in as the head of human resources. These employees are now taking Lotus to an employment tribunal saying that they were dismissed unfairly, were harassed, and had to endure sexual and racial discrimination by the new Lotus parent.

From the report, the two fired executives underwent "intense interrogation sessions" after DRB-Hicom took over and started investigating the actions of Bahar. They are also claiming that the management company is more interested in "Malaysianizing" the company rather than fixing it.

One lawsuit is a random happening, but to get three lawsuits for very similar cases seems like a trend to us. Maybe Bahar isn't all wrong in this entire thing. The man is certainly at fault for using corporate money like it was his own personal Monopoly bank, but maybe his termination was a little bit less on the "up and up" as we anticipated.

All of this is coming straight on the heels of DRB-Hicom announcing that it is in talks to bring in a foreign partner to help clean up Proton Holdings Bhd, which includes Lotus. We'll keep an eye on this to see if it may negatively impact the talks that are going on between the Malaysian company and its potential foreign partner.

More Execs Jump on the Lotus-Suing Bandwagon originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 24 September 2012 14:00 EST.

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Tesla Roadster Completes Trip Around the World

Around the world in 80 days; not the movie but Spanish-born entrepreneur Rafael de Mestre’s mission to travel around the world in 80 days while driving a Tesla Roadster. His trip started off in Barcelona a few months back just after finishing a pan-European tour and has passed through Europe, the United States, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Romania, and then back through Europe to complete the journey.

Accompanying him in this round the world odyssey were French team drivers manning a Citro n C-Zero. The trip has not been an easy one as Mestre suffered a major crash in the Tesla just 600 miles away from his destination.

He had to fly the car from Frankfurt to New York where he drove west on the I-80, passing through Omaha in Nebraska, Cheyenne in Wyoming, Salt Lake City in Utah, then down the Californian coast to Los Angeles. He said charging stations were easy to find in the US in form of an RV park where he paid $40 to charge.

He then boarded a commercial jet to Seoul, Korea where his greatest challenge was the villages and towns along his route that had no electricity. He improvise with a trunk full of charge adapters designed to fit different plug styles and if one of his pre-assembled adapters didn’t work, he'd make one.

Rafael is back in Barcelona having made several records as the first man to drive around the world in an electric car, winner of the first electric car race around the world and fastest electric circumnavigation ever.