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Monday, February 28, 2011

Fresh from the Stable

2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4
Here it is, Ladies and Gentlemen; the official Official pics of Lamborghini's newest bull, the Aventador. Might I say that from every angle, this car looks absolutely monstrous! You just don't want to mess with it. Actually, if you do look long and hard, you may find that this car bares some resemblance to the Million Dollar Lambo, the Reventón, with F-22 Raptor-like sharp edges and dazzling design. And it's no different on the inside either.

Interior View
Look at this! Just spectacular! Who wouldn't want red leather seats in their F-22 Raptor Jet? Anyway, you might've noticed the new steering wheel. It actually features buttons for entertainment system use. Here's another view of it.

Central View
The console looks something from the future. Everything looks sort of cube-ish. You might've noticed the red latch near the entertainment buttons. In fighter jets, this was used to cover a big red button that would release a nuke or blow up Morocco or something or another. In this car, it's used to apply the handbrake (a very useful feature). The dashboard is equally useful.

New Tachs
The speedos and tachs are now much brighter and more colorful to keep drivers aware of what how fast your going or if you need gas in the next half-in-hour. As always, the Aventador features flappy paddles behind the steering wheel to operate Lamborghini's new and unique 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. 

L539 V12 Engine
And, of course, what good is the transmission without the actual engine. Lamborghini's new 6.5-liter V12 produces 691 horsepower which is sent equally to all four wheels. Because of this, 0 to 60 is done in just 2.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217 MPH. Actually, the 0 to 60 time matches that of the new Nissan GT-R, but because the GT-R's gear ratios are much shorter and the engine is less powerful than the Lambo's, the Lambo will have it beat in the long run. 

They didn't forget the scissor doors
So, there you are: striking looks, new engine, faster speed, more technology, more agile, and strangely affordable. Obviously, you might've read my last sentence and said, "How is this car strangely affordable? It's $371,000. That's more than I make stealing Google accounts in Morocco." Ahh, yes that is the price, but this car has graduated from supercar to hypercar. Which means, it has the potential to take on the Pagani Huayra and even the Bugatti Veyron. These cars both cost, in essence,  $1.5 Million. Then, there's the hypercar it's predecessor failed to beat, which was the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition. Now, this car will run circles around it. Now, the SLR costs about $500,000. So, compared to all three of those cars, this is the bargain of the century. And, as always, what good is the car without the name, Aventador. Lamborghini normally names their cars after famous bulls from bullfights in Spain. Aventador was the name of a bull that was owned by Don Celestino Cuadri Vides. It was at the peak of its career in 1993 when it went toe-to-toe with a torero in Saragozza, Spain. Well, that bull can put a smile on its face, wherever it is, because his name has been put on the fastest and most powerful Lamborghini to date. Well done Lamborghini, the Murcielago can finally rest in peace. Here are some more pics.

Super Golf

2012 VW Golf R
Golf fans rejoice! The Turbocharged Golf R is heading towards our shores this fall. It won't be as powerful as the Euro Spec Golf, but it is pretty powerful. The Euro Spec Golf R produces 270 horsepower with the 2.0-liter Turbo-4 engine. We'll get the same engine, but the power has been brought down to about 256. Still, since it is 250 lbs. lighter than the old V6 R32, 0 to 60 will be done in less than 5.7 seconds on its way to a limited top speed of 155 MPH. And, unlike most powerhouse hot hatches, primarily the Ford Focus RS and Mazdaspeed 3, the Golf R maintains its 4Motion all-wheel drive system to keep all the power balanced. Unfortunately, if you are a Golf lover but don't know how to drive a stick shift, you're gonna have to learn to drive this car. The Golf R will only be available with a 6-speed manual transmission, while Europe gets the option of having it with a DSG. I wouldn't mind that. Unfortunately, the bright LED taillamps will not be available on our Golf R. Anyway, one thing they haven't changed are the variants. You can have the Golf R as a 3-door or a 5-door. Prices start at around $30,000, which is family saloon money. There are also many options for you to choose from including sunroof, Navigation, Smart Key, Dynamic Sound System, etc. I still like it, even with the stick shift. I might even take it out for a test drive soon.

Style and Power do Mix Pt. II

2012 Carlsson CLS
Brabus and Carlsson are always competing for the honor of best Mercedes tuner. Last time, I showed you Brabus' version of the all new CLS. Now, it's Carlsson's turn, and this is what they've cooked up. It looks rather stylish this car, with some luxurious amenities to go with it. The bodykit looks alright with a new front lip, sideskirts, and rear splitter. Carlsson didn't forget about power when dealing with this car. Back then, I announced the power packages for the diesel CLS. Now, Carlsson will be working with the most powerful of the class, the CLS63 AMG. The regular car has 550 horsepower out of a 5.5-liter Twin-Turbocharged V8. Carlsson is willing to take that up a notch allowing you to turn the boost up giving you 592 horsepower, about as much as the McLaren MP4-12C. This all sounds rather nice, but if you know Brabus, chances are that they'll do something much crazier than that. Anyway, look for this car along side its Brabus counterpart at Geneva tomorrow.

Become the STIG

The STIG
Some say he ate a donkey for spitting on his helmet, and that he once wrote a book on why Ben Collins should die. All we know is, he's called the STIG, and you can now look like him as well. For example, let's start with his helmet. You might think that's unique, but actually that is a Simpson Diamondback Racing Helmet pictured here...

Simspon Diamondback Helmet
You can get it with a clear visor or you can choose from different dark visors, including a dark purple to match the STIG. His suit is actually an Alpinestars Auto Racing suit as seen here...

Alpinestars Auto Racing Suit
You can get this suit in black and other colors as well. His gloves are Alpinestars Tech 1-Z Karting gloves as seen here...

Alpinestars Tech 1-Z Gloves
And finally, his shoes are Alpinestars Tech 1-K Racing Shoes as seen here...

Alpinestars Tech 1-K Racing Shoes
So, there you are: your shopping list of items if you want to look like the STIG. Unfortunately, all of this will cost you a hefty $3000, but if you are a die-hard STIG fan, its worth it.

Good Man!

David Beckham's Chevy Camaro SS (Courtesy of Splash News)
I'd like to take a moment today to honor a man who made a wise decision when it comes to cars: David Beckham. The British L.A. Galaxy player just sold his $150,000 Porsche 911 Turbo for this dubbed out Camaro SS. It might look somewhat ridiculous, but it's 10x better than what he had before.

David Beckham's old Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet (Courtesy of Ebay)
Look at that thing. Not only is it an ugly squashed beetle, but with all this customization going on, it looks absolutely bonkers. Well done Beckham. You've realized a problem and properly fixed it. Now if only Wayne Rooney would stop Roonifying Britain with his Range Rover.

Source [DailyMail]

R8 Madness

2012 MTM R8 V10 BiTurbo
I'm going to introduce you to another insane tuner from Germany. They go by MTM and they specialize in tuning Audis. This is their newest creation, the R8 V10 BiTurbo. You can see that they've done some heavy modification to the body as well as the engine. A standard Audi R8 V10 produces 525 horsepower. MTM decided it needed lots more power. So, what they've done is they've put in two turbochargers and some modifications to the engine itself so it can produce what makes no difference 766 horsepower. That's more powerful than a Zonda R. 0 to 60 is done in less than 3.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of just 216 MPH. Of course with so much power, they had to think of a way to keep it all balanced. Well this is an Audi so, of course it has Quattro all-wheel drive. On the outside, they've fitted the car with 20-inch rims, very shiny chrome paint, a new front lip and rear spoiler, and a massive rear wing. The price: €400,000, and it will only be available in Europe. MTM had no plans of releasing this car over in North America. Anyway, this car is set to shine at Geneva this week. Check it out there.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Ice King

2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible Ice Speed Record
Once again, an automotive world record has been achieved from the manufacturer you least expect. Bentley recently tuned their big and powerful Continental Supersports Convertible to be more aerodynamic than usual. It still has that big 6.0-liter Twin-Turbocharged W12 engine with 631 horsepower, but with a lighter body and more aerodynamic styling, this car was able to set a world speed record, on ice. Yep! Bentley still produces the fastest snow cars on earth. This one reached a top speed of 205.10 MPH! That's fast anywhere, but even faster on snow. This was such a triumph, Bentley even plan to produce a special edition to this car. Obviously it won't look like this with no headlights, mirrors, or actual wheels, but it will have the same Twin-Turbocharged engine, will come in three unique arctic colors, and, as usual, will have all the drinks-globe luxury you need. Only 100 will be made. Prices have not been announced yet, but they might be at Geneva, where this car will be on display.

Test Drive Unlimited 2: Iron Audi

2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro (Test Drive Unlimited 2)
What do you get when you mix the theme song to MARVEL's greatest hero with this favorite car? An all new video by me driving his car all around Oahu. It's my video of the week! Check it out! I did some work on this one.

Drop Top Bull

2014 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster (Rendering)
Well, the wraps of the Aventador have come off and the car is set for an official debut at Geneva. But, now that we've seen what the car looks like, it's time to see what its variants will look like. First up: the Aventador Roadster. A car rendering team known as Rendered Speculation were able to imagine what the car will look like topless, and this is it. It looks almost realistic. Who knows. Maybe they'll be spot on when the Roadster actually does come out a couple years from now. But for now, we'll stick to the coupe. TWF2CG2W7TYV
Source [Rendered Speculation]

Build a Beemer Workshop

2012 BMW 650i Convertible
If I had the money and the garage space, this is what my BMW 650i would look like: a pure grand-touring sports car. But this is just my customization. You can customize your own 6 as well. BMW of America has officially launched their 650i Convertible Configurator. So now, you can customize your 6-series the way you want it. Who knows, if you have enough money, your 6-series convertible could become real. Get started here.

De Tomaso Returns!

2012 De Tomaso SLS Concept
De Tomaso has been gone since 2002, and it was one of the most famous and most luxurious manufacturers in all of Italy, right behind Ferrari. The Pantera was there most famous model. Elvis had one and it was a very powerful and fast car. Well, I'm here today to tell you Italians and you guys that De Tomaso is back with more Italian Luxury. They're starting off with this, the SLS Concept Study (not to confuse you with the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG). Now if you are a beemer fan, you may be looking at this and saying, "Hang on. This is just a 5-series GT with BMW crossed and De Tomaso written in crayon." You're right. De Tomaso did take a 5-series GT and added their own blend of Italian luxury and German science. Only this is much higher and looks more like a SUV/crossover than just a grand-tourer. The car will come with two engines: a 300 horsepower V6 and 550 horsepower V8, both engines sending power to all four wheels. Anyway, what De Tomaso has done is they've created a big, bulgy, humpback whale, and we're supposed to look at it like it's a good thing. But, that's my opinion. If you stand at the other end of the table and actually like this car, check it out more this week at Geneva.

Casino Royalty

2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro (Test Drive Unlimited 2)
If you've been playing TDU 2 for a while, you've probably ran into to this car a couple times. It's the Audi R8 V10 Spyder. Legend has it that the only way to receive this movie car is to win it in the slots at Casino Island. That legend is true, but totally useless. The slots grab $10,000 out of your pocket for different tries. Try too long and you'll end up having nothing. Luckily, I'm here today with another awesome way to receiving this awesome sports car. Are you ready? Cuz here it comes. Wait for it...buy the car! It's the easy thing you'll ever do. All you need is $2,000,000, some space in your garage, and a big smile on your face. The money isn't even hard to earn either, but earn it early with championships, lest you spend a very long time doing single races. Once you have the money, convert it to Casino Tokens, go up to the car, click on buy, and you're done. It's the best thing you'll ever do on the island. I hope this tip was helpful. More tips coming up!

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Next To Best

2012 Koenigsegg Agera R
It seems the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport has become the target to beat for the mantle of fastest car in the world. Shelby Super Cars is right now working on their Veyron killer, but Koenigsegg, as always, came up a bit short. But hey! It doesn't matter, because they end up looking good in the end, like this new one, the Agera R. Now you may remember the CCXR Edition, the fastest car Koenigsegg produced. It had 1,018 horsepower out of a 4.7-liter Twin-Supercharged V8 engine. This one has 1,115 out of an all new 5.0-liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 engine, which is a lot, but is no match compared to the Veyron Super Sport's 1,200 horsepower engine. 0 to 60 is done in less than 2.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 260 MPH. Most of this car is made of Carbon Fiber and the roof is removable, as seen here..

It's a Convertible Now!
Pretty cool, huh? I recommend keeping the roof on though. At 260 MPH, your face just might be disintegrated. Anyway, prices have not been announced yet, but expect it to be in the millions. This will be a highly exclusive car. Check it out as it hits Geneva this week.

Untamed

2011 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento (Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit)
So, Armed & Dangerous came out yesterday and already people are having a blast playing cops & robbers all over Seacrest County. Well, to make things more exciting, Lamborghini have brought in three of their renowned cars to Seacrest in order to see what the racers and cops think of them. There's the classic Countach, the legendary Diablo, and this: the Sesto Elemento, which is no longer a concept car. Yes! You can actually buy this car for about $3 Million. But, why pay that much to drive the car in real life than pay just $6.99 to drift with the car in Seacrest County while outrunning cops. And it's not like the cops are left out either.

2011 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Interceptor
The car features the same 570 horsepower 5.2-liter V10 engine that you get in the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera. But, the entire car, including the chassis, is made out of carbon fiber, bringing the weight to just 1 ton (1,000 kg). Because of this, 0 to 60 is done in a staggering 2.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217 MPH. You can already guess what tier this car belongs in. Be sure to drive this car along with the other bulls in the Lamborghini Untamed DLC, which will be released March 1.

Rise of the Aventador

2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4
Jalopnik has some exclusive snippets of Lamborghini's new raging bull. Finally, we get to see the car in its entirety. Check them out and see if you like it.


Side View

Nose View
Source [Jalopnik, Facebook]

Hacker

Hey Guys! So it looks like some hacker from Morocco managed to guess Google password, hack my account, and disable my old blog from my account. I bet it was the president of Morocco. I'm gonna get him. Anyway, no worries. I've started up another one with a new address and a new password, so hopefully the Moroccan won't hack this one. My apologies for the confusion.

Thanks! 

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Style and Power do Mix

2012 Brabus CLS
Brabus finally got their hands on the sleek and stylish Mercedes-Benz CLS-class. As you can see, even when implying science and power, Brabus still make their silver arrows look nice, and this is no exception. Brabus will treat your CLS well with a new bodykit featuring new LED Daytime Running Lights, custom 20-inch rims, and eloquent leather interior stitching. Now, as for power, this is where Brabus excels. If you live in Europe and have the CLS250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCYBrabus will add their ECO PowerXtra D4 Performance kit adding 31 horsepower to the engine, which will also increase torque to 413 lb.-ft. If you have the CLS350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCYBrabuswill add their ECO PowerXtra DS6 plug-and-play auxiliary control unit, which can be installed in less than 45 minutes. This will increase power in sport mode from 261 to 313horsepower and torque from 457 to 509 lb.-ft. 0 to 60 will be achieved in just 5.9 seconds on its way to a limited top speed of 155 MPH. So, with this car, you'll be able to look good, go fast, and save gas. That should be good. Check this car out at Genevanext week.

Twin-Turbo Goodness

2012 BMW Alpina B5 BiTurbo
BMW's new F10 M5 is almost here and there are a lot of people who can't wait for it. But, when it comes out later this year, and you think you can't afford it, BMW will have an alternative 5-series that you can enjoy. They call it the Alpina B5 BiTurbo and although it might not have as much power as the new M5, it's just as good. The 4.4-liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 engine produces 500 horsepower. 0 to 60 is done in just 4.8 seconds on its way to a limited top speed of 186 MPH. This sounds like a good car, right? But, what if you need something like this that will carry a months supply of groceries? Well, BMW has thought of that as well.

2012 BMW Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring
This is the B5 BiTurbo Touring. It has all the same statistics and features that the regular saloon has, except this has 5-doors and large trunk space. Unfortunately, to own this Über Wagon or the saloon, you'll have to have a big wallet and a house in Europe. BMW never planned to release the Alpina B5 over here in the U.S. But, do not despair. The Alpina brand does exist in America, in the body of a 7-series.

2011 BMW Alpina B7 BiTurbo
This executive sedan is for the man who wants his own "M7". It has the same engine as the B5, only with more luxury, better looks, more speed, and all-wheel drive. But, if you love the 5-series, the good 'ol M5 will be out soon, and that's more powerful and faster than the B5, so everyone's happy.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Ring-Leader

2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package
It's been a while since we've heard of this limited edition package. It was when the LFA first came out that Toyota said they'd be building a hardcore version of this. They even showed us a picture of it. Now, a year later, Lexus is ready to release this hardcore package to the public. Only 50 will be made, each costing $70,000 more than its original price of $375,000. So, what does this package entail? For starters, Lexus added 10 more horses to the engine to counteract the drag of the massive rear wing, front splitter, and rear diffuser allowing this car to stay planted on the road. Second, it won't just be available in orange. There's glossy white, glossy black, and the popular matte black, but that's a $20,000 option. Third, you can customize the interior colors in all black, black and red, black and purple, or, if your Prince, black and orange. Only the Europeans will have the option of having their interiors all carbon fiber. Fourth, buyers will have the option of getting some lessons from a 'Ring master, or 'Ring mistress (Sabine Schmitz), on how to navigate the 'Ring. Fifth, how's about a year's free pass to go crazy round the 'Ring anytime you want? Sounds good doesn't it? All you need is a check of $445,000 made out to Lexus and they'll do all of this for you. If your a matte black fan, you'll be paying $465,000.

Mad Cat

2012 Jaguar XKR-S
The British truly know design. If you thought the Aston Martin Virage was sexy, well check this out. This is Jaguar's new Mad Cat, the XKR-S. It is possible that the traditional 5.0-liter AJ Gen III V8 setup has received a more potent supercharger or this Jaaag has a new engine. Anyway or another, the power has increased from 510 to 550horsepower. 0 to 60 is done in just 4.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 186 MPH. This might give the Camaro ZL1 a run for its money. We'll have to wait and see how fast that car actually goes. Anyway, prices have not yet been announced yet, but expect them to be quite high. From the day I started revealing Geneva cars, you've been probably staring wide-eyed at your screen. Now, with this car, you're probably at the point of drooling. I know I am.

A Whole new Level of Sexy

2012 Aston Martin Virage
It seems that Aston Martin want to expand their current line-up by building a car in-between the powerful DBS and the sleek DB9 and make it as sexy as the Rapide. They call it the Virage and it dates back to the classic Le Mans Virage back in the 1990s. This one, however, has the body of a sexy lady and the soul of race car driver. Aston's 6.0-liter V12 engine that's in the DB9 has been tweaked from 470 to 490 horsepower. 0 to 60 is done in less than 4.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 186 MPH. The standard transmission is a 6-speed Touchtronic 2 transmission with paddle-shifters. And yes, for those who love having their hair blow in the breeze, this car is also available as a volante.

2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante
Now you may be thinking the Virage is merely a replacement for the old DB9 and in fact, it isn't. The DB9 will still be here until who knows when. This may seem a bit strange that Aston Martin would build car that's just a prettier DB9. But, as long as it stays pretty, I'm sold. Check it out at Geneva next week.