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JAMES BOND’S DB5 TO MAKE FIRST UK APPEARANCE IN OVER 40 YEARS
by Aman ChaudhryNo Comments
More than forty years after the ‘world’s most famous car’ retired gracefully from its starring roles in two of the most iconic Bond films of all time, the silver 1964 Aston Martin DB5 ‘FMP 7B’ will be returning to its UK homeland following more than four decades of residence in America with its current and only ex-factory owner.
This authentic and sole-remaining car, one of the two original Bond Aston Martin DB5 movie cars, which is to be sold by RM Auctions, in association with Sotheby’s, on 27th October at RM’s annual ‘Automobiles of London’ event, will be the star attraction at the forthcoming ‘Midsummer Classic’ concours event at Stoke Park Club on the 26th June. Event visitors will be able to see the 007 DB5 up close with its amazing ‘Q Branch’ gadgets, conceived by Oscar-award-winning special effects expert, John Stears, all of which are in demonstrable working order.
Max Girardo, Managing Director, RM Europe, says: “This DB5 is more than a car; it’s a film star, and it’s an absolute privilege to be able to present it to the British public again, having been away in America for so many years. Over forty-five years ago, cinema goers fell in love with its stunning looks and amazing gadgets, and now a whole new generation can marvel at it once again.”
The location of the Midsummer Classic at Stoke Park holds another significance to ‘FMP 7B’. The country house hotel was used by the filmmakers as the scene for the famous ‘golf match’ encounter between Bond and Goldfinger. Lead actor, Sean Connery, has been seen by millions of fans driving this very car across the grounds of Stoke Park in the 1964 film.
About RM
RM Auctions is the world’s largest collector car auction house and specializes in investment-quality automobiles, holding four of the top five world record prices for motor cars sold at auction.
With over three decades of experience in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, coupled with an expert team of car specialists and international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM’s restoration division has achieved unprecedented accolades earning “Best of Show” honors at the world’s top concours events. (www.rmauctions.com)
Press data and images: Aston Martin
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Hennessey Venom GT
by Aman Chaudhry2 Comments
DiMora Motorcar Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) made an announcement that it has delivered the first production Venom GT from UK to the Middle East where it will find its owner.
Whether its Bugatti Veyrons or Venom Gts, the Middle East definitely turns out to be a market for these high-end powerhouses. Guess people there really appreciate these fantastic cars and can afford them too.
The Venom GT has a twin turbocharged Chevrolet LS-series aluminum V8 producing 1,200 bhp and 1,539 Nm (1,135 lb-ft torque) mated to a 6-speed Ricardo manual transaxle (the same as found in the Ford GT).
“This is the fulfillment of a dream that I have had since I was a kid,” company founder, John Hennessey, said in a release. “But it is also just the beginning as we begin to demonstrate the performance capabilities of the Venom GT in the near future.”
Derived from the Lotus Elise model, the Venom GT received an all-new front and rear space frame and suspension and a new carbon fiber body, sporting an adjustable rear wing.
The Venom GT receives a supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V8, tweaked by HPE to derive a maximum output of 725 bhp. There will also be a 1,000 bhp to go with the aforementioned 1,200 bhp twin turbo V8 engine variant. All this amount of power will be transmitted to the rear tires thanks to the Ricardo 6-speed gearbox.
HPE has also announced some two months ago that it has plans of marketing the supercar in Europe, Russia and Australia. The company will only produce 10 vehicles each year.
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Audi wants designers. Who’s interested?
by Aman Chaudhry2 Comments
Audi has come up with an open for all competition called “The Production of Electric Automobiles”
In case you are wondering if Audi is looking for engineers holding a degree in Electric vehicles then you are wrong.
This competition is open for designers, professional or someone who has a flair for design and cars. Knowledge about Electric Vehicles would be an added benefit.
Through this electric car competition, Audi is challenging people to come up with innovative design ideas for the future cars.
Audi has kept simple guidelines for the contestants and if selected it could mean a really big break in the world of automobile designing.
The last date to mark your entries is July 31st and after that Audi will select eight finalists who will be called in for a special workshop.
We are guessing the tough part will come during the workshop. Audi plans to choose and announce the winner in November.
All the required information is available at Audi’s official site www.audi.de/production-award
The only glitch is that this website is in German but that should’t be much of a problem when Google Translate and similar software are just a click away.
Could there be a better way to make an entry into the world of automobile designing? We think not!
Official Press Release:
Audi Award for the carmaking of the future
Audi announces new idea contest
This year’s topic: production of electric automobilesMember of the Audi Board for Production Frank Dreves: “The award is another component for ensuring that our production remains fit in the future.”
INGOLSTADT, Germany, Jun 7, 2010 – What will the production of an Audi look like if the automobile no longer has a gearbox? This is the type of question that candidates for the Audi Production Award must ask themselves. Students and scientists can now begin submitting their creative concepts for the automobile production of the future. A prestigious jury will recognize the best idea on this year’s topic, “The Production of Electric Automobiles,” this fall.
“Audi lives for ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ in more than just its automobiles. We are also committed to innovative technologies in production, and electric mobility will play a particularly important role here in the years ahead,” says Frank Dreves, Member of the Audi Board for Production. “We want to involve as many creative minds as possible to keep our production fit in the future, which is why we have created the Audi Production Award.”
The Audi competition is geared toward students and scientists who can work either alone or in a team. They must submit a concept portfolio in which they explain the current situation, the proposed solution and a path to that solution.
“We are convinced that we will receive many innovative and creative entries because the competition is a unique opportunity for young employees and potential employees. It is important that the concept can be easily implemented and demonstrates clear progress over the state of the art,” says Dr. Bernd Griesbach, spokesperson for the Predevelopment and Innovation Team in Production.
The eight best teams will be invited to a two-day workshop at Audi in Ingolstadt. The concept will first be presented to a prestigious jury before being developed further in the workshop with Audi managers from Production. “The participants will thus receive direct feedback from our production specialists, and the two days here in Ingolstadt will certainly be a special experience for them,” adds Griesbach.
The candidates will have an additional two weeks after the workshop to revise their concepts. Audi will recognize the best team at an award ceremony in early November.
Additional information, a template for the concept portfolio and the entry rules are available on the Internet at www.audi.de/production-award. The deadline for entries is July 31, 2010.
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Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans
by Aman ChaudhryNo Comments
It’s official. After showing you the teaser, we bring the official pictures revealed by Panoz Motor Company about the Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans
The American Le Mans series founder Don Panoz has unveiled the Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans super road car in tandem with Le Mans week beginning in France. This hand build performance vehicle uses a front mid-engine layout with an estimated output of 600 plus horsepower and 590 pound feet of torque. Panoz’s company, which will be officially assembling the vehicle, has not yet disclosed any official figures. Going by the given figures, the engine is expected to be a forced-induction unit.
The transaxle and the radiator are placed at the rear end to achieve an optimum weight distribution.
Just like its predecessor, the Abruzzi’s radiators are mounted at the rear where the cool air is drawn from a duct in the roof and along the rear side windows.
The vehicle will also use a structure that features a proprietary layout and innovative materials. Dubbed REAMS (Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matric System), this uses a multi-layer composite system which promises to be lighter than carbon fiber yet equally strong, while also being dent-resistant, shatter-proof and recyclable.
In addition to that, the supercar will feature TRIFECTACOOLING technology, which means that the vehicle will not only use a standard radiator, but also stage 2 and stage 3 systems that lower coolant temperature on both the inflow to and the outflow from the radiator.
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Jeff Koons Unveiled the 17th BMW Art Car
by Aman ChaudhryNo Comments
The Centre Pompidou in Paris has seen history unfold itself when it comes to BMW and this is exactly what happened when the 17th BMW Art Car was revealed there. This is the same place where Roy Lichtenstein first unveiled and signed his Art Car back in 1977. The most recent Art Car to join the family is a BMW M3 GT2 styled by Jeff Koons and it is believed that this piece of art will actually take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France on June 12-13, 2010.
The artist collected images of race cars, related graphics and vibrant colors while conceptualizing and creating the 17th BMW Art Car finalized on very bright exteriors and silver interiors, which according to him inspires energy.
“These race cars are like life, they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” said Koons in a release. “You can participate with it, add to it and let yourself transcend with its energy. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car – it’s really to connect with that power”.
Koons experienced first and driving experience in February when he went along with BMW’s Letterman Racing Team for testing of the car in Florida. BMW’s special 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) models of the BMW M3 GT2 helped the artist to assimilate the graphics from all possible angles and surfaces.
“Graphics of debris were added to the rear sides and back of the car to simulate the power of the car. Furthermore, two graphic rings on the rear of the car represent supersonic acceleration,” a company statement reads.
The BMW Art Car is up for public viewing at the Forum of the Centre Pompidou.Take a step or two back into the history of BMW Art Cars with these videos:
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Porsche 997 Turbo by APS Sportec
by Aman Chaudhry5 Comments
APS Sportec, a British tuning company, has just released details on their latest project, which turns out to be none other than a face lifted version of the Porsche 997 Turbo.
After all the tweaking gone in, the car offers 580 bhp and 590 pound feet of torque compared to the 493 bhp achieved by the standard car.
The Sportec version of the 911 Turbo features a stainless steel sports exhaust system with high flow catalytic converters and a couple of twin tailpipes. The new exhaust system comes with a pair of ‘sound throttles’ that allow the owner to define and set exhaust sound of the car in real time which can be simply done with the remote control provided.
The standard Porsche air filter is replaced with a Sportec high flow panel and Sportec remap reset the ECU settings for fuelling, ignition and turbo boost.
The Sportec 580 upgrade package is suitable for both six speed manual and PDK variants for November 2009 onwards Porsche 997 Turbo and is priced at 9400 pounds.
Full range of exclusive Sportec components for this Porsche 997 include forged alloy wheels, suspension and braking upgrades.
Photo credit: APS Sportec
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2011 Audi A8L W12
by Aman ChaudhryNo CommentsCheck out the video of the latest 2011 Audi A8L W12.
Now this is what we call luxury at its best.
Elegance personified!
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BMW releases official pictures of the new X3
by Aman Chaudhry1 Comment
BMW has released the official pictures of the new X3 generation, which have flooded the web, and thus, we just have to show them to you.
Though these pictures are mere teasers, they are still enough to get a clear idea of what the second generation of the X3 will look like which is due for lunch at the end of this month.
Pictures give you unhindered view of the taillights, rear spoiler and the engine hood.
The taillights have a similarity to the X5 taillights and feature the LEDs, which is a standard of all new BMWs.
Though from these teasers it’s obvious that there will not be many significant changes. Placed between the X1 and X5, the new X3 will be slightly larger than the current model. Measuring up to 185 inches it is bound to provide better space on the inside as well.
The façade of the next-gen X3 will have a new look thanks to the prominent front grille, with wraparound headlights. Sources say that BMW is planning on upping their standards for the quality of materials for the inside keeping in mind the tough competition the X3 will face from the Audi Q5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLK.
Although, there are no details on the engines but it’s expected that the new X3 will have a 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine whereas, a 2.0-liter turbo diesel could also be on the cards.
The car will be produced at BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, USA, along the X5 and the X6.
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DMC Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Quattro Veloce 5
by Aman ChaudhryNo Comments
DMC, a German Tuning company has recently released a tuning kit for the Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640, which is called the “Quattro Veloce”. The kit is covers most of the Murcielago in carbon fiber, gives a new front fascia, a redesigned hood with new air intakes, a new front splitter, new side wings, fuel filler cap, a new rear spoiler and a new rear diffuser.
The engine of the car is covered with DMC’s special red-carbon cage that has also been upgraded increasing the power output by six percent to produce 670 PS and 660 Nm of torque.
With all this tweaking and upgrading the Murcielago LP 640 seems to have shed some weight and is now lighter and will go faster. Distance of 0 to 60 mph is covered in 3.2 seconds pushing the top speed limits to 213 mph, making it almost 8 mph faster than the stock LP 640.
The kit includes a world first diamond forged carbon fiber rims with a pale finish and the interiors come with a set of carbon fiber racing seats that offers some exquisite ostrich leather finish.
The fancy DMC kit can also be easily fitted on the Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670 Super Veloce but before you get too excited, the sad part is that DMW only plans to make about 40 of these units and the first car will be delivered in July.
As they say all good things come with a price tag and so does this DMC kit. Price starting at EUR 59,900 is all inclusive of installation and shipping charges to and from DMC’s headquarters in Dusseldorf. However, if customers want to go for the exclusive white carbon fiber rims and the interior package, they will need to sheel out an extra EURO 40,000.
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Brabus T65 RS Vanish
by Aman ChaudhryNo Comments
The most powerful Mercedes of all time, the SL 65 AMG Black Series is ready to become a little more powerful, will go more faster and will look even better than before. How?
Answer – BRABUS!
Now the SL 65 AMG Black Series will come with a BRABUS T65 RS performance kit and here are the pictures of this stunning monster.
Thanks to the tuning, the power output goes up to 800 horsepower and the twin turbo engine of the BRABUS can push the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series right up to 206 miles per hour, though for safety reasons the top speed is limited to 200 mph.
The car covers a distance of 0 to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds and touches the top speed of 200 mph in just 9.8 seconds.
Though technical data about the BRABUS T65 RS Vanish has not been revealed yet, the press release does state that the performance kit comes with two improved turbochargers, three high-performer electric coolant pumps, BRABUS software application for the engine ECU, an intercooler coupled with 4 water/air heat exchangers, a dynamic pressure reducing metal-catalytic converter, and a supplementary radiator.
The interior can be clad in a sporty yet elegant combination of the finest leather and Alcantara, giving it an even more striking ambiance.
BRABUS also offers special paint jobs like the matte finish shown in pictures or personalized according to the need of the customers. You can get your personal logos or names on illuminated scuff plates and the speedometer as well.
All components are available for any Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series.
Click on the video below to see all the images of the Brabus T65 RS Vanish along with some catchy beats.
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