TopSpeed Daily Update |  |
- Porsche GT3 Snowmobile by Magnat
- GT5 Creator returns to racing in the Nissan GT500 "Stealth" GT-R
- Toyota GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II
- Future Maserati SUV will be powered by Chevrolet, Not Ferrari
- Aston Martin V12 Zagato Racer
- Adam Carolla's 'The Car Show' set to debut on July 13
- Bugatti Galibier will go into production as the Royale
- Mercedes GLS
- e-Wolf Alpha-2
- Lotus' new V8 engine will inspire new four-cylinder
| Porsche GT3 Snowmobile by Magnat Posted: 22 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT
We don’t know if German tuner, Magnat, is just really late or really early, but they have just revealed a new tuning package for the Porsche GT3 called "Snowmobile." Yeah, it’s a tuning package called ’Snowmobile’ and they revealed it at the start of Summer. Luckily, the only thing the vehicle has in common with snow is its snow white exterior paint job, and maybe the snow bunny strategically placed on the side. Other than that, Magnat has provided the Porsche GT3 with a boost in power and first class Hi-Fi equipment. For the engine update, the tuner has built in a motor electronics adaptation, a modified exhaust system with sport catalysts, and suction tubes optimization. This step is the "RS step 3" and will increase the engine’s power from a standard of 435 HP to 462 HP, while top speed will be also increased to 197 mph. Other than the pure white exterior paint job and black racing stripes, the only other modification done to the outside of the vehicle is a new set of 19" Ultraleggera HLT CT by OZ wheels. That’s because most of the tuner’s attention was focused on the interior. Magnat added leather and Alcantara, as well as high gloss paintwork, but the pièce de résistance is a 2,100 watts sound system. This system has new speakers with anodized PP membranes, high performance voice coils, and the 1" textile tweeters. It also includes a down-fire subwoofer casing with a 10" woofer and the Magnat Black Core 5 channel amplifier for supreme sound quality. Porsche GT3 Snowmobile by Magnat originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 16:00 EST.
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| GT5 Creator returns to racing in the Nissan GT500 "Stealth" GT-R Posted: 22 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT
Fans of the Gran Turismo franchise are about to have one of their biggest dreams come true when the Nurburgring race finally gets underway. No longer will they have to watch the GT500 "Stealth" GT-R in its computer generated form because GT5 creator, Kazunori Yamauchi, will be driving the vehicle in the Nurburgring 24 Hours this weekend. We’re guessing hours of GT5 play time have finally gotten to the driver and he wants to return to racing to experience the true fire behind his creation. Okay, so technically, the Nissan GT-R driven by Yamauchi won’t have all of the bells and whistles that the "Stealth" model in the game has, but what the crew has done is remodeled the exterior to match that of the popular GT5 sports car. Yamuachi is teamed up with Tobias and Michael Schulze of Autohaus Schulze and Yasuyoshi Yamamoto, founder of Japanese tuning shop Opera Performance. We’re keeping an eye on car number #71 during the 24h race, as last year Yamauchi competed in several VLN races at the Nurburgring in a race-prepped Lexus IS-F, earning a class victory in the four-hour event and taking fourth-in-class at the 24-hour race. GT5 Creator returns to racing in the Nissan GT500 "Stealth" GT-R originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 15:00 EST.
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| Toyota GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II Posted: 22 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT
Looks like Toyota and Gazoo Racing will be bringing more than just the Lexus LF-A to the Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race this week. In a surprising announcement, the Japanese automaker will also bring their new mid-engine convertible hybrid concept to Nurburgring, which they’ve christened as the GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II. An updated version of the first concept that was introduced at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, the GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II is an MR2-based hybrid concept that features plenty of styling cues from the fabled MR2 sports car. It was also designed in a far more aggressive detail befitting of its status as a new-age hybrid concept car. In addition to the advanced convertible design language of the car, Toyota and GRMN (Gazoo Racing tuned by MN2) also improved on the car’s mid-engine sports-hybrid AWD system that now carries a 3.5-liter Type 2GR-FXE V6 engine that produces 249 horsepower to go with a front electric motor that bumps up the output to 299 horsepower. So far, these are the only details we have of the new GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II, but rest assured, we’ll have more details when the car makes its official debut at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring this weekend. Toyota GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 13:00 EST.
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| Future Maserati SUV will be powered by Chevrolet, Not Ferrari Posted: 22 Jun 2011 05:00 AM PDT
We’ve been drowning in rumors about a Maserati SUV for a little while now - ever since the Maserati Kubang Concept came out in 2003 - so the thought of some semi-concrete evidence was rather inviting. A few months ago, the new Maserati SUV was finally confirmed by the brand, who set a launch for sometime in 2012. That confirmation was followed with rumors of a Ferrari-sourced engine, but as it turns out, Top Gear is hearing that Chevrolet will actually be the ones powering the bulkier Maserati. CEO of Chrysler Group and Fiat, Sergio Marchionne had said that the new SUV would carry a "rock and roll engine," possibly in both V8 and V12 variants. Current rumors suggest that the engine will actually be a Chrysler Hemi V8 with 465 HP and more torque than the original option. This engine will also fit better in the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee platform they have already confirmed for the Maserati model. Now, the future SUV will only be Italian on the badge, as the engine and chassis will be American made at Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant. This should bode well for the SUV, since having a Ferrari engine would have undoubtedly hiked up the price. Expect to see the official launch of the Maserati SUV at one of the major auto shows in 2012. Future Maserati SUV will be powered by Chevrolet, Not Ferrari originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 12:00 EST.
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| Posted: 22 Jun 2011 04:00 AM PDT
We haven’t even gotten around to digesting the full breadth of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato and we’re already getting a close look at the race-spec version of the new Aston supercar. Or at least something like it. In preparation for the car’s racing debut at the Nurburgring later this week, Aston Martin gave the eager public a first-hand look at the race-spec version of the V12 Zagato. It might only be a rendering of the car, but at the very least, it gives us an idea on what to expect when the car officially makes its track debut on May 28, 2011 at the 53rd ADAC ACAS H&R-Cup VLN race. Judging from the rendering, the race-spec V12 Zagato looks pretty much like the street-version with a couple of notable additions, including the prominent rear wing, the table-top front lip, and the black wheels. That’s as much as Aston is willing to share for now. But at least the wait won’t be that long before we see the race-spec version in the flesh. Good timing too, considering that the 24 Hours of Nurburgring is scheduled for June 25 and 26, 2011 and Aston Martin will be fielding two V12 Zagatos in the annual endurance race. UPDATE 05/31/2011: This past weekend the V12 Zagato Racer completed its first run under race conditions in the 53rd ADAC ACAS H&R-Cup VLN race at the Nürburgring. Naturally, the car experienced some minor issues, but the data obtained in the race will be used to tweak the vehicle just before the 24-hour race next month where two V12 Zagatos will be competing. Check out David King’s comments on the racer, as well as a video of the Zagato racer as it takes off on the track after the jump. UPDATE 06/22/2011: Aston Martin will enter this weekend’s Nürburgring 24 hours race with two V12 Zagato Racers. The first is race car number 3, nicknamed 'Zag' (red) which will be piloted by Aston Martin CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez. The second racer is a green V12 Zagato (nicknamed 'Zig') - car number 5 for the race - which was prepared by the small team based at Aston Martin's global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The ’Zig’ will be driven by One-77 Chief Engineer Chris Porritt. Check out the image gallery for the first images of the red ’Zag’. Enjoy! Aston Martin V12 Zagato Racer originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 11:00 EST.
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| Adam Carolla's 'The Car Show' set to debut on July 13 Posted: 22 Jun 2011 03:00 AM PDT
You can say what you want about Adam Carolla - and there have been a lot of unflattering remarks about the controversial comedian and television personality - but one thing you can’t take away is the fact that the man knows his cars. So even if the man is as polarizing a minor celebrity as you’ll ever meet, there’s still a great deal of interest within the auto circle surrounding his latest venture, the new TV car show called, well, "The Car Show". It’s a different take on the wide world of automobiles and something that offers a fresh perspective from Top Gear, straight from the minds and mouths of Carolla and his two co-hosts, Matt Farah, and Pulitzer Prize-winning Wall Street Journal auto journalist Dan Neil. It seems rather fitting for Carolla to be comparing his latest venture with Top Gear USA considering the comedian was one of the original hosts of Top Gear before it was dropped from NBC and picked up by the History Channel. They say when one door closes, another one opens. Guess "The Car Show" was behind door number two. So, if you find Top Gear USA a little on the blah-side, then we strongly encourage to check out The Car Show. It debuts on Speed on July 13, which is about three weeks away. Adam Carolla's 'The Car Show' set to debut on July 13 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 10:00 EST.
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| Bugatti Galibier will go into production as the Royale Posted: 22 Jun 2011 02:00 AM PDT
A leaked document about Bugatti’s future product planning revealed some very interesting facts about the company’s plans for the year. We already know that the final unit of the Veyron will be produced in December, but what we didn’t know was that the Galibier will be put into production as the Royale. That is, unless Bugatti is looking to unveil a entirely new supercar which we doubt. Look for the new Royale to be debuted in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Bugatti’s first Royale was launched back in 1927 and was the automotive answer to ultimate luxury. The large luxury car was originally powered by a 12.7-liter straight-eight, but the modern reincarnation will carry the same W16 engine found in the Veyron, linked to an electric motor, and reduced to about 850 HP. This engine will be mated to a dual-clutch gearbox. Only six units were built of the original Royale during 1927-1933, even though 25 were planned. For the next installment of the luxury vehicle, Bugatti plans on selling 3,000 units in less than six years, each priced at about 1 million Euros ($1.4 million at the current rates). Bugatti Galibier will go into production as the Royale originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 09:00 EST.
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| Posted: 21 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT Believe it or not, the BMW X6 has become quite an inspiration for BMW’s biggest competitors. Audi has already announced that they will be producing the Q6 as a competitor for the X6, now it seems that Mercedes has similar plans. Their model X6 competitor will be called the GLS and it’s scheduled to launch sometime in 2014. The new Mercedes GLS will be built on the same platform as the ML-Class (pictured) and will feature a sporting four-seat interior, with a racier roofline and styling cues from the CLS saloon. The engine line-up will include a turbocharged 3.5L V6 and 4.6L V8 petrol engine, as well as a 3.0L V6 diesel. Of course, there will also be an AMG version that will get a turbocharged 5.5-liter V8. According to a Mercedes insider quoted by Autocar: "After closely monitoring sales trends, we've concluded there is potential for an additional off-road model with a more sporting emphasis than the new M-class." Mercedes GLS originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 21 June 2011 22:00 EST.
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| Posted: 21 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT
More than a year and a name-change after German niche auto builder, e-Wolf, introduced the E2 - it has since been rechristened as the Alpha 2 - we finally have an idea on what kind of specifications the electric super car will carry. The E2 - now Alpha 2 - was introduced right around the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and after a little under two years we finally know that the electric supercar will be powered by two electric motors delivering a combined peak output of 375 horsepower and 590 lb/ft of torque. This setup will give the Alpha 2 a 0-62 mph time of just 3.9 seconds, a top speed of 143 mph, and a range of 186 miles on a single charge. More than anything else, though, the e-Wolf Alpha-2, together with the Protoscar Lampo 3 and the Delta E-4 Coupe, is a sign that things aren’t looking as bleak for the supercar industry when the ’green revolution’ finally takes shape. Just goes to show that even when the industry is slowly rounding the corner towards a more eco-friendly approach in their vehicles, there are still brands like e-Wolf that can help satiate the appetites of speed junkies the world over. Details after the jump e-Wolf Alpha-2 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 21 June 2011 19:00 EST.
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| Lotus' new V8 engine will inspire new four-cylinder Posted: 21 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT
In the midst of all the changes in Lotus’ neck of the woods is the development of an in-house developed V8 engine with a total output of 562 HP. This engine is being created for the future Esprit, but is also working double time as inspiration for a new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that will be used for the Elise replacement set to be launched in 2014. Why the sudden rush for engine development when they’ve never done it before? It could be the fact that Lotus was announced as one of three engine providers for next year’s Indycar series where they will be supplying a 2.2-liter turbocharged V6 developed alongside Engine Developments. Another valid reason could be that Lotus heard the responses of an online survey where about $10,000 participants thought it would be better for the company to create their own engines instead of making their customers pay about $100K for vehicles housing Toyota engines. We don’t know what impresses us more; the fact that an online survey was taken or the fact that a big brand like Lotus paid heed to the suggestions made. Either way, Lotus is going full steam ahead on their engine development. Aside from the V8 and the four-cylinder engine, Lotus is also preparing a V6 engine that will be used for a production version of the Eterne. As for the yo-yo vehicle, the Elan may end up making it to the production line after all, but not until late 2017 (talk about procrastination). Before that, Lotus plans on unveiling the "Ethos" city car in 2014. Lotus' new V8 engine will inspire new four-cylinder originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 21 June 2011 18:00 EST.
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