Home / Posts tagged 'Roadster'

• Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept is One Bodacious Birthday Present [w/ Video]

  In Auto News / By Tom Anderson / 20 May 2013

  

  If you didn’t know that this year marks the centenary of Aston Martin, you probably have a lot of company. The nameplate hasn’t organized concours d’elegance on each continent, or released centennial edition packages consisting of special paint schemes and sequentially-numbered dashboard plaques for any of its regular production models. The occasion also hasn’t gotten nearly as much ink in the buff books (at least that we have seen) as some other automotive anniversaries – i.e. the Porsche 911’s 50^th birthday – have.

  However, we’re willing to bet only the most ripped of the world’s van Winkles will remain in the dark about this milestone anniversary once they’ve gazed upon Aston Martin’s stunning present to itself. This present is called the CC100 Speedster Concept and, if you ask us, it beats the snot out of any store’s or company’s gift card.

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• Porsche 918 Spyder Production Model Revealed in Full

  In Auto News / By Tom Anderson / 16 May 2013

  

  In 2010, Porsche stunned the automotive world by revealing the 918 Spyder Concept, a plug-in hybrid supercar. Not long after the concept completed its tour of the auto show circuit, Porsche announced it would be putting the 918 Spyder into production, with assembly of the first car set to begin on September 18 (9-18…get it?) of this year. Granted, Ferrari and McLaren beat Porsche to the punch by premiering their hybrid hypercars at Geneva in March, but there’s still anticipation aplenty surrounding the 918.

  Now Porsche has pulled back the curtain on the production 918 Spyder’s shape, as well as its technical details. And even though it’s the last of the big-name green supercars to go public, we don’t think that has even a slight chance of hurting its chances for success.

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• A Bunny and Her Kitty: Playmate of the Year Raquel Pomplun Receives a Jaguar F-Type [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 14 May 2013

  

  Every year since 1960, the world’s favorite silk pajama hoarder, Hugh Hefner, has bestowed upon one of the 12 birthday-suited beauties from the past year’s issues of Playboy the title of Playmate of the Year. And every year since 1964, the Playmate of the Year has been awarded a new car (except when she’s instead been given a boat. Or a motorcycle. Or no vehicle at all.). And 2013’s winner and her prize are both knockouts.

  The lucky winner for this lap of the sun – 25-year-old Californian Raquel Pomplun, who will go down in history as the first Mexican-American PMOY – receives a one-year lease on a 2014 Jaguar F-Type (plus a check for $100,000). And while Ms. Pomplun’s curves make our jaws go slack and, er, other parts of us go taut, we have exponentially better chances of running our hands over the Jag’s curves than we do her’s…provided we’re unwilling to ignore the looming specter of a restraining order (Which we aren’t.). Anyway, congrats Raquel!

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• F-ing Sweet: XCar’s Alex Goy Samples the Jaguar F-Type [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 24 April 2013

  

  A lot has happened since Jaguar built its last front-engined, two-seat, proper sports car: The Soviet Union fell, the NASA Space Shuttle program came and went, Elvis and Michael Jackson died, and the brand has been owned by two companies based in two former British colonies on opposite sides of the planet. Oh, and competitors like Maserati, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have had an arseload of time to establish themselves as the dominant players in the market segments once dominated by the E-Type and its XK-series predecessors.

  So, is the Jaguar F-Type a textbook case of better late than never? XCar presenter (pardon our English-English) Alex Goy certainly seems to think so. And we don’t think it’s due to a case of patriotic chest-thumping, either. To us, the F-Type looks and – especially in maximum-firepower V8 S form – sounds just-this-side of pornographic. However, we’ll reserve final judgment until we try one out for ourselves. You know where to find us, Jaguar USA press office…

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• Beast in the East: A Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Tackles Fuji Speedway [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 17 April 2013

  

  The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport is the fastest, most powerful and, naturally, most expensive convertible you can buy new. But compared to the coupe, its chassis is jigglier, the suspension is softer, and its waistline is a bit farther out, right? Well yeah, to a certain extent, but none of those attribute downgrades are significant enough to notice, especially when you’re driving one on a track.

  And speaking of driving a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport on a track, that’s exactly what former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Seiji Ara does at Fuji Speedway in this video. There’s snow on the ground at the historic Japanese circuit, but native son Seiji doesn’t mind; not when he’s driving something with AWD (not to mention about 1,000hp). We just hope the makers of this vid release footage of a full on-board lap soon.

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• Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Puts the Brand Back in the Record Books

  In Auto News / By Tom Anderson / 11 April 2013

  

  On top of being stupendously rare, stupendously expensive and stupendously powerful, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is the fastest production car ever made. Well, it was until this week. No, something faster hasn’t been built; instead, the folks at Guinness World Records have stripped the most batstuff Bugatti of its title. As the story goes, John Hennessey made the claim that his company’s Venom GT is the true fastest production car following a yet-to-be-Guinness-verified run of 265.7 mph due to the fact that the Veyron Super Sport posted its 267.8 mph mark with an altered speed limiter chip (Super Sports sold to customers were restricted to 258 mph.). The boffins at Guinness World Records apparently agreed, though we have to wonder what took them so long, as the production car’s 258 mph governor was public knowledge when the Super Sport was introduced (Maybe they were too busy shouting “BRILLIANT!” at each other repeatedly?).

  So is Bugatti mad about this development? Oh, no doubt. But the company isn’t taking its ball and going home. Instead, it’s doubled down on getting back in the record books. And it has used the Super Sport’s convertible brother to do it.

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• Final-E: Top Down in One of the Last Jaguar E-types [Video]

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 10 April 2013

  

  When it comes to the Jaguar E-type/XK-E genealogy, the final evolution (a.k.a. Series 3, built from 1971 to ’74) is widely regarded as the redheaded stepchild. Sure, it has the big honkin’ 5.3L V12 under that monumental hood, but it was also the most watered-down of the bunch, mostly thanks to U.S. government regulations. As a result, purists tend to gravitate toward the Series 1 and Series 2.

  David Paddison, however, doesn’t care about any of that. As he explains in this video, a neighbor had a Series 3 Coupe when David was growing up, and when an acquaintance was selling this ’74 Roadster – supposedly the 60^th-to-last built – he had to make it is. So while Jag snobs might look down their noses at this pudgy, rubber-bumpered ragtop from the iconic model’s farewell season, Mr. Paddison is too busy cruising al fresco in the Georgia sunshine to care. Chew on that, haters.

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• Detroit Electric SP:01 Revives the Electric Sports Car

  In Auto News / By Tom Anderson / 4 April 2013

  

  The Tesla Roadster was a milestone car for many reasons. First, it proved that the term “electric sports car” didn’t have to be an oxymoron. Second, it proved that there was a market (albeit a very small one, due to the six-figure price tag) for such a car. And third, it paved the way for Tesla’s next model, the highly-acclaimed Model S. So it’s a bit of a shame that it was discontinued after an abbreviated 2012 model year.

  So that’s the end of the road for production electric sports cars, right? Well, no. Mercedes-Benz will soon start selling an all-electric SLS AMG. But what if you want something lighter, nimbler, and with an open top? Well, there’s a new company with an old name that looks set to cater to your tastes.

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• Black Diamond Banzai: McLaren MP4-12C Spider Hits the Slopes

  In Fast Forward / By Tom Anderson / 1 April 2013

  

  The McLaren MP4-12C is one of the sweetest – if not the sweetest – mid-engine convertibles ever created. The twin-turbo 3.8L V8 is powerful yet economical, the carbon fiber passenger compartment (a.k.a. tub) is light but rigid, and the power folding hardtop makes it a true four-season super roadster. Don’t believe that last claim? Check out the video above.

  Professional hoon Rhys Millen pairs up with former Winter X-Games snowboarding medalist (and serious cutie) Chanelle Sladics for a friendly race down Colorado’s harrowing Loveland Pass. As it turns out, a 616hp McLaren is more than a match for gravity. Who says there’s nothing educational on YouTube?

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• Atelier Valdeig Widebody Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster is Magically Sacrilegious

  In Tuning / By Tom Anderson / 25 March 2013

  

  In the pantheon of collectible cars, few have more going for them than the first generation production (W198) Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Offered initially as the famous “Gullwing” coupe and then as a roadster, this postwar German icon combined bold styling, blistering performance, advanced technology and incredible exclusivity into a convenient, four-wheeled package. Small wonder, then, that their current values reach deep into the six-figure bracket.

  It’s also easy to see why you never, ever see these cars modified. Yes, you’ll occasionally see one fitted with period accessories like a Nardi wood-rimmed steering wheel or Rudge knock-off wheels. But dramatic cosmetic or mechanical alterations? Hölle nein! These classic Benzes are just worth too much. However, that hasn’t stopped at least one company from at least showing the world what a tricked out O.G. SL might look like.

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