Jaguar will build a production version of the 523-hp Goodwood Special XKR that debuted at last years Goodwood Festival of Speed. Jaguar managing director Mike O’Driscoll confirmed the plans in an interview with PistonHeads.com, commenting that the new model would essentially be a production version of the one-off show car. Power will come from a...
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In a recent interview MINI design boss Adrian van Hooydonk admitted that the BMW sub-brand is looking at expanding with new models in the future. “Because Mini is on the threshold of turning into a proper brand, we will be looking at a pallet of models for the future,” he told AutoCar. But that’s not...
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Exploiting social media for all it’s worth, MINI isn’t about to let up on its David vs Golliath challenge. As we’re sure you recall, MINI recently challenged Porsche to a race at Road Atlanta. Porsche subsequently declined, trading MINI’s fun jabs for biting disdain of the fun British brand. (Funny, we always thought German’s were...
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Ladies and gentlemen, your Veyron-killer is here. Today marks the delivery date of the first production Lotus Elise-based, ZR-1 powered supercar known as the Hennessey Venom GT. While several engine configurations are available, including 725-hp and 1000-hp versions, chassis #01 packs the full 1200-hp punch. All that twin turbocharged madness has only 2,800 pounds to...
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In an effort to compete with the impressive Ford Focus RS and Renaultsport Mégane, General Motors is reported to be building a new Vauxhall Astra VXR with as much as 300-hp. So why should you care? Well, because the Astra shares its underpinnings with the Buick Excelle, which recently launched in China and is set...
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When the clock struck 12 today at Le Circuit de La Sarthe, Audi took home a stunning sweep of the podium at this year’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With the Peugeot 908’s showing considerably more pace during qualifying, not even Audi Motorsports boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich would have predicted a 1-2-3...
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MINI’s challenge to race their Cooper S against a Porsche at Road Atlanta didn’t go over so well. The publicity stunt initiated by MINI USA’s Jim McDowell was met with a terse and dismissive response by Porsche Cars North America CEO Detlev Von Platen today, as he issued a statement where he declined McDowell’s challenge,...
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Bentley has announced that all build slots for their new Mulsanne sedan are sold out until 2012, not bad for a car that retails for $285,000 in the USA. The British luxury car maker said that they will be increasing production in the future to help with the pent-up demand, but that’s not saying much;...
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Last week we brought you a story about an innovate technology BMW is working on called Active Sound Design. The primary use of the technology is in sound deadening using an electro-acoustic system (aka, your car’s stereo) to minimize or change the sound you here. This is particularly important for BMW when it comes to...
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Aston Martin is planning to introduce an all-new DB9 model in 2013 or possibly 2014, with a new look, updated engine and reduced weight. The underlying structure of the car won’t be all-new, however, with Aston recently scrapping a plan to develop all-new chassis – instead opting for a significant refresh to the current lineup....
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Two stripped down models will join the MINI range within two years of the debut of the MINI Countryman crossover, one a Coupe, the other a 2-seat Roadster. “The Coupe will arrive six months after the Countryman, and the Roadster 12 months after the Countryman,” said Jim McDowell, Vice-President of MINI USA. The Countryman will...
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Gentlemen, turn up your speakers. The title really needs no further explanation. A Lotus Exige S, Bugatti Veyron and a Ferrari F430 get together and go toe-to-toe on Laguna Seca. There aren’t too many in-car shots, but the ones that do exist show the Ferrari driver shuffle steering (a big no-no among race car drivers)...
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The production MINI Coupe is set to hit dealerships across North America next Summer. According to Mini Vice President Jim McDowell, MINI will use a six-month buffer between models an with the Countryman crossover set to arrive in February of next year, the Coupe should then be available in August of 2011. That would then...
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A video and a series of print advertisements from MINI has the BMW subsidiary throwing down the gauntlet against German sports car maker Porsche, challenging them to a “race” at Road Atlanta, daring them to let their 911 Carrera go up against the diminutive MINI Cooper S. This challenge sounds fun on paper, but MINI never really defined the...
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As Aston Martin prepares to hit the track at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, the company has bigger plans to continue on racing prototypes well into the future. According to AutoSport, Aston Martin Racing will begin building six all-new ground-up prototype racers. Currently Aston Martin Racing runs two cars in the LMP1 field,...
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The MINI brand looks to expand in a big way – and not just in numbers either. While several new models are set to debut over the next few years, the biggest news might just be an even bigger model. According to a report by the notoriously speculative AutoExpress, MINI plans to introduce a larger...
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Afzal Kahn, CEO of Project Kahn, markets himself with a bold claim: the king of aesthetic conversions. While it might be a little overboard, Project Kahn does do a fantastic job with their RS-series packages for various Land Rover vehicles. Their RS600 for the Range Rover Sport was widely successful and their RS300 partnership with...
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It’s here. Yes, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage has been confirmed for North America and to help promote the car (as though there was any need), the British automaker has released a short video of the super sports car. For those who don’t know, the V12 Vantage takes the already impressive V8 Vantage and ups...
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Mikko Hirvonen has done an admirable job in WRC. Despite never winning a championship, Hirvonen has stepped into the shoes of legendary driver Marcus Gronholm as Ford’s new factory driver, regularly battling the reigning champion, Sebastian Loeb. When Hirvonen isn’t flinging the Ford Focus WRC car through various rally stages, he can be found driving...
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After a dismal year in 2009, Rolls-Royce is reporting a sales boom of its products so far in 2010. According to the Financial Times, sales of Rolls-Royce models are up 146 percent for the first five months of the year. The reason for the drastic increase isn’t just the turn-around in the economy, however, but...
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With the success of oil-burning hot hatches like the Seat Leon Cupra FR and Volkswagen Golf GTD, as well as a general trend towards “green” products (whatever that means), Mini is preparing to launch a diesel version of their Mini Cooper S hot hatch. Due to emissions legislation, BMW won’t offer the diesel in North...
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McLaren’s MP4-12C is the company’s first road-going 2-seater car. No, really. The British racing firm’s first effort, the McLaren F1, was famously equipped with a 3-seater configuration, with a drivers seat mounted in the center, and two bucket seats mounted on either side. A famous saying (sometimes attributed to F1 designed Gordon Murray) is that...
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On June 17th in 1970, the Range Rover brand was born as the Range Rover Classic rolled off the Land Rover assembly line. Forty years later and the luxury 4×4 brand is still going strong as Land Rover prepares to celebrate the introduction of a new model in the coming weeks (likely at a celebration...
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Pricing for the Aston Martin V12 Vantage has just been announced for the U.S. market and it’s a serious jump over the standard V8-powered model. With a V8 Vantage priced from roughly $120,000, the V12 model commands a serious premium at $179,995. The new engine produces 510-hp and 420 ft-lbs of torque, enough to accelerate...
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