August 28, 2012

Posts Comments

You are here: Home / 2012 / August / Archives for 18th

2013 Viper GTS Launch Edition Sheds Its Skin

August 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In the age of rebranding there is little room for sentiment. Tradition is often sacrificed in favour of marketing or modernisation and I for one am not a fan of change for change’s sake.

So when we heard that one of the most illustrious names in the motoring business was changing identity we were shocked to say the least. I am referring to the legendary Dodge Viper which, from the 2013 generation onwards, will become the SRT Viper.

SRT is the Street and Racing Technology division of Chrysler which will be lending its name to future generations of the Viper from now on, starting with the 2013 GTS Launch Edition. Unveiled at Pebble Beach, it evokes memories of past Viper Coupé debuts in 1996 and 2006 by sporting the symbolic GTS blue livery with white racing stripes – proving that SRT haven’t completely discarded their roots. Like a hard-nosed old cowboy, the Viper’s new boots suit it down to the ground. By boots of course I mean the glistening five-spoke polished forged-aluminium wheels. Though the exterior has been reworked it does still integrate the distinctive muscular Viper styling of old that we all know and love.

The image overhaul continues with a change of badge for the new generation Viper. The old “Fang” logo is replaced by “Stryker” which adorns the bonnet and steering wheel and features a blue background on the Launch Edition instead of the grey found on all other 2013 SRT Vipers. Good news for all dedicated Viper anoraks too as a serialised dash plaque will be added to every GTS Launch Edition to increase collectability.

Production will be limited during the first run of 2013 SRT Viper GTSs, but at present we do not know any concrete figures or details on pricing. What we can reveal is that the standard 2013 SRT Viper and GTS models are set to return in late 2012 with more power and performance thanks to the colossal mid-engine 8.4-litre V10 powertrain – one of the most powerful naturally aspirated sports car engines in the world.

In the end, we all have to move on and even a car as successful as the Viper can’t stand still. But although it may have a posh new title and a shiny new badge, it is still essentially the same old warhorse underneath. After all, what’s in a name…

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

2013 Fiat 500 Turbo Announced

August 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Love the style of the Fiat 500 but want a little more fun? Crave the performance and agility of an Abarth but can’t stomach the price tag? Well the newest arrival to the family could be for you.

Arise the new 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo. Debuted in Monterey, California, the big headlines are the rip-roaring 135 BHP 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo engine along with the new sport-tuned suspension and track-proven brakes. Overall, that is a more-than-generous 34 % power improvement on the ordinary 500 and a 53% torque gain.

The gearbox has also been upgraded to a track-proven C510 five-speed manual for quicker acceleration and faster top speed and for all that gain Fiat say it will still hit up to 34 mpg on the motorway. 

The 500 Turbo will be distinguished from the base model not only by its extra fire power but also by its more aggressive styling with new performance-orientated fascias and side sills, all fully integrated with the delicate aerodynamics. Note the more pronounced front fascia, housing twin ‘nostrils’ positioned on both sides to maximise airflow in and out of the intercoolers along with bolder side skirts, less slanted than we’re used to seeing in the standard 500. The old chrome headlamps are gone, replaced with meaner looking gloss black versions.

At the rear, a black-accented diffuser designed to optimise airflow is a welcome addition while a new sport-tuned exhaust should provide an Abarth-like grunt.

Talking of sound, the Fiat 500 Turbo will also feature the Beats by Dr. Dre high-definition audio system, never before seen in a small car let alone a Fiat; a very nice touch indeed.

Of course the cynics out there will point to the fact that this is just a dumbed-down Abarth. And they may have a point. But Fiat themselves are indicating that the new 500 Turbo will be aimed at “enthusiasts who are drawn to the Italian style of the Fiat 500 but want more power and performance for their daily drive”, confirmation that it should comfortably slot in between the standard model and the pricier, more exclusive Abarth variant. And at £12,500 it’s a fair bit cheaper than its bigger brother too.

The 2013 Fiat 500 Turbo arrives in US dealerships this autumn. No plans to bring it to the UK just yet, but surely it’s only a matter of time.

 

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Dream Team Reunites For The BMW Zagato Roadster

August 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Italian-German collaboration in the sports car world is always a mouth-watering prospect. So when we got wind of the first collaboration between BMW and Italian coachbuilder Zagato in the form of the BMW Zagato Coupé, we were understandably very excited. And now just three months later the two powerhouses have put their heads together again to come up with a roadster model.

Setting themselves the ambitious target of preparing the car in time for the Pebble Beach Concours in California, the duo successfully completed design and production of the BMW Zagato Roadster in just six weeks. Essentially based on the Z4, the Roadster does admittedly take most of its inspiration from its sibling the Coupé, so the designers can’t exactly claim to have worked from an entirely blank canvas. However, much of the rear end has been altered, giving it a broader, low-slung appearance. Taking its cue from the Coupé, the Roadster’s sweeping front end and long wheelbase push the cockpit right back to the rear of the car. Other notable features include the classy brown leather roll-bars, inspired by an aircraft wing and the trademark Zagato double-bubble roof in the soft-top guise.

We sincerely hope this latest instalment won’t be the last we see of the flourishing BMW Zagato partnership. A new era in Italian-German collaboration beckons.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: , , , , ,

2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra Is A Fitting Tribute

August 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The motor industry fell silent this May at the news that legendary founder of the Shelby marque, Carroll Shelby, had passed away aged 89. Even in his twilight years the inspirational motoring icon remained committed to developing the best high performance cars. Only last year, he spent more than five hours putting the most powerful production Mustang ever through its paces during testing sessions at Ford’s Arizona Proving Grounds. Not one for a quiet retirement then.

Being instrumental in the creation of Ford’s greatest performance cars such as the Cobra, the GT40 and the Mustang since the 1960s, it seemed fitting that Ford, Shelby American and Ford Racing should come together to produce a one-of-a-kind tribute in his honour. The result has finally been unveiled as the 2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra wide-body Mustang which draws on the already considerable power of the 662BHP 2013 Shelby GT500 and turns it up a notch. The special edition gets a suitably colossal Ford Racing 4.0-litre supercharger that now generates more than 850BHP and enormous 13-inch wide rear wheels with high performance tyres to put down the increased power. The specially designed bonnet and new rear wide-body kit are finished in the distinctive blue with white stripes made famous by the original Cobras of the 1960’s, celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

It seems apt that the new Cobra will be a never to be repeated one-off, mirroring the image of Carroll Shelby himself, who changed the performance world forever.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

McLaren Reveal Their Wild Side With The X-1 Concept

August 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It is hard to imagine that every car manufacturer has a ‘Special Operations’ division. The idea sounds more at home in the pages of a spy thriller than in the automotive world. But McLaren are not ‘every car manufacturer’. The very thing that marks them out from the rest is their sheer audaciousness and true to form they have come up with another ground-breaking and utterly insane creation.

It is called the X-1, and although it looks and sounds like the latest secret project from the North Korean space program, it is in fact a totally unique, bespoke supercar designed for an anonymous client. Allegedly a hardened McLaren fanatic, the mystery man first contacted the manufacturer as long as three years ago, before the 12C was even launched, requesting “a machine that had all the capability of the 12C but wrapped in a unique body that reflected his needs and personality”. Whether you agree or not that the car fulfils the client’s desire for “timeless and classical elegance”, there is no doubt that it is entirely unprecedented in terms of design.

Two and a half years in the making, the X-1 is based structurally on the company’s unique carbon MonoCell seen in the MP4-12C and finished off in a striking piano black. However, this incarnation is 109 mm longer and 188 mm wider than the 12C and the body is essentially brand new with everything down to the lights and wheels tailor-made. The enclosed rear wheels, nestling beneath two sleek carbon panels, surely elevate the car in to the realms of pure madness.

But the X-1 is far more than just science fiction. It was designed to be a usable car, road legal, practical enough to comfortably seat two passengers and fully capable of travelling at supercar speeds. To do that, it shares the same awe-inspiring twin-turbo 617BHP engine as the MP4-12C.

Such was the work that went in to this top secret project, the styling itself took 18 months to sign off. Apparently, designers took inspiration from classics such as the 1959 Buick Electra, the 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K and the 1971 Citroën SM as well as architecture from the famous Guggenheim museum in New York plus an art deco clock, a grand piano, and bizarrely, an eggplant! Sure proof that somewhere in Woking, a small padded cell is lying empty….

After its debut, at the Pebble Beach supercar show in the States, the X-1 will return to McLaren HQ to be carefully checked over before it takes pride of place in its owner’s collection. And if the mystery man isn’t satisfied with his latest acquisition, there’s always the new Batman film just around the corner….

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: , , , ,