Track Testing

First Look Ride – Mullen FIVE & Mullen GT – Is There Substance Underneath The Flashy Wrapper?

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Sometimes, it can be hard to keep track of all the startup companies that are emerging in the electric vehicle marketplace. While Tesla is still the benchmark that many of these upstarts strive to match, it’s often easier said than done. One of these firms trying to establish themselves as a legitimate Tesla competitor is Mullen Automotive and the broader firm Mullen USA. The company has had a rollercoaster history regarding its fortunes, but it thinks now is the time to strike. But is there substance beneath the corporate buzzwords and shiny sheet metal? We wanted to find out and …

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2020 SHELBY GT500 Ford Mustang – Covid-Safe(r) Track Drive Event

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The launch rollout of the rockstar Mustang GT500 took a bit of a hiatus over the springtime for obvious reasons but it’s back on!   Covid-safe wit masks, lots of cleaning, disinfectant mister guns, helmet oven sanitizer and many other precautions were in place. Meeting the 760HP, 625-pound-foot GT500 on the track really is the perfect way to stretch its legs and test its limits.  Make no mistake, the rumors of #BestMustangEver are very true here. The car is so good that it even wears the famed Shelby Cobra snake logos all over — something we missed a bit on the …

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Finding Its Inner Potential, 2020 Shelby Mustang GT350R Brings New Moves To Its Track Slaying Mission

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When we last met the Shelby GT350 Mustang, it was in its base form, and while the GT350 certainly proved to be a very track ready offering, the feeling that it had more lurking underneath its imposing bodywork was hard to ignore. The intoxicating snarl of its 5.2 liter 526 horsepower V8 certainly does its best to distract you from thinking such things, but despite its attempts at luring you into its charms, the feeling of more still permeates the overall driving experience. Ford engineers have felt the same way too, and have unleashed a new iteration of the Shelby …

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Scalpel or Hammer?

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2019 Acura NSX vs 2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye If you’re like me, you might be anticipating a major life phase change. And as a car person, likely the next thing on your mind will be how this might positively affect your future stable. My current phase is one of “peak college”, let’s call it. Come autumn, three of my offspring will be chasing higher education. The title of this post does not represent which of my kids are shooting to become a doctor and which are aiming for trade school. But, instead, which car might anyone in anticipating that …

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Track Test Review – 2019 Acura NSX – By Carl Malek

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When the Acura NSX originally made its debut back in 2016, Acura was keen on reestablishing itself as a technological leader, while also breathing new life into arguably one of its most iconic nameplates. The reborn NSX proved to be a spirited offering, and smashed any doubts that were cast on it with its impressive performance numbers, smooth hybrid technology, and being a futuristic shot of adrenaline for buyers looking for something different from the usual Porsche and even Ferrari powered tonics that were out in the marketplace at the time. But like all good things, even the NSX can …

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2019 Ferrari P80/C Is Heavenly One-Off Based on 488 GT3 Car

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Ferrari has done an amazing job over the last five years at creating one-off machines for its most special customers.  From the Sergio to the FXX series and many more, Ferrari has found a way to make bespoke designs feasible for extremely limited production.  The 488 and its mid-engined platform has proven the perfect donor for many of these customs.  Perhaps Ferrari got the idea from the reborn Stratos that also reskinned the entry-level Ferrari? This latest example is a favorite so far. The design is extreme and pushes boundaries that production Ferrari models avoid. The hyper-rounded glasshouse and bubble …

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Updated – 1979 Porsche 935 – Gooding Amelia Island 2019

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Update: This car is still available after not meeting its reserve. A few new photos of the machine from Amelia. It passed the two million mark but not close enough to three, apparently. The car seems to be in a ‘between’ period between campy and classic. 1979 Porsche 935 – Gooding Amelia 2019 Check out this beauty!  The wild paintwork and the massive racing aero dwarf the tiny 911 basis for this racecar.  The result is a machine nearly as wide as it is long, and as fire-spitting as any on the world’s racetracks.  Power is estimated at 650HP, which …

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2019 Ginetta Akula – Underdog Debut Pips Geneva Hypercar Elite

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We’re fans of underdog supercar maker Ginetta for a few reasons.  First of all is that they are actual racers. Most of the supercars that debut today will not have bona-fide tracktime in their futures, while this Akula certainly does. And secondly, for the functionality of their approach to sports cars. The spirit of the new Akula’s design vaguely recalls TVR from the wild old days.  This is not a machine that went  through dozens of focus groups and design evolutions.  This is a murderous slasher film in CFRP — all vents and intakes and outlets throughout the entire lower …

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2019 Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept Is Next-Gen WTCR Racer

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Here is a Chinese import that takes Euro localisation seriously!  A C-segment sedan thoroughly upgraded to full race spec. A machine that embraces Euro dimensions and design while also appreciating the massive interest in all forms of racing. Making RenaultSport’s latest machines fast on track becomes a religion in itself for many. So here is a Lynk 03 sedan tuned to the max, and ready to attack! Like the bumper-bashing old Volvo 850R wagons battling Alfa 164’s of the BTCC! This machine is bonkers powerful at 528HP from a 2.0-liter four — all to the front wheels. To say its …

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1979 Porsche 935 – Gooding Amelia Island 2019 Preview

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Check out this beauty!  The wild paintwork and the massive racing aero dwarf the tiny 911 basis for this racecar.  The result is a machine nearly as wide as it is long, and as fire-spitting as any on the world’s racetracks.  Power is estimated at 650HP, which is more than sufficient to scare the bejesus out of any driver! Favorite details include the oversized rear wheels with the magnesium heat shields in a deep dome shape.  And of course the whale tail and slant-nose front aero.  The silhouette is a thing of a million study-hall daydreams — but brought to …

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~755HP Shelby GT500 Joins Horsepower Wars, Sinks Fangs Into Hellcat and Camaro ZL1

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In the current iteration of the muscle car wars, the extreme end of the segment has lately been dominated by two distinct entries, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the 717 Dodge Challenger Hellcat. Both of these models have been slugging it out in sales and on the racetrack for awhile now, but that’s partially due to the absence of a third contender, the Shelby GT500. The GT500 last terrorized the dragstrip in the mid 2000’s before ending production in 2013. Ford has not forgotten the unique allure of the GT500, and has unleashed the latest GT500 to try and reclaim …

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Best of Amelia Island – 2018 Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG003S Stradale – Photos & Videos

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An absolutely phenomenal car is what it takes to win the real Concours trophies. In our book, a hypercar like no other is enough. SCG003S is exquisite in person.  The details for its transformation to “luxury” version of the SCG003 LMP car are slight outside. Full CHMSL and side idicator lights have a very NHTSA feel.  A backup lamp and rear fog are included along with taillights.  And a plate. This is a road car.  Fully legal in every state via a new low-volume manufacturer US certification. $2.4 mil is the cost and six are spoken for.  20 more on …

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2017 Shelby 427 DAYTONA Secret Weapon COUPE CSX2605 [70 Photos!]

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A big block motor was a highly experimental concept in 1964 and Carroll Shelby kept it in his back pocket. The lengthened, re-engined monster was Shelby’s Secret Weapon for the 1964 LeMans 24 Hours. “”..it could have topped 200 miles per hour at Le Mans. Weighing about 2,200 pounds with world class aerodynamics and the power of a big block, the car had tremendous performance potential. However, destiny intervened. The truck carrying CSX2286 to Le Mans was involved in an accident that damaged the Shelby too much to be repaired in time for the race. It never ran a lap …

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2018 DALLARA Stradale Roadster – Make the World Your Racetrack! [99 Photos]

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  This beautiful new supercar starts life with no doors and no windshield or upright cowl whatsoever.  Just a sleek, wide disk shooting around a circuit! A windshield option makes this a Dallara Stradale Roadster, and a bubble glass hardtop makes it into a Dallara Stradale Targa. Loving them all is easy.  A few reasons: — This is a right-now production car.  First delivery happened last week and production is in full swing. — Dallara is a name known on racetracks worldwide.  They make the carbon chassis tubs for everyone.  Seriously. So they have carbon-fiber at scale.  And wind tunnels …

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2017 Dodge Charger Daytona 392 – HD Road Test Review

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The Dodge Charger has always made big, loud speed its reason for being.  Even the simple R/T V8 runs a shouty HEMI and gets close to 5 seconds on the 60-mph sprint.  Simply heroic thrust on the road.  All with pricing that is a damn bargain versus any hot Camaro or Mustang, let alone anything else with a V8 and four doors.  (Rare breed indeed, lately). So now we have this Daytona edition with its Hellcat-alike bodywork and sexy black details.  Atop the Daytona kit you can add a three-number code that shouts POWERRR from the heavens:  the 392. Now …

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Launch Party – 2017 Mercedes-AMG Project ONE [51 Photos]

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We shouyld have taken Mercedes more seriously when they said their new hypercar concept would be an F1 car for the road.  The cliche is so tired as to barely raise an eyebrow in 2017. But here we are: with a screaming 1.6-liter V6 turbocharged beyond all sense to deliver its 1000 ponies.  And electrified with a bombastic KERS hybrid system. The looks are right off a racetrack and promise a car vastly less practical than any 911, but much more than most racecars.  A deep, McLaren-style door opening brings the entire lower sill up and away from  the bodywork …

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2017 Bugatti CHIRON Breaks Records – 0-250MPH-0 In 42 Seconds + Under 2 Miles

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400kph is a messianic number for auto engineers.  It is a point few road cars can even contemplate, let alone attempt in a hot blast of full throttle then full braking. The Chiron just set the world record for this insane benchmark of a test.  42 seconds and just 1.92 miles are all that Chiron needed to make auto history forever. Among the rare few other cars that could even attempt this test, Chiron proves how fearsome its total power package really is.  Yes, Pagani and Koenigsegg are faster than ever these days.  But they are not — as of …

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Autocross Class of 2017! Which Pocket Rocket Is Quickest?

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Imagine the best kart track ever – inside the amazing Road America racetrack itself.  Then swap the karts for real cars.  And race them against the stopwatch in rapid-fire rotations of drivers! It was an squeely good time with the class of 2017’s new and special pocket rockets.   A big variety in power, drivetrain layout and body style: everything from the Abarth 500C to MX-5 RF and 370Z Heritage Edition.  Hyundai’s new Elantra Sport joined the fun, as did a ragtop Miata, 124 Abarth, Toyota 86 and VW Golf R.     They were all a laugh riot around …

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2017 MINI John Cooper Works GP Concept – Design Analysis

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MINI fatigue is undeniable lately as an enthusiast and for car shoppers alike.  The improvements are so substantive, but the design and image seems frozen in time.  Most of the time. Then rumbles up a track-attack prototype so extreme that even it hates being a hatchback.  It hates that its breadvan shape lacks the low nose of a supercar or the mid-engined silhouette. So this JCW GP concept rejects its limitations.  It says: i will create extreme downforce and aero — hatchback shape and all.  It does not accept that front-drive is a demerit on the Nordschleife. Floating external fenders …

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Is Aston Martin VULCAN AMR Pro the End of an Era?

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The Aston Martin Vulcan is an icon already.  24 examples in total exist worldwide and they are getting rarer by the day.  Why?  Because to make a Vulcan AMR Pro, you need to supply the Vulcan. This might be a dying breed of exotic.  A track-only hypercar that is front-engine and naturally aspirated?  Indeed.  This machine might be peak balls in terms of an English or global salute to this layout.  The most trusty around corners, but lacking some of the final corner speed of the mid-engine template.  A front-engine car also means the bodywork cannot be as extreme as …

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2017 Lexus IS350 F Sport RWD – Road Test Review + Performance Drive Video

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The IS350 was a perfect way to hit the roads of CHicago and Wisconsin ahead of a track event the other week. Here is a fun, fast and tactile sport sedan for the ages! Fun because it loves revs and Gs. Fast as its F-Sport induction harmonics encourage floored throttle all the time. Tactile because its steering is alive in your hands.  IS350 F-Sport steering feel has heft like a great sports car, but also a sharp and eagerness to change direction any time.  Any place.  This IS350 pivots like a boss. Just a big soppy lovefest for this car, …

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2017 Polaris Slingshot SL – First Drive Review – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman  

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Taking a ride out to Nielsen Enterprises, in Lake Villa, IL is always a treat. They’re the ultimate big boy toy store.  You can buy anything from ATV’s, UTV’s personal watercraft, snowmobiles, all four Japanese motorcycle brands, Can-AM Spyders, and Polaris products. If it’s fun, and it goes fast, Nielsen’s got it. Today’s mission is to take a Polaris Slingshot out for a test and find out why they can’t make them fast enough. The Slingshot is a three-wheel vehicle, with two wheels in front, and a single wheel in back.  It is 150” long, which is 4” shorter than …

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2018 Dodge DEMON and SRT Durango – Startup, Revs and Exhaust Note VIDEOS

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Dodge brought out the big guns for the recent Midwest Auto Media event at Road America racetrack. Their two new sluggers left the crowd in awe!  The SRT Durango was a surprising arrival — considering it has never been seen in real life to date.  The huge news with this monster-V8 SUV is that its tires are simply massive.  Taller than you might expect and wider than most true performance cars — these Pirellis are critical for putting so much power to the ground.  Dodge promises performance to wallop the Yukon Denali and even out-handle the SRT Grand Cherokee. But the …

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2017 Mercedes-AMG C63-S Coupe – Edition One – USA Photoset

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What supercoupe has the curb appeal of a true racecar?  That would have to be this new C63 S in its Edition One livery.  These launch specials all share their frozen grey over bright yellow paintwork.  The effect in person is polarizing, sure.  And will this be a gracefully maturing look in ten years? Who cares! For now, this is the best — and only?  — way to enjoy the hottest AMG V8TT in a rear-drive layout.  Well, aside from the C-Class sedan and SLC.  And SL proper, actually. As great and still-awesome as the 4Matic cars are… nothing can …

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2017 Honda Civic Type R – Nurburgring Record Video & Photos

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The new CIvic Type R is on full boost now.  Its US launch is two months out and production is in full swing.  This must mean the first shipment is already on a giant boat headed stateside! Excitement for the most-powerful Honda Civic of all time is palpable lately, especially with the Si  launch just last week. To prove that AWD is not necessary to take on the Focus RS and Golf R, Honda took the new Civic to break some records on track.  This is now the quickest front-driver of all time around with a 7:43:80 time.  Watch the …

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2017 BMW M4 CS Special Edition Bows in Shanghai

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BMW just rolled out a middle ground between the M4 competition package and the top-flight GTS road racer.  It is called the ClubSport and this CS nomenclature will serve on future hardcore M models as well.  Atop the CS badge is a CS Special Edition, the most limited-release specials with all the performance goodies standard. Performance will be incredible, for what its worth.  460HP is the stat, which does seem low for a $120k price estimate in the USA, but its delivery will be the event.  The car has standard sport exhaust and nearly all the GTS upgrades, like CFRP …

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2017 Honda Civic Type R – 20-Photo USA Debut Gallery w/Video

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Check out the most intriguing hyper-hatch in ages!  Here is a 306HP turbo to the front wheels — making it the fastest Honda of all time! The engineering upgrades list to manage that power is long….  but majors on grip and adjustability.  Drive modes and adjustable suspension will give supreme control.  We absolutely crave its exterior design.  It is so massively aggressive.  So carefully modified for the track.  You can sense that none of this body addenda — like the giant front splitter or artful rear wing — is there for looks alone.  This is a purposeful car that came to …

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2017 GEMBALLA Avalanche – Widebody, Active-Aero 911 Turbo

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This car’s badge and its massively wide stance speaks volumes.  The giant exhaust drums in back are rifled like structural pieces.  Like a fine, if giant, musical instrument! The DRS system in back can vary the downforce to nil — as ever, this Gemballa is after real 200-mph-plus action.  The central roof scoop intake and rear vertical tailfin are formed from a single piece of carbon-fiber.  Spectacular.   2017 GEMBALLA Avalanche With the GEMBALLA AVALANCHE, based on the Porsche 991 Turbo, the Leonberg finishing manufactory is presenting its unrivalled performance in the individualisation of supercars again at the Geneva Motor …

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2.9s, 201MPH 2017 Lamborghini Huracan PERFORMANTE – Launch Gallery

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640HP from dry-sump, atmospheric V10 are the appetizer for the hottest Huracan ever.  The main course is its laptime pace.  The car has undergone a hardcore race diet — with aluminum swapped for ‘forged composite’ materials that are lighter and stronger.  Revised aero and downforce are critical for the car’s 6:52-second run around the Nordesleife — a world record for production supercars. Design-wise, the new nose is defined by body-color intake fangs near the outer edge of the bumper.  A three-level splitter/intake unit shows how serious the car is at track times from up close.  The tail is far more …

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2018 Nissan GT-R Track Edition Adds Nismo Grip, Widebody Fenders and Racier Cabin

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What is the most unforgettable supercar you’ve ever driven, Tom? Certainly the Nissan GT-R. Every Altima review we write has a glimmer of GT-R excitement behind it.  Maybe if I am just clever enough with words or camera… one will come my way for a week!? It has not happened yet.  Our only experience with the GT-R was the previous-gen Track pack back in 2013.  We spent 30 boneriffic minutes behind the wheel and will never forget it. So much power, so much sheer violence in its delivery!  The only car you can four-wheel drift around a simple turn! So …

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This Exact 1952 Mercedes-Benz W194 Won Lemans

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Just parked up on the lawn in front of the Mercedes stand!  Read into the details of W194 number 7 and you quickly learn this exact car won LeMans. Impressive!   Of course, this tanker aero design hides a Super Light alloy spaceframe with giant structural sills.  Escape was via the future-icon gullwing doors. This car went on to race at the Nurburgring and as a timer in the Carrera Panamericana.   1952 Mercedes-Benz W194 Number 7

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2017 Porsche 718 Cayman S – Autocross Drive Video

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The new 718 Cayman and Cayman S certainly are not baby Porsches any more!  These are proper track stars in any configuration.  The price gap between the Cayman and 911 is now pretty wide — about $75k ($54k base) plays about $90k and up for the big brother. As ever, most of the goodies you will really want are optional and can take the price of the 911 in particular easily into the 130s for a Carrera 2S. So Cayman seems like a viable, smart choice. Power from the new 718 Cayman S comes from a turbo four for the …

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2017 Porsche 911 GT3RS – 180MPH Ride Along

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  Hearing and feeling the 911 GT3 RS pull a smooth-yet-violent launch start followed by savage fullthrottle all the way to 180-mph was a life highlight we got to enjoy this weekend. Granted, the queasy stomach feeling from all the launch and acceleration G-force did ruin me for mere mortal vehicles. Even Focus RS felt a but slow getting out of this Porsche. The other most memorable element?  The ring in your ears from the boxer six at full chat.  Not sure if it is the fuel pumps or the simple engine harmonics — but this is a heavenly sound …

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267MPH 1987 Oldsmobile AeroTech at Amelia Island Concours [36 Photos]

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What the Oldsmobile AeroTech lacks now and arguably lacked then?  Brand appeal. But what it brings today 30 years after its rollout and stunning 250-mph plus top speed runs?  Importance. This is an important machine.  An extreme aerodynamics, tire and engine prototype, the AeroTech showed the world what it would take to cross into seriously dangerous speeds.  Its tires, brakes, cooling and streamlined underbody taught General Motors important lessons.  Most significant?  The move to shrouded lighting, smooth surfaces and wind tunnel testing. Beyond just showing off as a very ambitious GM prototype, the AeroTech has now even outlived its Oldsmobile …

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2017 McLaren 720S Reveals Active Aero and Hyperflowing Design [w/ Track Video)

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Hyper-flowing? That is not a word and is vague at best to describe the milky, smooth and rounded look of the new 720s.  The machine actually looks like a direct successor to the F1 flagship of the 1990s.  In a great way! But the look is certainly evolved even versus the latest P1 that just wrapped up production.  The ideas for this new Super Series McLaren are to leverage P1-style active aero, new chassis software for the full-hydraulic suspension that can tweak each corner massively in milliseconds, and overall make the most of the revised V8TT.  This 4.0liter unit now …

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2017 INFINITI Q60 Red Sport 400 – HD Road Test Review

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The Infiniti Q60 is a rolling climax.  This is a car whose excellence is the stuff of dreams.  Made real, this design and powertrain come together to become the stuff of legends. One week with the car is far too short.  We can still hear its ultra-smooth twin-turbo surge toward its redline.  Still feel its back wheels break traction in the smoothest, most nonchalant drifts and burnouts ever.  And still see its stunning beauty as it becomes more special, more breathtaking from each angle. With pricing from $51k but power that nearly matches the BMW M4 costing $25k more, the …

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3.5s, 178MPH 2017 Lotus EXIGE SPORT 380 is Fastest Flyweight Yet

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Standard carbon aero and a boost up to 375HP are enough to make this latest Lotus special into quite the slayer.  Its on-paper figures are outstanding and up there with a very rarified competitive set. The difference?  This Exige Sport 380 is also pretty light on the wallet!  It is priced at just 90k Euros and is aimed at the UK, German and Japanese markets. No official word on its US potential… but all this kit is certainly available for US Exige clients!  Just not bundled together right out of the factory. But hey, longing for Lotuses that are not …

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Hardtop Jannarelly JD1 Headlines Upcoming RISE: Race The Future Console Game

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  Our lovefest with the Jannarelly JD1 continues today with a look at the car as a hardtop racer versus a street-legal roadster.  Similar to how the car would be specced for an FIA GT3 or GT4 race class, this preview is of both the car and the game!  RISE: Race The Future is set for release in a few months. Now, the only question is… shall we call this the JD2?  Or JD1 Hardtop?  JD1 Daytona?!     2017 Jannarelly JD1 Hardtop   RISE: Race The Future is the upcoming video game from the studio VD-DEV renown for their …

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1962 Ferrari 268 SP by Fantuzzi – RM Monterey 2016 Highlight

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One of the first-ever midengine Ferrari racers went across the block in Cali this August. Looks like it was a no-sale, curiously. A high bar was surely set: we’d estimating the reserve was around $25-million.  Perhaps 35. So it is still seeking a new home.  Home for its freaky beauty, snarky nose intakes and special-prototype LMP1 provenance. Sold or not, we’re elated to see this 1962 268SP in the sunlight in all its glory. RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2016 Lot 240 1962 Ferrari 268 SP by Fantuzzi Chassis no. 0798 Engine no. 0798 Gearbox no. 6 Estimate Available Upon Request Please note that Internet …

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2017 Jannarelly JD1 Arrives in USA! Rear-Engine and Road-Legal from $90k

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Very exciting news today! The shockingly beautiful mid-engine Jannarelly JD1 is now in low-volume production, and coming to not just USA tracks near you… but also the roads there and back! This marks a big difference between Radical, Ariel and a few other boutique supercars.  The US market is both a holy grail and a huge barrier-to-entry in the supercar business.  If your car can’t be sold in the US, you have to cut volume projections in half. Thrilling news then that Jannarelly has a new US distributor established in VanDouble.  This Bedford Hills, New York firm promises hands-on help …

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2016 Volkswagen PASSAT 1.8T SEL Premium – HD First Drive

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    Watch us put the new VW Passat through some autocross corners around Georgia’s Lake Lanier Islands Resort. Thrilled with the 1.8T engine’s thrust and the car’s handling balance — as well as the six-speed automatic, which fooled us into thinking it was a DSG!  But actually just a terrific Tiptronic with Sport mode.  Impressive.   2016 Volkswagen PASSAT 1.8T SEL Premium 2016 Volkswagen PASSAT 1.8T SEL Premium – Interior

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2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Final Edition (6MT) – Road Test Review – By Carl Malek   

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EVO = “the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form.” That definition best describes the Lancer Evolution, a car that originally started out life as the mediocre Lancer compact sedan, but would gradually transform into a performance car bargain thanks to the efforts of Mitsubishi engineers. Its rivalry with its Asian arch nemesis the Subaru WRX rewrote the performance car genre, and inspired other automakers to follow suit with entries such as the Dodge Neon SRT-4 (and its horrible follow up the Caliber SRT-4) the Ford Focus ST, and the Volkswagen Golf R. Sometimes …

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2016 Lexus GS-F – HD Road Test Review – F*** YES!

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Nothing prepares you for the GS-F. Even after weeks of heated anticipation, the GS-F’s arrival out front dropped jaws. And whipped heads around with its sonics for anyone within a mile radius of the highest-performance Lexus four-door of all time. The GS-F introduction for the 2016 modelyear joins a comprehensive GS revamp of the tech, style and powertrains up and down the lineup. A new turbo four kicks off a nine-strong model range as the GS200t, while and this monster 467HP V8 tops the broad new GS offering.  F Sport upgrades for the GS200t, GS350 and GS450h are all available, with the middle …

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VIDEO: 2017 Ford Focus RS RX – Project RX Episode 1 – Design and Development

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            FORD PERFORMANCE RELEASES “PROJECT RX”: BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE FORD FOCUS RS RX DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY The Ford Focus RS RX was designed to be the ultimate rallycross vehicle in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Collaborating with UK-based M-Sport and Hoonigan Racing Division, Ford Performance engineers implemented the same high-tech instruments and procedures used on production vehicles to develop the Focus RS RX for competition. The first of a four-part documentary, episode one of “Project RX” highlights the design and development of the vehicle between Ford Performance headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, and the M-Sport …

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Track Drive Video + Photos – 2016 Lamborghini HURACAN LP610-4 – XtremeXperience

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Here is a curious machine.  One that we’ve loved from afar — and up close — for a few years now.  The Huracan fired up in the AMP pit lane for XtremeXperience’s track day with the most fury, and the most sheer energy. There is no hiding the 5.2-liter, naturally-aspirated V10’s goodness.  And if you think it sounds great on ignition… wait until we get into the throttle! In standard Strada street mode due to the track conditions, however, the Huracan drove itself into a solid third place among the 458 Italia and McLaren 570S.  While the AWD Lambo had …

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First Track Drive – 2016 McLaren 570S Coupe at XtremeXperience (Plus Twin-Camera Video!)

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  The new 570S was the most exciting sight of a day filled with exotic cars from XtremeXperience.  This team travels all over the midwest and east coast of the US making dreams come true with their supercar fleet. So getting fixated on one is not required, especially with their three-car drive special at discounted rates. But fixated, we were.  This 570S is all-new and the cheapest car McLaren has ever made. Yet skim the brochure and their is little to knock the kid brother down from its P1 and 650S siblings. Similar carbon-fiber chassis tub, similar lightweight bodywork and …

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Plum Crazy 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T – XtremeXperience Wet Track Laps Are Mesmerizing (w/ HD Video!)

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It might seem unlikely to kick off a five-part article series about XtremeXperience supercar track days with the slowest, heaviest car in the pitlane. But anyone who has driven a Challenger R/T… a) in the rain or b) on a racetrack …knows that combining those two is a recipe for white knuckles, at the very least. And more likely, one of two endgames: a crawling pace or a big spin-out into the grass. And perhaps from there into a tire-lined safety fence beside the track. So this experience as the first outing of the day at Atlanta Motorsports Park left …

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TECHART Carbon Sport Package for the 911 GT3 RS 8

TechArt Goes Carbon Crazy on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS!

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TechArt just revealed their latest hot mods for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS: a comprehensive carbon sport package! This swaps all the exterior’s matte grey plastic for pure, exposed-weave carbon fiber. The TechArt pieces are lighter, stronger and much more eye-catching.  Favorites include the CF splitter and sills, plus the front fender outlets and rear fender intakes.  Swapping these for carbon pieces dramatically ups the wow factor of this track-attack Porker.   TECHART Carbon Sport Package for the 911 GT3 RS Leonberg, April 20th, 2016   For a striking appearance and motor sport accents, TECHART carbon fiber parts set distinct exterior …

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2016 McLaren 675LT Spider – Media Launch Brings 50 New, Real-Life Photos

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  Updated 4.18.16 with 50 new photos from the sunniest part of Northern Europe…!? McLaren just set the configurator of the new 675LT Spider live on the web! The builder is tweaked versus previous McLaren visualizers — simplified and tailored for the small batch of 500 LT Spiders to be produced. Six custom configurations of exterior and interior design are grouped into themes for the launch, but eight wheel styles and three dozen other colors are on the list for standard pricing. Favorites do not include the new 675LT Spider exclusive color: Solis.  This is definitely a rich golden metallic …

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2016 Renault CLIO by WALDOW Performance 20

2016 Renault CLIO by WALDOW Performance – Smurfberry Blue Track Special

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Any time the words “Smurf” and “Blue” make it into an official press release, it is usually good for a belly laugh.  We were seriously loving the color and black alloys, contrast-red rollbars and the slammed KW stance of this Clio already.  But then they go and mention the Smurfs. And we’re back to feeling silly! That laughing, delightful character is a big part of any Clio’s appeal.  This one just happens to be a battle-Smurf!  Deadly serious, regardless of its skin tone! 2016 Renault Clio by WALDOW Performance   WALDOW Performance reveals the Renault Clio 4 – The Real …

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2016 Toyota TS050 Hybrid – World Debut at HTTT – New V6TT, 1000HP eAWD Racecar

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Toyota GAZOO racing just revealed its 2016 competitor for the highest honor in racing: the WEC LeMans series. This TS050 might look familiar but is packing some radical changes throughout.  The most crucial appears to be a swap to direct-injection for an all-new 2.4-liter V6TT providing the main power to the back wheels. The other big change is a move from supercapacitors for the regen braking to a more conventional, and much higher-output, lithium-ion battery pack system.  Toyota calls the new power pack the 8MJ, and notes it required a full redesign of the entire vehicle, including the transaxle transmission …

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2017 Chevrolet CAMARO ZL1 Convertible1

~3.5s 2017 Chevrolet CAMARO ZL1 Convertible – Live Photos, Tech Details + Track Video

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Chevy’s latest and greatest Camaro evolution is the ZL1 — a car SO powerful and so, so fast that it may shame any Mustang GT350R and even the 707HP Dodge Challenger Hellcat. The ingredients are all certainly there: simmering and about to boil! Those include the 640Hp LT4 engine derived from the latest Cadillac CTS-V, but with new internals like a flat-plane crankshaft to really howl like a racecar for the first time. Also in the mix? A standard six-speed stick and the available 10-speed automatic on its first-ever outing in a General Motors car.  This new autobox evolves the incredible strength …

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Fast & Amorous! Michelle Rodriguez Roars Past 200MPH in F-Type

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An endless road?  Check. Helicopter with steady-cams, and team of thirty to run shadow drones and other AV?  Check. 200-mph Jaguar SVR flagship?  Check. Beautiful tomboy actor Michelle Rodriguez at the wheel, delivering real-time whoops and joyous hollers?  Check. Annnnddd… Action!   Watching Michelle’s face light up as she feels how spectacular the F-Type is?  She clearly loves the car.   Capturing that is movie magic, people! The funny thing about this big-budget shoot is that the SVR and F-Type R are sooo, sooo fast…. anyone really could do this in real life.  With the right closed-road conditions… 201-mph in the F-Type R …

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2017 Acura NSX GT3 – V6TT, RWD Racecar is FIA-Ready (+Video)

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Acura just ripped the covers off its fully race-ready NSX GT3 racecar in New York. And the most intriguing elements of the machine?  Perhaps the total drivetrain revamp versus the AWD, triple-motor SH-AWD production model. FIA GT3 rules do not have a hybrid slot yet, so this NSX GT3 swaps its clever electric motors for pure turbocharged thrust. The main engine is the same as the production NSX, but the rear-drive conversion brings in a sequential six-speed paddle-shifter and likely some very clever racing differential tech. Acura plans to race this car in FIA GT3 classes starting in fall 2016, …

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700HP, 2.5s 2017 REZVANI Beast X – Wild Carbon Wings, Monster Boost for Street-Legal Racecar

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You are being hunted. The Rezvani Beast X is out for blood.  That much is clear from its 2.5-second 60-mph sprint and tail-out track action! This upgraded model is debuting in Dallas this week with a shockingly sexy carbon-fiber aero kit, a new engine and even optional paddle-shift for the 2017 modelyear. The California team will build just five of these X Beasts for sale worldwide, with pricing from $325k and the order books open now.  (The Beast Speedster is the car pictured here in grey, while the X is previewed in a few of the red photos — but not all …

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2016 VUHL 05 Updated for London Motor Show

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A refreshed VUHL 05 is now available for global trackday aces with pricing from around $100k for this cross between a Lotus and Radical. The UK sportscar industry is not only an inspiration for this trackday special, but also a target for its dual-use configuration. VUHL hopes to have certification for English roads in the near future. But even though road and track are both viable in a VUHL… one is far more heavily emphasized. A completely smooth underbody is race-ready, as is the doorless racing frame below the skin. You can guess how fast the 3.7-second VUHL is on …

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2016 KTM X-Bow GT Black Carbon 11

2016 KTM X-Bow GT Black Carbon

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The world’s favorite KTM car pro’s have a new special for us! The X-BOW GT Black Edition is an all-black, all-carbon flagship of the street-going KTM ‘Crossbow’ lineup. Wimmer RST has this gorgeous new special on display in Geneva this week along with the championship-winning X-BOW GT4 racecar. The new X-BOW Black Carbon is even upgraded versus that racecar, however. In addition to the CF tub, the new Wimmer special integrates carbon fiber for dozens of other components.  The entire undertray is a new carbon-fiber execution delivering race levels of grip on the road.  Exposed-weave carbon fiber now takes the …

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Apollo Arrow Geneva Hypercar 8

1000HP 2017 APOLLO ARROW – Full Tech Specs, Animations and 50 Photos

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Hypercar buyers are spoiled for choice these days.  But the Apollo Arrow warrants a second look even among Chiron deposit-holders. Apollo is an all-new expression of the Gumpert brand and core knowledge. The relaunch was in January and the coming-out party definitely in Geneva! Power and performance are insane. Race-ready — for real.  The car is FIA-homologated for numerous race classes in exactly the same spec as the Euro road-legal stunner.  Airjacks and roll cages included! But let’s take a closer look first at the obviously hot, shamelessly whipped and sliced new design.  From the front it catches you by surprise. …

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1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta by Touring (RHD) 18

1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta by Touring – Surviving RHD LeMans Racer Shows Humble Origins

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How far Ferrari has come! What started out with a genius 2.0-liter V12 engine that was ultra compact yet also super powerful.  The engine roared its way to the top of the racing world by the end of the 1950s, and on to a 5-billion-dollar IPO for just a slim minority of the firm’s shares in 2015?   Now a global luxury juggernaut with brand recognition to rival Coca-Cola, and desirability up there with Apple? Yes to all.  And quite a rare display of modesty and humility from Ferrari. It is intriguing to see how basic and workmanlike the first few …

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2016 Ferrari 488 Spider – London Launch Party + V8TT Sound Samples

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Updated 2.26.16 with 30 new photos from the car’s London launch party.  The nose looks far better in real life than it did on the initial renders and autoshow photos.   Gorgeous reveals by the dozen in Frankfurt this week, with only Aston and McLaren declining to launch something new and fairly important. Superlux EVs might be the defining show theme, but supercar rivalries are a close second. Lamborghini’s new Huracan Spyder, the McLaren 650S Spider and this brand-new 488 Spider are all viciously competitve with one another. Performance is roughly the same for all three as well: 3.0-second launches to …

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2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R – Road Car, Daytona Racer + Christophorus ‘Black Magic’ Sebring Test Feature

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The official Porsche magazine Christophorus has a terrific piece in their latest issue about the shakedown testing of the heavily-revised 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R around the hot, humid Sebring racetrack in Florida.  Dubbed ‘Black Magic,’ the article follows the Porsche customer racing team through a marathon 30-hour race test late in calendar 2015 — ahead of the car’s entry into numerous race series worldwide in 2016. We’re excited to share the unpainted test car in its raw glory — but also some extra cool perspective on the 2016 GT3 R endurance racecar. What is that?  A few snaps of the …

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Updated with Action GIFs – 2017 Chevrolet CAMARO 1LE Track Pack Slides Into Chitown!

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Wondering what all the excitement about the 1LE Camaro is about?  Just check out the upgrade list for the manual-only performance special!  For the first time, the 1LE pack will also enhance the V6 Camaro too…. Overall, these are the core elements that make any Camaro seriously focused on a racetrack, and able to keep a 10/10ths pace for hours and hours of thrills.   The SS 1LE is a full three seconds quicker around Willow Springs than the standard SS — which is a huge improvement in controlled speed.  And one that you will certainly appreciate on the roads, …

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2016 Porsche CAYMAN GT4 – Latest 30 Action Shots from Algarve Impress, But Car Is Poor Value

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Reviewing the latest photos and video of the Cayman GT4 is quite perplexing. Who is this $84k machine aimed at?> Perhaps 911 GT3 aspirers, but for half the cash? The 4.2-second sprint to 60, intensely upgraded aero all around, sport exhaust and slammed ride height all point firmly toward the racetrack. But even Porsche knows it has a problem: there is no Cayman badge on the back of the car.  Just Porsche and GT4 letters to mark out the model. And that is the crux of it: this is a halo Cayman that hopes to ramp up excitement around the …

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Top 10 SUPRA-Tastic Design Details – Toyota FT-1 Concept + 88 NEW Photos

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NEW FT-1 photos?  Yes ALL NEW…? Sortof. We posted these originally on laptop in Santa Cruz, and the results were iffy.  So we went back to the originals, starting again and bringing the FT-1’s details to high-res glory! The most striking things about the FT-1 in person are its captivating beauty, extremely long-hooded proportions, and intense aero detailing. A stunning car. Let’s appreciate its top 10 design details from up close. The design of the FT-1 is visibly alive.  Functional ventwort in a dozen places around all side brings the wild, swooping fenders and hood into sharp relief.  The aero cuts and ground-effect details make …

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2016 McLaren 650S GT3 SWEEPS Bathhurst Debut! But Race Photos Are 70s Sepia Hell

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    Always great to launch an updated racecar with a first-place finish in its debut! That’s the story with the new 650S GT3, which just won the Bathhurst 12 Hour. And not just won: the car destroyed its rivals.  McLaren sums it up well… “650S GT3 claimed the clean sweep over the course of the weekend with pole position, fastest lap, overall race win and a new lap record.” Hard to beat that concise summary of the new 650S GT3’s debut glories.  Almost as hard as it will be for its GT3 rivals.  ONE PROBLEM: McLaren GT’s Over-processed Photos …

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rELAX yOUR jAW! DS VIRGIN Scores First SeXY ePRIX Win! Formula E Action GIFs + Private Track Practice Video

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You got dreams? We got dreams. You got big budget, and passion too? How big? Yes indeed. To both.   Welcome to DS Virgin Racing!     The crew at DS Virgin racing are popping bottles tonight down in Buenos Aires.  Bottles of Dom as well as Deep Woods! Thrilled to welcome Virgin into the racer’s winner’s circle. Upon a scratch to the surface of the new Citroen DS Automobiles racing venture, your scribe found a virtual fountain of youth.  Everything one could ever dream of is available for media-digitization. Hence, the three=hour love affair that is leaving my two …

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2016 McLaren 650S GT3 – Geneva Prelaunch + Photo Comparo Insights vs. 2015 Racecar

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GT3 is the closest thing we have to an authentic battle-of-the-supercars — and demands a great amount of manufacturer attention.  The learnings on track with these cars are some of the quickest tech intros to road cars.  Advancements in aero and drivetrain behaviour on track actually translate directly to a street superstar — without just the lip service most race series pay to this tech transfer. And best of all, it is a two-way street.  Better turbo and cooling settings on the road for the 675LT have fed directly into the updated 2016 racecar from McLaren GT. McLaren below confirms …

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1964 SHELBY COBRA DAYTONA 78

1964 SHELBY COBRA DAYTONA 24H Coupe – Reborn from 1965 Bonneville World Speed Record-Holder

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Few better ways to kick off the 2016 Daytona 24-Hour race this weekend than to meet one of the all-time greats! The Shelby Cobra Coupe had no official name when it took the grid for this grueling 1964 race — then the fastest in the world.  But being designed and prepped for this track earned the Daytona Coupe its forever name the moment it started leading the race. This car is *exactly* like the Shelby that took the green flag around Daytona, but bowed out after an engine fire. That Daytona Coupe no longer wears the medium blue metallic over …

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Daytona Icons - Jaegermeister 1979 Porsche 935 K3 Kremer 11

Daytona Icons – Jaegermeister 1979 Porsche 935 K3 Kremer

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  I don’t care how many racecars or exotics you have driven or loved. Nothing in this universe can prepare you for the Kremer 935 K3 Porsche. The fire-spitting widebody raced at the Daytona 24-hour in 1981 after two years of fine-tuning in German race series. There, the original 911 under all the bespoke bodywork became virtually unrecognizable. Drilled lightweighting, massive widebody additions, ground-effect aero, slatted and active aero vents across the entire slantnose.  And that is just the front! Around back, the flared fenders with their integrated winglets on top come into view.  Or the magnesium-alloy BBS wheels with …

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2016 Dodge VIPER ACR - Bondurant Black 4

2016 Dodge VIPER ACR – Bondurant Black Mamba

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Updated 1.31.16 Just drove the 2016 Viper GT on track and am still in V10 nirvana. But there is a new king in the Viper range: the road-legal American Club Racer. Seeing the car in person is a jaw-dropping experience — this exterior is the coolest supercar since the TVR Sagaris! Huge new fender vent slashes, a underbody fully shrouded with air channels, and a nose and tail treatment more aggressive than even the wildest tuners can make real. Let alone make for sale as a $20k option! 2016 Dodge VIPER ACR – Bondurant Black 2016 Dodge VIPER ACR PREVIOUS …

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2017 Audi R8 V10 – USA Pricing, Colors and Spec Secrets + 40-Photo Flyaround

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Fun meet/greet with the 2017 Audi R8 V10 yesterday at the Rolex Daytona 24 Hours! Fantastic to see the car out in the sun here in the USA fairly quickly since its reveal in mid-2015.  We’re seeing the car arrive to first buyers around the same time as in Europe — by the end of March in some cases.  No big lag in crossing the Atlantic, in other words. The new R8 is mysterious in person. You really have to know cars to note that this is the new model, first of all. Second of all, its new design details …

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3.3s, 850HP 2005 SALEEN S7 Twin Turbo Competition Package – RM Arizona 2016

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The S7 is a strange bird. One the one hand, it has little to no hypercar brand prestige beside a Bugatti, McLaren, Ferrari or Pagani. On the other hand, it is road-legal in the USA — where it was designed and assembled as well.  And it is also far better-finished and more reliable than most racecars adapted for the road. Overall, the S7 promises a rare guilty pleasure for owners. Almost all the speed of any hypercar in the world, but none of the baggage.  The S7 is RAPID, by the way. It leaves its contemporary rival, the 2005 Ford …

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Mecum 2016 Favorite – 2012 Factory Five GTM Road Special Is Mid-Engine Vette!

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If you ever wondered why Chevy flirts with a mid-engine Corvette so regularly… here is proof positive. The concept works. The concept works. The sum of stock Corvette parts flipped to mid-engine is a race-winning car right out of the box. Fast barely begins to capture the experience. This 2013 GTM Special is the car we most wanted to rip away from the Mecum auction lineup for 2016! 2012 Factory Five GTM Road Special   Mecum Auctions Lot F276// Kissimmee 2016 // Jan 15-24 2012 Factory Five GTM LS3/480 HP, 5-Speed   Engine LS3/480 HP Trans 5-Speed Color Red Interior …

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LexusLC5005

Best of NAIAS – 2017 Lexus LC500 World Debut! ~$88k 911-Fighter Also Stalking Corvette, SL63 AMG

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We knew Lexus was bringing some kind of supercoupe to the Detroit show, but had no idea the LC500 would be SO DAMN SEXY! Far from a GS two-door as some have imagined, the new LC500 is actually an all-new supercar flagship for the marque. Seating is 2+2 in layout, while the roof looks ready for a cabrio conversion, the LC500 is far lower, meaner and more intense than even the cherished RC-F — our 2015 Car of the Year here at Car-Revs-Daily.com. What makes the new LC500 so special?  Forceful power from every angle: this machine is leaner, lighter …

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2016 Faraday Future FFZERO1 Concept 10

2016 Faraday Future FFZERO1 Concept Throws Down Gauntlet – Now or Never, Laggards

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Well, this is it!  Nearly 24 hours after the leaks began, and a full 12 since the press conference in Vegas last night, the Faraday Future concept car for CES is now in clear focus. Before you get too excited about a full reveal — with the normal specs, pricing and a production roadmap —it is best to temper expectations. This fantasy concept from Faraday Future is not headed for the road. Nor is it really headed for any race series. But racetracks? That is another story.  The quad-motor, AWD EV promises 1000+ horsepower and a 200-mph-plus top speed.  The electric motors are …

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Concept Flashback - 2001 RINSPEED Rone 16

Concept Flashback – 2001 RINSPEED Rone – Single-Seater Debuted Dynamic Cockpit Control

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This is a pretty cool one from the RINSPEED back catalog: the Rone, or R-one. Racing One is the name, and also the ethos of the single-seater with origins in the Audi TT. Ultra-low and lean is the name of the game for this sporty vision: the Rone is is just 38-inches off the ground at its highest point. This is a cool 15-inches below the roof of the Audi TT — and it gets even better. The single-seat layout in the center of the Rone is part of a very innovative Dynamic Cockpit Control Concept — a flying center …

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2017 Jannarelly Design JD1 is All-New, Rear-Engine Exotic from Talent Behind LYKAN HyperSport and Zarooq Sandracer

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WHat happens when two of the most skilled talents in bespoke supercars come together?  Fusing design vision, carbon-fiber production and a bit of marketing magic? The JD1 from Jannarelly Design! This is a fantastic bit of absolutely breaking news: Anthony Jannarelly is a clear favorite of ours since obsessing over his crisp, layered aesthetic as seen on the W Motors Lykan and Fenyr, plus the recently-revealed Zarooq SandRacer. This new venture pairs Jannarelly with Frederic Juillot, lead at Equation Composite, to make their own supercar vision a reality. A look behind the curtain of the two Frenchmen’s lives shows that their …

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McLaren MP4-X 24

McLaren MP4-X Detailed – Fascinating 2025 F1 Car Prototype Re-imagines Everything

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This is much more than just a set of fantasy closed-cockpit renderings, as we first thought. This is a deeply interesting revision of the F1 racecar theme — so advanced that it might not just replace the current open-wheeled racers. It might be even more fascinating to watch run alongside them in an alternative race class! Call it FX1? Whatever the case, this official MP4-X concept car from McLaren Applied Technologies is a chock full of applicable design elements that could be racing tomorrow, if the circumstances allowed. The most noticeable change right off the bat is the closed and …

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Glassman - 2015 Dodge Challenger RT Scat Pack Review 4

Road Test Review – 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack

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2015 Dodge Challenger RT Scat Pack Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman The Dodge Challenger RT Scat Pack is an outstanding car. It competes with the Mustang and Camaro in the marketplace, but in my mind, it stands apart on a few points. They’re all retro sport cars, but while the Mustang and Camaro are much porkier than their 60’s and 70’s versions, the Challenger seems to be a much more svelte looking and feeling car. Both the Ford and Chevy cars can be equipped with powerful engines, but the Challenger is a bit more boisterous and raucous. The driver gets …

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2016 McLaren 675LT Spider – Configurator + Clubsport Package Detailed in 88 New Images

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McLaren just set the configurator of the new 675LT Spider live on the web! The builder is tweaked versus previous McLaren visualizers — simplified and tailored for the small batch of 500 LT Spiders to be produced. Six custom configurations of exterior and interior design are grouped into themes for the launch, but eight wheel styles and three dozen other colors are on the list for standard pricing. Favorites do not include the new 675LT Spider exclusive color: Solis.  This is definitely a rich golden metallic in the sun, but seen online and in low light it appears to fade …

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2016 McLaren 675LT Spider 1

2016 McLaren 675LT Spider Reveal – HOT Special Is Already Sold Out

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The new 675LT is not sold out.  Yet. Let me explain…. The 500-unit 675LT Coupe made fast friends with existing McLaren lovers — to the point where its full run of yearly production was sold out in just a few weeks time.  Pre-sold-out. Sight unseen, of course, for bespoke orders. So for the sake of this article’s online legacy… just assume that the 675LT Spider will be fully spoken-for by January of 2016 at the latest. =] Pricing is pretty steep for this high-ranking model in the McLaren range — pounds 285k is the price at home in England. The …

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2016 Toyota S-FR Racing Concept 9

2016 Toyota S-FR Racing Concept is Trackday Dream – Turbo Triple with 300HP?

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Holy cow, how incredibly fun and intense does this new S-FR Racing Concept look! With a cleanly integrated widybody, Supra-sexy sills and air dams, plus a huge wing in back atop a giant GT3 diffuser?! LOVE! Imagine this car with 300-horsepower. Suddenly its insane grip package and centerlock alloys start to make sense. This is all mainly concept-car bluster ahead of the Tokyo Auto Salon event in January of 2016, when this upgraded S-FR will meet the public. The latest rumor is that the S-FR may run a turbo triple versus the 1.5-liter MX-5 four-cylinder we speculated previously. We still …

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2015 Bentley GT3 Soaks Up Fearless/Fearsome B-Boy Spirit with 1930 Birkin Blower LeMans Icon

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Trading paint on a racetrack has always been precarious for all involved. But for open-wheeled racecars like today’s F1 or Indy cars, any contact is almost instantly catastrophic. First you lose grip, then if the car goes sideways or airborn even a tiny bit, you lose all downforce. The results of a track clash were even more stark in the early days of Le Mans racing.  Racing back in the day was 1000X more dangerous than today — so just imagine the balls it would take to pass a race-leading Mercedes-Benz on the side grass of the Mulsanne straight! That …

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BAC MONO Sweeping Hong Kong! New Showroom Sells 8 Cars on First Day

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Alternative headline? MONO-nucleolus outbreak in Far East! =] Yea. Too alarmist. Moving on… BAC just opened their second Asian showroom in as many months — with Hong Kong a natural follow-up to the new Japanese dealer recently established. Demand is clearly strong globally for this one-seat supercar, but showrooms nearby is the best way to really ramp up volume. Sure, there might be one or two MONO’s in Hong Kong already, but the eight just sold would likely never have happened without buyer’s knowing where to service and maintain the cars.  The MONO is the perfect stepping-stone between sportscars in …

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2017 ZAROOQ SandRacer – Pricing, Tech Specs and 50 Pics of New Emirati Off-Roader

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Zarooq just held its launch press conference! Very cool premier of an exceptionally promising rear-engine rally race truck — the SandRacer 300.   Teased since last summer, this new project is a partnership between global racing legends, skilled engineers and marketing savvy. All built and optimized for us in Zarooq’s back yard: the massive dunes of Arabia. The latest details make us even more excited about the project: rear-drive with a 3.5-liter V6 mounted in the mid-rear, the SandRacer is priced from about $100k at launch and will be road legal in the Middle East. The Zarooq’s otherworldly design outside …

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2016 Dodge VIPER ACR 8

2016 Dodge VIPER ACR – First Real-Life Photos Show Insane Aerokit

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Just drove the 2016 Viper GT on track and am still in V10 nirvana. But there is a new king in the Viper range: the road-legal American Club Racer. Seeing the car in person is a jaw-dropping experience — this exterior is the coolest supercar since the TVR Sagaris! Huge new fender vent slashes, a underbody fully shrouded with air channels, and a nose and tail treatment more aggressive than even the wildest tuners can make real. Let alone make for sale as a $20k option!   2016 Dodge VIPER ACR PREVIOUS   Welcome to the fastest road-legal Viper of …

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HD Track Drive Review – 2016 Dodge VIPER GT – LOVE at Full Throttle

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2016 Dodge Viper – HD Track Drive Video It is pretty fashionable to hate on the Viper right now. Its latest generation took a big leap in price, dropped its ragtop bodystyle option, and lacks the sheer, effortless sprint times so adored in the Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 Turbo, and even the Hellcat twins. We have heaped a bit of scorn on the Viper as well, and after an oh-so-brief drive last year came away confused. This hulking beast of a car felt heavy, uncomfortable and hopelessly one-dimensional versus the STELLAR Corvette Z06 and even Z51 base engines. Even that …

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2015 SPECTRE Villain CX75 10

SPECTRE Jaguar Laps GP Circuit with Felipe Massa on HD Video + 88 New Photos

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    A hypercar that is NOT available to purchase is suddenly the hottest on the planet? Perhaps! The SPECTRE Jaguar C-X75 is on a world tour both promoting the James Bond film and the Jaguar brand alike. It is a thrill to watch this stunning machine in action — as we saw through the back-streets of Roma in the film. But what can the car really do in theright hands? With the right open sweepers and world-class racetrack? Cut to Williams Martini Racing star Felipe Massa coming down the steps from his helicopter and over to this hypercar hero …

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1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Barchetta by Scaglietti 12

1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Barchetta by Scaglietti

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They do not come any finer than this. 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Barchetta by Scaglietti New York – Driven By Disruption 10 December 2015 Lot 224 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial by Scaglietti To be auctioned on Thursday, December 10, 2015 $5,000,000 – $6,500,000     *Premium Lot – Bidding via Internet will not be available for this lot. Should you have any questions please contact Client Services. 170 bhp, 1,984 cc DOHC inline four-cylinder engine with two Weber 40 DCOA/3 carburetors, five-speed manual transaxle, tubular steel chassis, independent front suspension with transverse leaf springs, De Dion rear axle with parallel …

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Ferrari Finali Mondiali at Mugello - World Debut of F12TdF Special, 488 GT3 + FXX K Sightings 30

Ferrari Finali Mondiali at Mugello – World Debuts of F12 TdF Special, 488 GTE + FXX K Sightings

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Ferrari just wrapped up its weeklong extravaganza for the World Finals of the Ferrari Challenge one-make race series  — and crowned the huge week by debuting the new F12TdF in front of the packed crowd of 50,000-plus tifosi at Mugello circuit. The new F12 Tour de France special model wears new aero, extra power and track-optimized handling settings. This makes running around the ultra-quick circuit with 599XXs, FXX K’s and even F1 cars a natural habit for the limited-run 2016 model — despite the F12 TdF being street-legal worldwide. In real-life photos, the F12TdF is quite striking, with design elements …

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Car of the Year Review – 2015 Lexus RC-F

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The RC-F was a true highlight among all the cars tested in 2015. And in the weeks since the Lexus sports flagship spent time in my garage, the deep longing and feelings for the car have not subsided. The first week was deep mourning at its absense, and the other seven stages of grief have passed over the CRD team like the eye of a hurricane. Finally, a bit of a light at the end of this tunnel: we must crown the RC-F the Car of the Year. In doing so, we honor its incredible strengths and the legacy it …

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2017 Acura NSX - 040

573HP, 191MPH 2017 Acura NSX Tech Specs Are Official!

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A huge leap in NSX production news!  The 2017 supercar’s tech specs are official today, and they are enough to flood your brain’s pleasure centers.  573-horsepower, 9-speed DCT with eAWD, and a top speed of a screaming 191-mph. Power for the gasoline V6TT comes in at 500-horsepower, with a stellar 406-pound-feet of torque from just 2000-rpm. Along with the wide spread of gear ratios in the dual-clutch automatic, the NSX will be an absolute rocketship. Based on the initial buzz about drives at Togichi and Sonoma raceway, the hashtag is #scaryFast. Is this a good thing overall? Abvsolutely!  But with …

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2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe 15

2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe – V. Cool, V. FAST! HD Track Drive + 120-Photo Flyaround

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This is one of those cars that absolutely craves abuse!  Absolutely savage is the best way to describe the 464-horsepower V6TT in the new ATS-V coupe. The test car wore a very-subtle Phantom Grey and standard painted alloys — but those Q-car looks hide a beast of an upgrade. The most enticing and perhaps ideal Cadillac V-Series powertrain, optional eight-speed auto, plus the choice of four doors or two!? That hotness shines through even the Armani-style relaxed color outside. Firing the ATS-V around the first few corners is like getting past third base for the first time. It is a …

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3.1s, 204MPH 2016 McLaren 570S Coupe – Portimao Launch and USA Pricing from $185k

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  The 2016 McLaren 570S is firmly in production and headed to a garage near you! Enjoy these latest press photos from sunny Spain, plus the final tech specs. VERY impressive power and pace: 3.1s is the official 60-mph sprint, on to a screaming 10.9-second quarter mile and up to a 204-mph top speed. Pricing for the 570S is from $185k in the USA, and we highly encourage you to explore the animated buyers guide and color visualizers via the ‘Very Similar’ links below. Especially for the MSO nose and tail in bare carbon.  2016 McLaren 570S Coupe – Portimao …

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2016 Nissan GT-R NISMO N-Attack Package

Nissan GT-R NISMO N Attack Package – Upgrade Details and Pricing

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Not sure how this even-hotter-than-ever NISMO GT-R slid by us when it was announced in August of this year, but we are all over it now! The new N Attack Package is a major overhaul of the factory NISMO GT-R — letting any OEM driver have the exact specification that delivered a Nurburgring production track record earlier in the year. In Japan, the assembly of the N Attack pack is handled in-house by NISMO, but in the USA (and worldwide) the distributor and official installation partner is long-time Nissan guru STILLEN. This upgrade is massively involved. We have the full …

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Renaultsport RS01 6

2015 RenaultSport RS01 Blasts Around Jerez Circuit in New Video and Photoset

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Fresh videos and photos of the Renault RS01 racecars blasting around Circuit Jerez this week in Spain! And crucially, a look under the hood of this mid-engine stunner — confirming the well-known rumors that the 3.8-liter engine under that back canopy has GT-R origins. [Actually, Renault confirmed this right from the start: see tech specs included below video.] What a prospect. Imagine not just a true mid-engine racing GT-R, but actually a pure speed-demon with bespoke CF chassis and bodywork, racing suspension and all that power to just the back wheels! Just the thought of such a machine is enough …

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2015 Chevrolet SS Green 1

Track Drive Video – 2015 Chevrolet SS 6-Speed is Rare, Special and Features Dual-Mode Exhaust for 2016

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The Chevy SS is SERIOUSLY rare! This Australian-built performance sedan was always destined to appeal to a slim audience: those seeking Camaro or Corvette powertrains, plus four doors and rear-drive. A stick or automatic is nearly the only spec choice to make for this everything-standard flagship for Chevrolet — and a three-lap blast of the Autobahn  Country Club racetrack showed the purity and fun of driving such a macho-man sedan. This test car seen in the video above is the 2015 model, lacking the (virtually imperceptible) nose/grille revamps for the 2016 model year, as well as the updated infotainment and …

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