Audi R8 GT Spyder tested at Silverstone

With only 333 units being produced, not many of us will have the chance to drive the Audi R8 GT Spyder, but British magazine AutoExpress managed to get their hands on the sports roadster and put it under extreme testings at the Silverstone race track. Did they think the GT Spyder was worth the extra $50K a potential customer would have to spend to buy it? Check out the video to get the answer to this question and make sure to let us know what you think about it!

As a reminder, the R8 GT Spyder is powered by a 5.2 liter V10 engine that delivers a total of 560 HP and 398 lbs-ft of torque. This amount of power is enough to sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and up to a top speed of 196.97 mph.

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McLaren getting ready to tackle the Nordic region with Stockholm dealership

With McLaren Automotive’s massive expansion well under way, the British firm recently entered its 21st global market with the announcement that the brand will be entering the Nordics in the coming months with a new Stockholm dealership and showroom planned to be completed by the end of 2012.

After recently entering the Middle Eastern region, this latest move is yet another brave move by McLaren as it obviously believes that the Nordics should be a productive area for MP4-12C sales, as well as the additional McLaren models planned for the coming years.

Exclusive car specialists, Autoropa will begin selling MP4-12C’s this month prior to the completion of the Stockholm dealership. Autoropa has an illustrious history of dealing with high end exotic sports cars, with it actually being one of the very few authorised service workshops to perform maintenance on the McLaren F1.

“I am very pleased to confirm Autoropa as our Nordic retailer and a key partner in our plans to launch McLaren Automotive and the 12C around the world,” stated Antony Sheriff, McLaren Automotive’s Managine Director.

“With a rich motor racing heritage, and many sports car enthusiasts, the region will be an influential guide as to our success in Europe. In order to be part of the McLaren family, it is vital that our retail partners understand our business, our prospective customers and the technological innovations at the heart of the 12C. Autoropa was the obvious candidate in this regard and will make the perfect introduction in Sweden and throughout the Nordic region for McLaren Automotive,” he concluded.

Additionally, Fillip Larsson the Managing Director of Autoropa stated, “It is a huge honor to be part of the McLaren Automotive project. There is clearly a lot of excitement and great anticipation from customers for the brand to arrive in the Nordics. As a service partner for the legendary McLaren F1 supercar, I’ve witnessed first-hand the extraordinary level of service which McLaren offers customers. I’m very excited to now be involved in retailing and servicing the breathtaking 12C and the future models from McLaren.’’

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Ferrari California 2014

Unveiled back in 2008, the California shortly became one of the best sold Ferrari models, with about 70% from a total of 8000 units being sold going to first-time Ferrari owners. Despite these impressive numbers, the California is one of the most picked on Ferrari models because many consider it too soft to wear the brand’s name.

Well, naysayers, things are about to change. The California underwent some changes for the 2013 model year, including a few extra HP and a new Handling Speciale package that reduces body roll and transient response. Some may have been satisfied with these changes, but others may want more and that’s where the 2014 California is going to shine. Ferrari is about to unveil an all-new generation California (though it may not be called "California") and wants to have it ready by the end of 2013.

The new California will be powered by the same turbo V8 engine used for the upcoming Maserati Quattroporte and GranTurismo. It will be designed by Ferrari Centro Stile in Maranello and not by Pininfarina as the current generation. Design guru, Flavio Manzoni, is reporting that the new California will be inspired by the iconic 1960s Ferrari 250GTO, but will feature design elements used in the F12 berlinetta and the Enzo replacement. We expect much cleaner lines and Ferrari’s new face to be a couple of the obvious changes.

That’s all we have on the future California at the moment, but rest assured we’ll dig up more and pass them on as soon as we do. Stay tuned!

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2012 TagAz Aquila

Straight from the heartland of Russia comes a new, four-door coupe that actually looks pretty good in our eyes.

This car is the TagAz Aquila, a car that will be launched later in 2012 in Russia. No word yet if it will find its way outside of its country, but we certainly wouldn’t mind seeing it on our shores in the future.

The Aquila, as we already mentioned, is described as a four-door coupe, something the Porsche Panamera has been labeled as in the past. But unlike the German sports saloon, the Aquila is being pegged as a car that will carry high-end aesthetics, top-of-the-line equipment, and most importantly, an affordable price tag.

The Aquila will be powered by a 1.6-liter engine, a sign that you probably shouldn’t expect a whole lot of "coupe-like" speed. We’re thinking it will come with about 110-210 HP, depending on whether or not they slap on some turbochargers to help out. This would make it something more like a Hyundai Velosterthan a Porsche Panamera, but we’ll give TagAz an "A" for effort in their marketing ploy. Execution, not so much.

What the TagAz Aquila does have is a five-speed manual transmission, ABS, EBD, dual airbags, power steering, power mirrors, heated, power windows, door locks, air conditioning, front parking sensors, and rear sensors with a rear view camera.

TagAz is far from a household name in the industry and they need to establish themselves in a business that has too many big names. The Aquila is a pretty good step in that direction and it certainly helps that the starting price for one is just 400,000 rupees, which is around $12,000 based on current exchange rates.

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Lancia May Turn the Chrysler 300 into a Two Door

Ahh, rumors in the automotive world spread just about as fast as the rumor that the captain of the football team was kissing the head of the girls’ chess team under the bleachers at the homecoming dance… And we love ‘em. The latest rumor is an interesting one that actually has a fair amount of validity.

Lancia is one of the many companies under the protective umbrella of Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. and it loves to borrow its models from Chrysler, add a few small touches, and call it their own. One of the latest models to make the Lancia conversion was the Chrysler 300, which prances around Europe bearing the name “Lancia Thema” (image above). That’s not the rumor though, as we already know all about that.

The rumors being whispered are that Lancia really wants a full-size coupe for its European market and the only car available to possibly satisfy this itch is the Chrysler 300. Ask any custom coach builder and he will tell you that turning a four-door body into a two-door car is not as tough as you may think, but going the other direction is nearly impossible.

So, if Lancia decides to hack up the B-pillar on the 300, shorten the opening a little and slap two fewer doors on the 300, would this model make it to the U.S.? The two-door full size car essentially died with the downsizing of vehicles in the late-1970s, but a small niche market may be in order.

This also spawns the possibility of Chrysler finally satisfying its nostalgia buffs by taking the two-door blueprints that Lancia would create and turn that into a two-door Charger. The pair of extra doors have always been a thorn in the side of Charger buffs, so Chrysler could breathe a little extra life into both models – not like the 300 needs more life, but extra sales can’t hurt – by offering two-door models of each.

This is certainly an interesting rumor to ponder and we are more likely to see pigs fly before we see a two-door 300 and Charger, but we’re telling you there’s a chance.

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Mercedes S-Class AMG 2013

When Mercedes works on a new generation for one of their models, we can all rest assured that the AMG version to match will follow right behind it. Such is the case with the next generation S-Class: the standard version is set to be unveiled by the end of 2012 and an AMG version will be arriving a few months later.

Our spy photographers have caught the future S-Class AMG during a testing session at the Nurburgring race track, wearing the same light camouflage as the normal non-AMG cars. As you can see, when compared to the standard S-Class, the AMG version has received bigger air intakes, marked side sills, and a new rear bumper with a covered up diffuser. This prototype is still missing the quad exhaust pipes, but don’t worry, they will undoubtedly show up on the production version S-Class AMG.

The future Mercedes S-Class AMG will be powered by an AMG twin turbo 5.5 liter V8 engine that will deliver between 536 HP and 550 HP.

Expect to see the new generation Mercedes S-Class AMG launched sometime in 2013.

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Aston Martin Vanquish goes for another round of testing

While the new generation Vanquish won’t make its official debut until late August at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Aston Martin is hell-bent on testing it to the nines at the famous Nurburgring race track. In fact, this is the second time in the past few days we have shared images of James Bond’s new company car completely uncovered.

The new Vanquish comes as a successor to the very successful DBS sports car, but according to numerous rumors, it will be about 75% new in terms of its design. The supercar will combine design elements from the One-77 supercar and the Project AM 310 unveiled at the 2012 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. It will also use plenty of carbon fiber to cover its goodies in lightweight style.

The future Aston Martin Vanquish is powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine with an increased output to about 573 HP. This revised engine is mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifter controls on the steering wheel.

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Kia Sorento 2013

After a number of testing sessions, the first details on the new Kia Sorento have finally been unveiled. The new SUV will make its official debut in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, with sales on the US market to begin in 2014.

As everyone expected, the mid-life refresh of the Kia Sorento includes a re-engineered bodyshell and enhanced powertrains for best-in-class fuel economy with lower emissions. The revised SUV will also come with an improved ride, handling, and refinement and additional convenience and safety features, as well as a fresh, new look for the exterior. This new look will consist of new headlamps with LED positioning lights, a new tailgate with LED rear combination lamps, new bumpers (front and rear) with vertical-axis fog lights, a larger area of body-color surface, and a new set of 19" wheels.

The interior gets improved materials, a new LCD instrument cluster, a new center stack with a 7-inch display screen, and a new console featuring a straight-gate selector with a leather-booted lever (on automatic transmission models).

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Yamaha MT-03 2012

Yamaha wants us to believe that the MT-03 is an ideal choice for you to enjoy some of the best riding experiences in its bike segment. Really, who are we to disagree with these guys?

The MT-03 is more than just a light and compact bike with a short wheelbase; its also a powerful and versatile machine that boasts of remarkable control, excellent traction, and unrivaled power.

Speaking of its power, the MT-03 comes with a high-torque, 660cc single-cylinder engine that was based closely on the highly-acclaimed XT660 powerplant. With high levels of low to mid-range torque, the liquid-cooled engine powering the Mt-03 is ideally suited for the bike’s overall design and performance characteristics.

It’s no wonder why Yamaha has been singing the praises for this bike for as long as anyone of us can remember. When you’re looking for a comfortable, safe, and powerful bike that will definitely turn some heads, you need not look further than the MT-03.

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Chris Harris’ Cheap-O Rally Car

Chris Harris is at it again, only this time he has snagged up a rather shoddy looking and running Land Rover, borrowed a clunky trailer with egg shells for tires, bought a £4,000 ($6,225) E30 BMW 325i “Rally car” (that’s at least what the dude that sold it to him called it), and attempted to try and get the rally car to a local track to test it.

Getting to the rally track turned out to be a task in itself, as it began with the cooling fan on his shoddy old 3.9-liter V-8-powered Land Rover crapping out and him repairing it in a not-so-correct-way that ended up causing it to pop fuses like crazy. Add on top of that the fact that this now hot-wired fan was constantly killing the battery and you have quite a situation.

On top of the crappy tow car, there is the fact that he borrowed a trailer from a friend that has tires that are magnets for punctures and replacements are not available at any tire shop. After popping and shredding two of the four tires on this trailer, Harris and his crew manage to get the £4,000 Bimmer to the track and beat the living hell out of it. The Bimmer took it well until Chris pushed it a little too far and spun it out coming out of a turn. Fortunately, the car was fine and the rallying continued. You can see it all of this in the above video.

The rally racing is only half of the fun of the video, as the trip getting there had plenty of interesting twists. To boot, the trailer from hell gave Chris and the boys another surprise on the way back home… Ah, the joys of budget racing!

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Audi RS6 Avant by Fostla Wrapping 2012

Back in 2008, MTM unveiled the RS6 R based on the previous generation Audi RS6. Now, German tuner, Fostla Wrapping, has brought the MTM RS6 remake back to the front page with a series of updates that make the sporty wagon look even better.

Fostla wrapped the car in a very cool matte blue metallic PWF and then combined it with a 5% tinting of the front and back lights. There is also a new set of 20" wheels equipped with 275/35R20 tires - the right addition if you want to stop this beast when it hits its top speed of 216 mph. A carbon front lip and a rear diffuser will further improve the aerodynamics of this car.

Under the hood, the engine delivers an amazing 759 HP and a peak torque of 672 lbs-ft. A new stainless steel exhaust system with race catalyst will make the engine sound amazing. If you were wondering, the R in the title stands for "Rosskur," which is "power increase" in German.

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With the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans series getting closer, Chevrolet is releasing a five-part video to show just how much hard work goes into preparing for such a competition. The series is called "The Prep" and the first episode has already been released.

For this weekend’s race in France, Chevrolet has prepared two Corvette C6.R models. This video presents the team getting the two race cars ready for the competition. We are just hoping this hard work is enough for the two cars to beat out the rest.

As a reminder, the latest C6.R race car is based on the Corvette ZR1 sports car and will be distinguished by a pretty cool aerodynamic package. This package includes a new front splitter, an open grille which forces air into the engine, headlamps in aero design, carbon fiber front fenders, front and rear brake ducts, a carbon fiber roof, and carbon ceramic brakes

.

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Audi A1 Amplified 2012

Even if the Audi A1 isn’t being sold in the US - we’re still not happy about that, by the way - the German automaker has taken the steps to ensure that customers enjoy the car even further.

Recently, Audi announced that the A1 will get a facelift of sorts, one that is designed to give the German hatchback a sportier touch. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Audi A1 Amplified.

The upgrades will be offered in three different levels and are set to be available for both the A1 three-door and A1 Sportback five-door.

The first level, called Amplified, will include a matte, transparent film for the engine hood, roof, and rear hatch, a high-gloss black roof line, an S line roof spoiler, exterior mirror housings, a single-frame grille, and a new set of 17" alloy wheels in five-arm design with black inserts. Meanwhile, the upgrades on the interior feature special black-trimmed sport seats with contrast stitching and air vents that share the same colors as the car’s body.

From there, the second level is called amplified plus. This program includes a number of new aerodynamic kit components, LED taillights, and a comprehensive interior program. These new interior digs feature a black headliner, an LED interior light package and a color coordinated ignition key, which we’re not too sure what that’s all about. Stainless steel caps for the pedals and foot rest are also part of the program, as is a center console and rearview mirror housing that have been painted with the same color scheme of the exterior.

The highest level of the program is called Amplified Advanced, which is only reserved for top-of-the-line A1 models. In this program, you’ll get a full boat of interior modifications for Audi’s S-line. S sports seats with black upholstery in Silk Nappa leather with matching contrast stitching in Parade Red or Dark Silver highlight this program. Outside, the Audi A1 is treated to a large rear wing, xenon headlights, and a new set of 18" wheels.

If you’re interested, you’re going to need to shell out a minimum of €1,990, which is around $2,500. Not that it matters because America isn’t getting their hands on this car, let alone its program, anytime soon.

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Electric Superbus is Finally Road Legal

We have seen the supercar, supertruck, and we are just starting to get into the superSUV, so what else could engineers possibly put “super” in front of? Well, the engineers at the Delft Institute of Technology have a new one for you, the Superbus.

The Superbus has been a long work in progress and we have brought you several updates. First we broke the news to you about the designing of such a machine, back in 2006. In 2011, we alerted you that the machine was finally complete and could hit top speeds of 155 mph on electric power only.

Well, here we are, six years after its initial conception and we finally have and a purpose for this Lamborghini-meets-school-bus electric mass transit system, as well as a road-legal model. According to Fox News, a license plate was finally issued for this creation, which makes road testing legal, allowing its engineers to see how well it performs in real life.

You may wonder what in the world anyone would need with a 50-foot-long, 23-seat, six-wheeled Superbus. Well, the United Arab Emirates have your answer. Dubai and Abu Dhabi, two UAE members, are separated by about 75 miles of highways and want a way to connect the two cities with as little travel time as possible.

The two cities plan to build a stretch of highways connecting them and purchasing a fleet of these Superbuses to trek this journey in just 30 minutes. That’s some serious ass haulin’. We are at least three years away from seeing a production version of this all-electric Superbus, but the issuing of a license plate is a promising site. We will keep you updated on this slow development project as news becomes available.

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If Built, the Next Focus RS may Boast More Ponies

Ford’s SVT group is still on the fence on whether to break its own mold by manufacturing a five-door Focus RS – all previous Foci RS were three-door hatches – or replace the Focus RS with the smaller Fiesta RS. That said, all of the confusion between what to build does not mean Ford isn’t raking its brain to plan on how to maximize the Focus’ power plant to satisfy RS buyers.

According to reports, the 2.0-liter plant in the Focus ST is pretty much maxed out and attempting to squeeze too much more power from it could be catastrophic without massive upgrades, and Focus RS buyer will not be happy with a simple 10 to 20-horsepower increase over the ST model. To help rectify the situation it appears as if engineers are turning to the future Mustang for an answer.

Ford is currently developing a turbo four-banger measuring 2.3-liter and pumping out 330 horsepower for the upcoming Mustang redesign, which will replace the base level V-6 engine. Matthias Ton, a chief engineer on the Focus RS project, confirmed that if indeed the Focus RS is produced this year, all signs point to it bearing this new 2.3-liter boosted four-cylinder under its aggressive-looking bonnet. That would give the newest rendition of the RS a full 32 ponies more than the latest model and only 15 horsepower less than the special edition RS500 Focus.

In addition to the extra ponies, the RS would include the typical larger brakes and stiffer suspension. There is also talk of a mechanical limited slip differential coming standard on the new RS, but that has not been confirmed.

We will continue to follow the Focus RS saga and let you know what is going on. We assume that the SVT division will come to its senses and just roll out a five-door Focus RS. Rolling out a low-horsepower, lightweight Fiesta RS just to retain the three-door body seems like a huge risk, as the Fiesta is not a “tuner” style car and an RS model is unlikely to draw much interest.

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Hyundai Genesis Coupe takes on...an arrow?

We’ve seen automakers subject their sports cars to some pretty weird races, but we gotta say, this one is something we haven’t seen before.

In its attempt to "discover new possibilities," Hyundai wants to find out if a car can go faster than an arrow. So they set out about and tried to answer that question by bringing in a Hyundai Genesis Coupe to go toe-to-toe with an arrow. The car 2013 Genesis Coupe is capable of producing 350 horsepower, which, of course, is pretty fast. But is it fast enough to beat an arrow?

In this video, which Hyundai swears is 100% legit, we find out that the Genesis Coupe actually had a rolling start instead of starting on the block. From there, it appears that the Genesis Coupe did, in fact, beat the arrow to the target, something that we doubt it can accomplish without that rolling start.

Nevertheless, it’s an answer to the question, although we’d like to see if it can hold up with the Genesis Coupe doing that 0-60.

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Mercedes SLS AMG Haute Couture by Inden Design 2012

The Mercedes SLS AMG may have been replaced by the faster SLS AMG GT, but tuners are still having their way with the supercar. The latest tuning package is from Inden Design, and they’ve even included a beautiful young lady to the mix.

Inden Design didn’t play around too much with the design of the car, but they did add a new set of 21" light metal rims painted in high-gloss black. The only other change, and the biggest, is the engine modification. The tuner added a serially produced exhaust system in high-grade steel in non-ostentatious visual appearance with electronic valve control. As a result, the V8’s output has been increased from 571 to 623 HP, making it even more powerful than the SLS AMG GT.

Inden Design did add one more accessory piece to the exterior of the SLS AMG and that is the beautiful Katja Runiello (photo model, dancer, and actress). Katja’s dress was the inspiration for the package because it was created by Haute Couture designer Elvira Kirsch. Other glamour credits should be given to stylist Katharina Freitag and photo artist Olaf Pitzer from Nauroth.

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BMW Alpina B7 2013

After debuting the 2013 BMW 7-Series, BMW has now unveiled the new Alpina B7 super-high performance luxury sedan with more performance, fresh design features, and improved efficiency. The new model will make its world debut at the Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance in August with sales to begin immediately after. Prices will start at $127,600 (B7 Standard Wheelbase), $130,600 (B7 SWB with xDrive), $131,500 (B7 Long Wheelbase), and $134,500 (B7 LWB with xDrive).

The new Alpina B7 delivers a total of 540 HP and 538 lbs-ft of torque (an improvement of 40 HP and 22 lbs-ft). Mated to a new Alpina 8- speed high performance transmission, the new B7 will go up to an impressive top speed of 194 mph (up from the previous 175 mph). The 0 to 60 mph sprint is now made in 4.3-4.4 seconds depending on the version.

Also, when compared to the previous model, the new B7 is offered with 30 new parts that will improve both design and aerodynamics. These new parts will include new BMW kidney grilles, updated Xenon Adaptive headlights, LED front fog lights, and updated tail lights. The car now rides on a new set of 21" 20-spoke wheels and is painted in the famous Alpina Blue Metallic paint.

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Jeep Grand Cherokee S Limited 2012

If you liked the Jeep Grand Cherokee Sports Concept unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, you will be very happy to know that the company has finally decided to come out with a production version. Thanks to a very positive consumer response, Jeep has announced that the new Grand Cherokee S Limited will go on sale starting September 2012.

The new Grand Cherokee S Limited follows the same design language of the concept: distinctive styling cues and Black accents for the exterior, Nappa leather and carbon fiber elements for the interior, and a 241 HP 3.0-litre V-6 turbo-diesel engine under the hood.

This special edition will also be equipped with Quadra-Trac II 4x4 system with two-speed transfer case and Brake Traction Control System (BTCS), as well as lots of premium safety features, including: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, and Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-path detection.

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