The Bloodhound SSC Project has been around for the past couple of years. It goes without saying that the team behind this project has been determined to break the 1,000 mph barrier.
But for the better part of those years, the project has yet to take off. All that, though, appears to be changing now that Rolls Royce has entered the picture.
The British luxury automaker has signed up to support the Bloodhound Project in the latter’s attempt to break the barrier. As part of its involvement, Rolls-Royce will be supplying a modified of its EJ200 engine for the project, which will then be complemented by a Cosworth F1 engine driving the rocket-oxidizer pump. Together, the powertrain can produce up to 135,000 equivalent horsepower, which as you can see, is ridiculously mental.
Ultimately, the Bloodhoud Project aims to achieve its lofty goal and break the existing 763 mph record set by the Thrust SSC in 1997. And break it convincingly, might we add. The team hopes to begin runway testing sometime in 2014 before it heads off to Kaksken Pan, South Africa to set out on its record-breaking attempt.
Click past the jump to read more about the Bloodhound SSC Project
Everyone expects that once the new BMW 2 Series hits the market, a more powerful M version will be in tow. Our spy photographers have already caught some prototypes testing at Nürburgring and BMW previewed the model with the 1M Coupe and the M135i.
Unfortunately, the M135i never made it to the U.S. and the 1M Coupe was an extremely limited model whose order books closed nearly as quickly as they opened.
The M1 Coupe was a mighty micro-Bimmer, with its twin-boosted 3.0-liter straight-six engine that tortured the concrete with 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. We anticipate that the M235i will use the same powertrain. In fact, with the revisions that BMW is currently undergoing, we may even see a few more horsepower from the six-pot. .
UPDATE 05/07/2013: We have created a rendering of the new M235i coupe to help you get an idea of what to expect.
Click past the jump to read more about the BMW M235i Coupe.
The upcoming SSC Tuatara is the hotly anticipated sophomore album from the Washington-based SSC North America team. SSC has built a name for itself via impressive top-speed-record runs with its existing model, the Diablo-esque SSC Ultimate Aero XT.
The Tuatara’s development continued this spring with engine and gearbox setups being refined since the concept car was revealed in late 2011. The new model builds a stunning exterior and interior atop the brute-force mechanical package from the Ultimate Aero XT. The latest news to emerge from the firm is a 250 pound-feet bump in engine torque following durability testing, and news of a 300 mph speedometer, feeding rumors of a top speed well above the 276 mph initially quoted.
The style and presence of the white concept Tuatara created quite a stir when shown at Pebble Beach in 2011. Designed by the talented-but-bizarre Jason Castriota of SAAB and Fiat fame, the Tuatara most closely resembles the 2006 Maserati Birdcage 75th concept car in its smooth flowing panels and deep, milky-white paint finish. Castriota also worked on the Birdcage, but was not the lead designer. He now runs an independent design consultancy called Castriota Design.
UPDATE 5/1/2013: SSC just completed testing the Tuatara on the dyno and released all of the results. A release date has been officially set too. See more after the jump
Please follow the jump to learn more about the SSC Tuatara ahead of its first customer deliveries in January 2014.
Once Chevrolet dropped the new-generation Corvette Stingray, it was just a matter of time before the convertible version would hit the market.
Today was the day it happened, as the new Stingray Convertible made its world debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
The convertible version is nearly identical to the coupe version, except of course its three-ply fabric top that opens and closes at speeds up to 30 mph. Next to this innovative concept, the convertible version also features sound-absorbing padding and a glass rear window - all features that contribute to a quieter cabin and a more premium appearance.
The new Stingray Convertible will be put on sale in late 2013.
UPDATE 04/26/13: GM has just released nearly all of the pricing details on the Corvette Stingray Convertible, as well as standard features and options. See the details after the jump.
Click past the jump to read all about the 2014 Stingray Convertible
The current Mercedes SLS line-up is quickly filling up with a Coupe, a Roadster, a GT3 version, and, sometime in the near future, an E-Cell version. However, Mercedes isn’t done yet. As promised yesterday the fifth model in the line-up has been officially announced today: the SLS AMG Black Series.
The new SLS Black Series has borrowed some of the styling cues seen first on the GT3 version and of course combines them with some of the usual Black Series design elements. But first Mercedes worked on reducing the car’s total weight: they added lots of carbon fiber elements, a new titanium-made exhaust system, new wheels and some lightweight sports seats. As a result the new Black Series is about 154 lbs lighter than the current model.
When you add an improved engine under the hood: a 622 HP V8 engine, you will easily notice that the car’s performance numbers have also improved: the 0 to 60 mph sprint time drops 0.2 seconds and top speed is now 195 mph.
Updated 04/23/2012: Mercedes AMG has unveiled a new video on the SLS AMG Black Series. The supercar has been shown in action at the Le Castellet Race Track. Enjoy!
Hit the jump to read more about the new Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series.
BMW recently revealed subtle updates to keep the BMW X6 M competitive in the face of stiff competition across the super performance SUV segment. Since the X6 M’s 2010 launch, the competing Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover Sport and Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG are either all new or significantly enhanced to better neutralize the BMW threat.
The X6 M follows the successful mechanical template from the X5 M but enhances its appearance with a fastback coupe profile and a trimmed window line. The stylish X6 M stands out in the BMW showroom when compared with the bread-and-butter models like the 3 Series and 1 Series.
The appeal for these buyers comes from the inherent impracticality of the design’s chopped roof versus the practical X5. It separates the X6 M as a car bought by people for who all-weather performance is king of kings. The X6 M has been a runaway sales success for BMW among these niche audiences – to the point where non-M X6s are the rarity.
Can the X6 M cut with the best competitors four years after its launch? Please follow the jump for details on the 2013 facelift, the mechanical and performance specs, and an image gallery of the new X6 M in action.
Prestige car auctions offer a rare glimpse at classic exotics too old, rare or obscure to be on the regular radar. This is partly because the cars that change hands at these sales are the best of the best. They’re the ultra-low-mileage, heated-garage type of meticulously maintained classics that are as gorgeous now as they day they were born.
Two such examples surfaced recently for the first time in nearly 35 years at [RM Auctions: a flawless 1969 Maserati Ghibli Spyder and a stunning red 1971 Maserati Ghlibi 4.9 SS. Celebrated at the time of its debut, the Ghibli faded from center stage with the introduction of the next big style step-change: the 1970s wedge supercar.
Does the Ghibli deserve to be a side note in car history, or was it actually a masterful 1967 execution of an ultra-fast, sleek and luxurious Italian pony car?
Please follow the jump for a deep dive into two true Maserati classics with a full image gallery, original brochures and some highlights in the evolution of the Ghibli’s performance.
When Ford unveiled the F-150 SVT Raptorin 2010, it made a machine that few could have ever imagined. This pickup was not only a performer on the road, like its SVT Lightning predecessor, but it was also extremely capable off of the beaten path. Since its debut, we have seen a few updates, with the biggest being the dropping of the 5.4-liter base engine in favor of a 411-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8.
Now with 2014 model year vehicles rolling out, we have been waiting to see what the new SVT Raptor has to offer. Well, the wait is officially over, as Ford has just revealed the 2014 Raptor lineup with the unveiling of the 2014 F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition yesterday during the Motor Press Guild Luncheon.
The big question mark is whether the 2014 model year will include any changes or if the SVT Raptor will retain its current form, plus this special edition.
Click past the jump to read all about the 2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition
The 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR is a sports car masquerading as a four-door sedan that was born out of the world of rally racing. The Evo still hangs onto its rally-racing roots while also being comfortable enough to use as a daily driver. The all-wheel drive GSR only gets better when the roads get slick as it is able to keep traction long after others would have spun out of control.
The 2013 model year will mark the end of an era for the Evolution, with it being the last in the line to use a traditional gas-powered turbocharged engine. That fairly thirsty little motor will be replaced by a hybrid or possibly all electric system.
The Evo is one of those dream cars that young men craved for years, thanks to its appearance in numerous car-racing games, but for a long time you couldn’t get one in the U.S. Fortunately, Mitsubishi eventually brought it into the U.S. and the dream car became a reality.
The GSR does lack some of the refinement of its more expensive rivals, but is still a great raw performance car.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR.
Irmscher is among the first automakers to start preparations for the convertible season. The new Roadster Turbo Sport 45 has been built to pay tribute to the company’s 45th anniversary and will be limited to only 7 units.
The model features an aluminum-plastic body and has been developed on a solid steel tubular lattice frame. Under the hood, the model receives a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot that delivers a total of 265 horsepower and a peak torque of 295 pound-feet. With a total weight of just 1,598 pounds, the new Sport 45 will run from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds.
The model is equipped with a waterproof soft top, five-star Revo rims and for the interior, high-quality leather offered in a color that matches the exterior look. A special "Sport 45" logo on the dashboard and a certificate both confirm that you are indeed driving a unique model.
We may be imagining things here, but this sure does look a lot like a tuned up Caterham 7 Roadsport or Superlight...
click past the jump to read more about the Irmscher Roadster Turbo Sport 45
