In 1985 at the Frankfurt Motor Show Ferrari unveiled the 328 GTS (next to the 328 GTB version) model - the replacement for the 308 series. But compared with the car it replaced, the 328 featured a new exterior styling, improved road holding and most important a transversely mounted V8 with an enlarged bore and stroke. The 328 figures in the model title referred to the total cubic capacity of the engine, 3.2 liters, and 8 for the number of cylinders. The car remained into production until 1989, with 6068 units produced.
The 328 was again designed by Pininfarina, who made significant changes to modernize the looks of the 328 and improve its aerodynamics. The 328 model presented a softening of the wedge profile of its predecessor, with a redesigned nose that had a more rounded shape, which was complimented by similar treatment to the tail valance panel. The revised nose and tail sections featured body colour bumpers integral with the valance panels, which reflected the work done concurrently to present the Mondial 3.2 models, with which they also shared a similar radiator grille and front light assembly layout.
Thus all the eight cylinder cars in the range shared fairly unified front and rear aspects, providing a homogeneous family image. The exhaust air louvres behind the retractable headlight pods on the 308 series disappeared, coupled with an increase in the size of the front lid radiator exhaust air louvre, which had been introduced on the 308 Quattrovalvole models, whilst a new style and position of exterior door catch was also provided.
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Revealed in 1986, the GTB Turbo is nothing more than a 328 GTB created specially for the Italian market in order to avoid tax penalties imposed on models with a displacement of more than two-liters. The car remained into production for three years, with 308 unis produced.
The GTB Turbo was, as its name suggests, is a turbocharged variant of the 328 GTB, but fitted with a 2 liter engine. The car was characterized by a softening of the wedge profile with a redesigned nose that had a more rounded profile, that was complimented by similar treatment to the tail valance panel.
The revised nose and tail sections featured body colour bumpers integral with the valance panels, which reflected the work done concurrently on the Mondial 3.2 models, with which they also shared a similar radiator grille and front light assembly layout.
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One sport compact that was well represented at the 2009 SEMA Show was the
Hyundai Genesis Coupe, and sitting pretty in the Rotora booth was this version from AQ Motorsports. This Genesis Coupe was wearing little more than a few well appointed upgrades to the body including a vented carbon fiber hood and trunk from Carbon Creations as well as a stylish ground effects package that incorporates a pronounced wind molded into the front bumper, a set of lower hanging side skirts and a rear diffuser. The AQ Motorsports Hyundai rides on a set of 19 inch forged rims from Rays Engineering with the obligatory Rotora big brake upgrade underneath.
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The Mopar display at the 2009 SEMA Show was huge, however the one car that stuck out like a sore thumb was Chrysler’s 1/4 mile conquering Dodge Challenger 1320. The drag racing Challenger is essentially a street legal version of the special order lightweight Drag Pak Challenger that has already been stripped of over 1,000 pounds and is sold specifically to very serious drag racers. Powering the 1320 is a 426 cubic inch all aluminum Hemi V8 crate motor that starts off making a total of 556 HP and 540 lb-ft of torque and gets its own unique exhaust note thanks to a set of Mopar long tube headers and free flowing pipes.
On the inside, everything in front of your eyes will be familiar for Challenger fans, however a few of the other interior pieces, like the bucket seats and shifter, have been sourced from the much more exotic Dodge Viper. On the outside, Mopar keeps the Challenger 1320 simple with a basic yellow paint scheme complete with blacked out hood, tail section, a set of steelies from their police car program and only a few basic decals. However we have to say that the christmas tree incorporated into the "1" is pretty sweet.
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Announced back in 2008, the British built Arash AF-10 super car is now an official production vehicle. The new sports car will go on sale for around $540,000 and if you want to park one in your driveway then you better hurry up, because over the 5 year production run only 70 units are scheduled to be produced.
The Arash super car is built with 100% carbon construction and uses an aluminum honeycomb complete with nomex panels to increase rigidity to provide the AF-10’s chassis with more strength. Instead of traditional glass the larger see through panels have been made out of lightweight non shatter and scratch resistant acrylic, however the much smaller side windows are made from laminated safety glass. All of the Arash AF-10’s body panels have been made using a carbon autoclave process which eliminates the need for excess resins and makes the parts even lighter and stiffer than ever.
Under the deck lid, the AF-10 is powered by a mid mounted 7.0 Liter LS7 sourced from a Corvette ZR-1 and is tuned to delivers a maximum output of 550 HP and 475 lb-ft of torque and is mounted to a six speed manual Graziano GT-ME1 gearbox. The way that it comes from the factory, the Arash AF-10 can hit a top speed of 205 MPH, however for those of you who crave more than the standard 550 HP offering, the British super car builder will also prepare an 800 HP and 1000 HP version. In order to satisfy the needs of super car enthusiasts who can’t afford the full size version, Arash is also preparing an AF-8 model.
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After a very successful history of more than fourteen years, the 308/328 series was finally replaced in 1989. And even if on the exterior there weren’t many significant changes the big changes on the new 348 models was made under the hood. The 348 series remained into production between 1989 and ’95, and it was built in berlinetta, targa and spider body styles, with a few special editions being offered: the US-market only Serie Speciale and the GT Competizione.
The 348 series was produced in order to allow Michelotto-prepared cars into the GT3 class of international endurance racing. IN its five years time existence it turned out to be a very successful model: firstly it experienced some notable success against Porsche’s mighty 911 RSR’s, but it also became the most commercially successful models in Ferrari’s history with over 9000 units sold.
On the title, the ’348’ is referring to the 3.4 V8 and the ’T’ to the transverse gearbox mounted at the rear of the engine and B to Berlinetta (S was for the spider version). The 348 was the first completely new model announced by the company subsequent to the death of Enzo Ferrari in August 1988.
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Autocar wasn’t the only one who brought the Ferrari 458 Italia out for a test run recently. This time, it was Chris Harris and EVO Magazine doing their best lap times on board the fastest ‘Prancing Horse’ to ever come out of Maranello in recent times.
In the video, Harris runs through a couple of laps on board the 458 Italia while working on two different set-ups: all systems mode and the simpler – and possibly more difficult – race mode. It’s a pretty attention-catching video, especially after Harris seems to have a more difficult time navigating the 458 Italia around the track when the chores of shifting gears are tasked on him.
Not only the Murcielago LP640 had a bad week-end. A beautiful Creventic Audi CR-8 was also destroyed during a test drive. The car, which cost around 180,000 euro was being prepared for a race team. Both father and son took the car on the Oude Rijksweg highway. But the test drive didn’t ended as planned.
Apparently the father was driving the car, he lost control, crashed into a road sign and grazed a tree. The son ended with an injured leg.
According to police reports the car, the car was being driven with no more 30-40 km/h, so they have no idea yet of what might have happened. However, the car’s suspensions, rear wheel and spoiler are destroyed.
Revealed in the spring of 1985, the 412 model was the last one in the 400 series and also the final evolution of the Pininfarina designed 2+2 series, that had started with the 365 GT4 2+2 in 1973. The 412 stayed into production until 1989 with 576 units produced.
The difference between the 412 and the 400i which it replaced was made by a higher boot line, along with a deeper front spoiler to improve the car’s aerodynamics. Pininfarina’s other interventions included re-designed sill panels, body-colored bumper inserts, a modified alloy wheel design, clear indicator lenses and black windscreen and window surrounds.
The 412 model designation referred to the swept volume of a single cylinder, thus the V12 engine had been increased in size to 4943cc.
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As we announced a few days ago, a group of scientists from Stanford University have created a robotic Audi TTS to race at Pikes Peak. Today Audi has revealed the official details on the car.
We are talking about a 2009 Audi TTS, powered by a 2.0L Turbocharged I4 DOHC engine that delivers 265 hp, and can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 4,9 seconds, while top speed is limited to 155 mph.
The car is controlled via two independent systems: the initial controller development is being done on an XPC target using Matlab and Simulink which are the standard research tools from Stanford’s DDL. The final vehicle controls are being run on ruggedized custom built solutions running a Core2Duo CPU and Solaris operating system that is being developed in collaboration with Sun Microsystems.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
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