It was at the 1974 Paris Motor Show when the German sports car maker Porsche unveiled a turbocharged version of the classic 911 for the first time when they pulled the covers back off of a 3.0 Liter Porsche 930 Turbo, a model which at the time amazed audiences with its 260 HP maximum output and the ability to reach a 155 MPH top speed. In 2009 the 911 Turbo entered its seventh generation, with considerable performance improvements resulting in a Carrera Turbo that is almost twice as powerful as the original.
Even if the design has changed, the new Turbo remains unmistakably a 911, with a sporty focus on the driving essentials. The outer air intakes on the front apron now come with titanium colored slats. Sitting low to their left and right are the new daytime running lights in the same manner as the LED indicators and safety is even further enhanced with the optional dynamic cornering light function while the side mirrors have been revised for a better rearward visibility. At the rear of the new Turbo, the Porsche wears a new set of distinctive LED taillights that have a tapered design and extend deep into the contours of the rear fascia. The fast response LED brake lights underline the car’s purposeful look and enhance active safety by offering more warning to traffic approaching from the rear.
As with the outgoing 2006 Turbo model, the flat six cylinder engine features a pair of snails with Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG), but the new unit’s displacement has been increased to 3.8 Liters and now develops 500 HP and as much as 516 lb-ft of torque with the Sport Chrono Package. This allows the new 91 Turbo to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in only 3.4 seconds and reach a 194 MPH top speed when it goes on sale in the U.S. on January 30 with the coupe being priced at $132,800 and $143,800 for the cabriolet.
Press release after the jump.
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If you’ve been fancying yourself driving home a Ferrari 458 Italia, then you should know that it’s going to cost you a trunk-load of money.
Well, we have some good news and bad news. The good news is that the pricing for the 458 Italia is now out in the UK. The bad news is that – as expected – it’s far from cheap.
The base price for Ferrari’s new supercar is £169,545 – or around $275,000 in the latest exchange rates. And that’s just a ‘simple’ version of the 458. Should you wish to put more add-ons to the supercar, then you’re more than likely to hit the £200,000 mark - $325,000 – which, if you must know is well in reach of the selling price for a 612 Scaglietti.
But hey, if you have that kind of money, who’s to keep you from spending a few thousand more on some pretty nice extra features like steering wheel-mounted LEDs, electric seats, an alcantara trunk lining, and of course, an additional wheel or two.
After all, nobody ever said that the price for owning a Ferrari comes cheap.
The illustrious English automaker unveiled the 2011 Rolls Royce Ghost luxury saloon at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this year to compete with other high end dream rides like the Bentley Continental. And while they did manage to point out the 21st century Ghost will be the most powerful vehicle that Rolls Royce Motor Cars has ever produced, they remained tight lipped about how much the new Ghost was going to retail for. That is until now. Powered by an all new 6.6 Liter twin turbocharged V12 that pumps out 563 HP and 575 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight speed automatic ZF gearbox, the combination is enough to send the Ghost from 0 to 60 MPH in only 4.7 seconds and hit an electronically limited top speed of 155 MPH all while returning an estimated 20.8 MPG.
Taking the opportunity to clear the air at the LA Auto Show, Rolls Royce has recently announced that the 2011 Ghost will go on sale for the mere sum of $245,000 as well as the fact that the English coach builder is working on a gas/electric version of the Ghost that will be based around the same hybrid drivetrain that is found in its Bavarian cousin, the BMW ActiveHybrid 7. However you can expect to pay a bit more to go green.
Aston Martin has announced the price tag for the 2010 Rapide and yes, you might have to sell your organs to afford one. To have the opportunity to drive home with one, you’ll need around £139,950, or if your currency is of the Benjamins kind, around $230,000.
Yes, ‘steep’ may be an understatement but once you consider what the Rapide has to offer, then the price tag becomes a little justifiable. For starters, the car has a 6.0 Liter V12 engine which, incidentally, is the same one powering the Aston Martin DB9. With that much power under its hood, the Rapide is expected to come with 470hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, with a 0-60 mph time of just 5.1 seconds and a top speed of around 188 mph.
In addition to that, the Rapide also comes with a Bang & Olufsen sound system, heated memory seats, dual-cast brakes with an adaptive damping system. According to Aston Martin, the Rapide is scheduled to be delivered around March of next year and is expected to attract over 2000 sales every year. For a quarter of a million dollars, the 2010 Aston Martin Rapide can be yours. The question, are you willing to spend that much for one?
If we had the wad, we’d do it in a heartbeat.
The new 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 made its North American debut at the LA Auto Show giving the American audience the first glimpse of BMW’s first high-performance hybrid luxury sedan. BMW also announced that the car would come with a price tag of $103,125 for the standard version and $107,025 for the long wheelbase ActiveHybrid 7L version.
Powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with a hybrid electric motor and an 8-speed automatic transmission, the ActiveHybrid7 also comes with some of the most high-quality materials out in the market today, including Alcantara headliners, a leather dashboard, ventilated active front seats, 19-inch wheels and tires, the Premium Sound System, a Head-up Display and Rear View Camera soft-close doors and Automatic trunkgate closing. That’s a lot of features, don’t you think?
But if those aren’t enough for you – and if it isn’t, then you’ve got some pretty high standards – then BMW also comes with optional packages, among which include a Driver Assistance Package, BMW’s Night Vision and Rear Seat Entertainment Package, and a Camera Package.
For a full list of all the extra add-ons, take a look after the jump.
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