The automotive factories of today utilize computers and robots in order to produce different combinations of cars in short order. The buyer is able to choose different options, colors, and accessories that can all be changed at a moment’s notice on the assembly line. Some may consider this customization, but having a specially ordered car in the 1930s was a much different scenario.
In 1936, Mercedes Benz introduced its new 540K model at the Paris Motor Show. Subsequent years would see this car be called on as the most striking Mercedes model ever built. When it came out, this car was not simply sitting on dealers lots to be test driven and sold to the first person with enough money. It was specially ordered and built once the customer had made payment. Recently, one of the rarest models came to auction at RM’s Villa d’Este event.
The Cabriolet A model was built for the 14th Maharajah of Indore whom was an avid car collector. More recently, the car was fully restored and has won its fare share of concours events across the country. The rare and beautiful 540K Cabriolet was auctioned for the price of $2,013,000 to one lucky bidder that will undoubtedly be satisfied with his purchase.
Hit the jump for more details on the 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet A
Alfa Romeo was returning to motor sports when it built the 1962 Giulietta Sprint Zagato. Zagato was a prominent designer and past collaboration with Alfa Romeo had proven fruitful in the Le Mans and Formula 1 circuits. In 1957, Alfa had formed a relationship with Bertone, another famous shop, to develop the Giulietta Sprint Speciale which was a high performance version. That car would become the basis for the new venture with Zagato.
The companies decided to concern themselves with form over function while developing the new GT racer. The plan was to offer the car to customers for their own GT teams and thus it needed to be a strong and reliable performer on the track. Zagato was a master and developing aerodynamically efficient and lightweight machines and the Giulietta Sprint Speciale chassis provided the perfect jumping off point.
Perhaps the reason these cars remain so special today is their overall beauty. The design was focused around performance, but in turn the body became very well recognized and an instant classic for Alfa. Combining the low roofline with the elongated and round body made the car desirable to collectors. The rarity of the “Coda Tronca” version lends to the high selling price at the recent auction that saw chassis 0184 sell for $420,800.
Hit the jump for more details on the 1962 Alfa Romeo Coda Tronca
It’s 1984 and you’re a wealthy individual looking to spend some dough. Clearly the run of the mill BMW or Audi is not going to do the trick so you start looking into the Ferrari Testarossa and Lamborghini Countach. Both were the fastest sports cars of their day and since price is not a concern to you, the only thing that matters is making the best impression on your other rich friends. The thing is, your next door neighbor has a red Testarossa and you see your business partner pull up and squeeze out of his tiny Lamborghini every morning. You need something special. Enter the Hammer.
The W124 Mercedes-Benz is a classically proportioned luxury saloon. The three-box shape, with its clearly defined lines, looks so simple and pure compared to the edgier, more obviously styled lines of its E 63 AMG relative. AMG’s detailing was remarkably low key, especially for the 1980’s. This is going to be a perfect fit for your lifestyle and you can even haul the kids in the back seat if you had too. Can the Merc really hold its own against the Italian thoroughbred racing machines?
You better bet your bottom dollar, because this machine is no joke even when compared with the newest technology from these companies. The 396hp Hammer is going to be more expensive than a Testarossa, but not only will you be the only person that you know who owns one; you will also be doing 190mph which is more than the Ferrari.
There’s no doubt in our minds that the Corvette ZR1 is the most powerful and most successful Corvette ever. But even the best things can be improved a bit, so Chevrolet has decided to offer a few updates for the 2011 model year. On sale at a price of $109,800 ($3,000 more than the previous year), the ZR1 will be offered in two versions: a standard 1ZR and a 3ZR that adds an extra $10k to the sports car’s price.
For 2011, the ZR1 will be offered with two new exterior colors: Inferno Orange and Supersonic Blue. These colors will come with contrasting-color headlamps, an interior custom color stitching, and USB port and input jack included with navigation radio.
Under the hood there is the same LS9 supercharged 6.2 liter V-8 engine rated at 638 HP and 604 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is backed by an upgraded, stronger six-speed manual transmission and a twin-disc clutch that provide exceptional clamping power. With a curb weight of 3,333 pounds, the Corvette ZR1 makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.4 seconds and can hit a top speed of 205 mph.
UPDATE 03/24/2011: Chevrolet has revealed a new commercial for the 2011 ZR1, and we have to say BMW and Porsche will have plenty to be embarrassed about after watching it. Ouch, that’s got to hurt. Watch the video to see what we’re talking about.
Canada’s newest, or only, supercar is making its way to the production line and attempting to ruffle the feathers of the big three and smaller sports car manufacturers here in North America and abroad. The De Macross GT1 is a newly developed supercar designed by the founder of the company, Jahong Hur, and proves that if someone wants something bad enough; it’s always possible.
It’s no secret that designing your own car and getting it to market is difficult – having that car be a formidable competitor to the most extreme machines on the planet is darn near impossible. Some American companies have managed to do this throughout our racing history and recent past. Two of the biggest names would be Shelby and Saleen. The Shelby race cars of yesterday were so dominant that the great Enzo Ferrari did not even have an answer for them. Shelby went on to design more road going versions of his vehicles and today they are admired by collectors. The Saleen S7 showed us that a small shop with a lot of knowledge and money can create the ultimate supercar.
By incorporating some of F1’s best technology and using an American V8, these Canadians were able to develop and are now producing the GT1. Its performance is not off the charts, but it’s most likely faster than anything we’ve ever owned.
Hit the jump for more details on the De Macross GT1.Full story
Touring Superleggera was on hand at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show to unveil their new Touring Bentley Continental Flying Star - a shooting brake version of the 2-door coupe. The car is being offered at a base price of €590,000 when based on a Continental GTC.
The Flying Star is powered by a 6.0-liter W12 engine that develops a total of 560 hp and 650 Nm of torque (when based on the Continental GTC). When based on the GTC Speed, it develops 610 hp and 750 Nm of torque. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is made in 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 200 mph.
Customers may choose from a variety of customization options, ranging from bespoke cabinetry and trim to a wide range of dedicated options. The accessory collection includes the Touring designed luggage set coordinated with the boot trim, and distinctive Borrani X-Ray spoke wheels. Blending advanced technology with craftsmanship, Borrani 20" 9.5j X-Ray spoke wheels provide distinctive design, precision, and comfort.
UPDATE 02/18/2011: A year after the Flying Star debuted at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the car has finally been put on the market, but anyone with a desire to purchase this extremely limited model better hurry. There are only two units available worldwide with a price tag of $1,000,000.
Porsche has introduced new 911 variants to its model lineup since the beginning. Every few years the car get a redefined shape, slightly higher engine output and increased track performance. Since the company believes that the original 911 had the general shape of the sports car correct to begin with, the evolution has been a slow process more akin to refinement vs. redevelopment.
The year 2003 saw the introduction of the companies first SUV, the Cayenne. Critics loved to hate it and the consumer basically just loved it. They flew off dealer lots in record numbers and gave Porsche a big stick in the premium SUV market controlled by Mercedes and BMW. Few may have realized that the Cayenne was close to a rebodied Volkswagen Touareg, but few also cared. For its first complete redesign, Porsche engineers knew they had to push the boundaries with the Cayenne, give it far better performance and help it fit better within the portfolio.
There is no better way to establish whether or not they succeeded than by driving the new 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Your average Porsche Cayman or Porsche Carrera 4S may be exciting, but Turbo models are the epitome of every line – bringing performance to new heights.
Hit the jump for more details on the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
Mercedes-Benz set the stage at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show with an announcement that the SLS AMG E-Cell will be put into production as part of the company’s "AMG Performance 2015." This company strategy aims to continually reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
"We take social responsibility very seriously and with the SLS AMG E-CELL we are demonstrating a further milestone in our "AMG Performance 2015" strategy. It is our goal to continually reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of new models in the coming years, while at the same time enhancing the core brand value of performance", explains Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
With a total output of 525 HP and a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds, the SLS AMG E-Cell will be one of the faster electric sports car on the market.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2015 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell.
Could it be the world’s ultimate supercar? Combining the skills of legendary design house, Pininfarina, with the pace of an Enzo, this impressive coupe was set to turn the performance car class on its head when it was unveiled in the summer of 2006.
It’s the Ferrari 612 P4/5, a one-off model created especially for film director and stock exchange magnate, James Glickenhaus. The P4/5 started its life as an Enzo, but was transformed because Glickenhaus wanted a car that resembled the styling of Ferrari’s 1960’s race cars, the P Series. Designing, engineering, and building this special car was left in the hands of none other then Pininfarina. Their mission was to produce a unique vehicle inspired by sport racing cars with extreme vocations. This was not to be just a show-car, but a vehicle to be enjoyed on the road. And taking a close look at the final product, we have to admit they managed to do more than that.
UPDATE 01/06/2011: Check out the latest testing video for the Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina after the jump!
Hit the jump to read more about the Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina.
The new Porsche 911 GT3 made its debut last year at the Geneva Motor Show and it is now on sale at a price of $112,200. beside a few exterior changes, the 911 GT3 comes for the first time, with a particularly sporting variant of PSM Porsche Stability Management, offering the option to deactivate both Stability Control (SC) and Traction Control (TC) in separate steps.
The 911 GT3 is powered by a 3.8-liter six-cylinder naturally-aspirated engine that develops maximum output of 435 bhp, up 20 bhp over its predecessor. It offers even better grip and stability also at high speeds, specific modifications of the car’s aerodynamics increasing down-forces both front and rear to such an extent that the overall pressure pushing down the car is more than twice as great as on the former model. At the same time the new Aerodynamics Package gives the GT3 a brand-new look further accentuated by the new bi-xenon headlights, LED rear light clusters, as well as modified air intakes and outlets.
The GT3 holds an interesting place in the lineup because it is the fastest naturally-aspired car Porsche makes (aside from the track-only GT3 RSR), and some drivers prefer the GT3 over turbo models. This GT3 makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in four seconds and has a top speed of 194 mph. This represents only 0.3 of a second slower to 60 mph and is one mile per hour faster than the current 911 Turbo. Some of Porsche’s professional drivers have felt that the marginal power loss was worth the predictability that was gained by having a non-turbo engine.
UPDATE 12/28/2010: Want to catch over 16 minutes of awesome rally car action? Check out the video after the jump to see Pro rally team Olaf Dobberkau and Alexandra König drift, slip, and slide through the track while enjoying the glorious sounds of the 911 GT3’s beautiful engine and exhaust. Enjoy!
