The Porsche Boxster line-up will see the addition of a new member in December at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The new Boxster Spyder will only weight 2,811 lb becoming the lightest model throughout the entire range of Porsche cars. Sales will begin in February 2010 at a price of 63,404 Euro.
The Porsche Boxster Spyder is inspired by the legendary 550 Spyder - the first sports car from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen developed specifically for racing but also homologated for the road. The sports car features a light soft, has a lower center of gravity and is equipped with an all-new sports suspension offering the best driving dynamics.
Under the hood Porsche placed a 3.4-liter six-cylinder with Direct Fuel Injection upfront of the rear axle. It delivers a total of 320 bhp - with 10 bhp more than the current top version of the Boster line-up, the Boxster S.
Like all the other latest Porsche models, the Boxster Spyder comes equipped with PDK and the Sports Chrono Package reducing its fuel consumption to 30.4 mpg. The car sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 4,8 seconds and can hit a top speed of 166 mph.
Press release after the jump.
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In 1993, in the same time with the coupe version, Ferrari unveiled the 348 GTS - a model that replaced the 348 TS. Like its coupe brother, the 348 GTS remained into production for only one year.
This two-seater convertible offered the same specifications as the 348 GTB, with the choice of open or closed-top motoring and a layout that had by now become a Ferrari classic: as on the outgoing TS, the hard top was stowed away in the space behind the seats.
The GTS retained the stiff, stress-bearing chassis (featuring various section tubular front and rear sub-frames) of the coupe version while the styling, which remained unmistakably Ferrari, married elegance with excellent aerodynamics.
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This should not be an introduction to the aftermarket tuners Wheelsandmore, that is because if you are a Top Speed regular then you most certainly have heard about the Wheeladmore Audi R8 customized by the German tuner, and today they have gotten our attention once again with this special edition Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 called “YarroW”.
This wild Lamborghini wears a bright yellow paint job with a nice black stripe running down the middle as well as a set of their 6Sporz wheels measuring 20 inches in diameter and hide a racing derived coil over setup with adjustable rebound and compression dampening as well as a hydraulic lift that raises the front axel up by 1.77 inches and allows the slammed super car to easily enter or exit any steep inclines that it may encounter. Thanks to a special stainless steel exhaust system with a remote controlled valve, upgraded ECU and a carbon fiber air box; the 10 cylinder engine now makes a total of 620 HP, that’s up from the standard 560 HP offering, not to mention 580 lb-ft of torque. Wheelsandmore has once again shown us that a few simple thought out modifications can go a long way towards completely transforming the drop top Italian super car.
In 1994 Ferrari unveiled the F355 - a model that remained into production until 1999 and with 11,273 units produced it became the most successful Ferrari in history. The F355 was the first model to be produced under the new leadership of Luca di Montezemolo.
New for the F355 has been the nomenclature: engine capacity plus number of valves per cylinder: 355 = 3.5 liters engine capacity and 5 valves per cylinder (until now it was engine capacity + cylinder number).
The F355 GTS (along with the Berlinetta) was the first model in the series, with a Spider version following in 1995. It featured a hard top that could be stowed away behind the seats. The F355 GTS featured a stress-bearing semi-monocoque steel chassis with variable-section, tubular front and rear sub-frames and electronically controlled suspension. The V8 engine produced a specific power of 109 bhp per liter and, mated to a close-ratio 6-speed gearbox, ensured very high performance.
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In 1994 Ferrari replaced the 348 series with the F355. The car was once again designed by Pininfarina and had a similar layout and proportions to the 348. New on the 355 was the V8 engine, who now featured 5 valves per cylinder (2 exhaust and 3 inlet).
In 1997 the F1-style gearbox management system became standard on each version: berlinetta, GTS (targa topped) and spider. The F355 changed into 355 F1. Derived directly from Formula 1, where it made its debut in 1989 winning the Brazilian Grand Prix, the electro-hydraulic system was operated by paddles behind the steering wheel using the F355’s conventional 6-speed manual gearbox. The new transmission guaranteed lightning-quick gear changes, with the additional advantage that both the driver’s hands could stay on the wheel at all times.
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In 1994 Ferrari unveiled the F355 - a model considered to be one of the greatest production sports-car of the 20th Century. The F355 remained into production until 1999 and with 11,273 units produced it became the most successful Ferrari in history. The F355 was the first model to be produced under the new leadership of Luca di Montezemolo.
In 1997 Ferrari offered the F1-style gearbox management system standard on all three models: berlinetta, GTS and spider, this is where the "F1" nomenclature comes from. It was the first ever road car to be equipped with a F1 gearbox.
Derived directly from Formula 1, where it made its debut in 1989 winning the Brazilian Grand Prix, the electro-hydraulic system was operated by paddles behind the steering wheel using the F355’s conventional 6-speed manual gearbox. The new transmission guaranteed lightning-quick gear changes, with the additional advantage that both the driver’s hands could stay on the wheel at all times.
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Vermot AG has announced that production of the Veritas RS III Roadster has commenced and that the first deliveries of the radical looking German super car will begin in January of 2010, but even more importantly, only a select few will be able to enjoy the 21st century retro race car. Priced $514,706 only 30 examples of the open air limited edition Veritas RSIII sports car will be constructed and eight of them have already been spoken for. That leaves just 22 more RS III’s left to be tucked away inside a few privileged customers collections.
Offering up a very unique 1+1 layout, the Veritas RS III is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0 Liter V10 power plant that makes a maximum output of 507 HP sourced from a BMW M5. Just like the production car, the exotic high revving ten cylinder engine can be mated to either a 7 speed SMG transmission or an optional 6 speed manual gearbox for those owners who are looking for a more visceral driving experience. Either way with a 0 to 60 MPH time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 216 MPH, it is unlikely that drivers will give a damn when pushing their modern day 1950’s BMW inspired sports car to the limit.
The Japanese automaker Nissan has announced that the new Fairlady Z Roadster is already on sale in the sports car’s home market. Intended to be a convertible from day one, Nissan’s engineers designed the 370Z in a way that the loss of structural rigidity and added weight of a retractable canvas roof would have no effect whatsoever on the drop top Z car’s performance. Their goal was to blend the pure exhilaration and sporting appeal of the Z34 and seamlessly combine it with the excitement of open air driving by offering the same high performance power plant and curvaceous bodylines that make the fixed roof Nissan 370Z such a desirable sports car.
Just like the Fairlady Z Coupe, the new Z Roadster features a shorter wheelbase and an increased track to make the sports car more nimble while at the same time keeping the weight down. The same 3.7 Liter V6 engine that propels the standard vehicle to the tune of 330 HP and 270 lb-ft of torque also powers the Nissan 370Z Roadster. By combining the high performance VQ37VHR with the Z34’s dynamic chassis, Nissan has instilled the 370Z Roadster with remarkably high levels of acceleration and handling, while providing a quiet and comfortable interior even with the top down.
It is a tall order for a design team to build a convertible that looks just as nice with the top up as it does down. In most cases it looks like a vehicle’s designers decided to focus on only one of the drop head’s personalities; either by leaving the car with a bulky looking roofline or like there is just too much junk in the trunk when it is retracted. However thanks to careful planning and some very intuitive foresight, the hamburger logo has been able to once again avoid turning one of their premier sports cars into a cow of a convertible with the Nissan 370Z Roadster.
Press release after the jump.
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The former Formula One racecar builder and makers of the famed McLaren F1 super car recently revealed the MP4-12C, a two passenger super car that will provide the performance of a Ferrari, the style of a Lamborghini and the desirability of an Aston Martin while maintaining a much more reasonable cost. Aside from the fixed roof version, McLaren automotive has also announced that they will also be coming out with an open air spider version as well. This image you see above is the first rendering of the drop top McLaren MP4-12C that is to be unveiled as a production vehicle sometime in the next two to three years. When it finally does come to fruition, the MP4 spider will compete head to head with other high end exotics like the Ferrari 458 Italia Spider, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and the forthcoming Mercedes SLS AMG Cabriolet.
The McLaren MP4-12C will be powered by the same twin turbocharged 3.8 Liter V8 and seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox (SSG). An interesting fact about the super car power train is that the boosted eight cylinder engine offers the highest horsepower to CO2 ratio of any internal combustion car on the road today, including hybrids. The piston pumping V8 produces around 600 HP and 433 lb-ft of torque and will allow the future McLaren spider to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 3.5 seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 200 MPH.
Audi recently revealed the E-Tron concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and shortly after announced that the electrified R8 super car is a preview a future electric car from the four ringed automaker. The latest reports have said that Audi is planning on taking on Tesla’s electric roadster with a German topless wonder of their own, and best of all the design will be inspired by the curvaceous E-tron concept.
Audi’s EV roadster is being called the R4 and the new zero emissions sports car will share its chassis with the next generation mid engine sports cars from its German Porsche cousins the Boxster and Cayman. However unlike the flat six powered sports cars, the future R4 will be powered by a a purely electric drive system made up of a quartet of motors, with two placed at the front and two more at the rear axle and fed go juice from a next generation Lithium ion battery pack, just like the E-Tron concept.
The flow of electrons will generate a total of 300 HP and over 3,300 lb-ft of torque thanks to the nature of electric motors that will deliver an instant acceleration and propel the open air EV from 0 to 60 MPH in just 4.8 seconds and can run for a range of up to 155 miles, all without emitting a single hydrocarbon.
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