Great ideas that come at the wrong place or the wrong time should always be shelved for future use. Case in point, Dodge brought out the Challenger Blacktop Concept at the 2008 SEMA Auto Show and have now decided to bring it back as an optional package for their Charger at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Chrysler has yet to announce pricing for this package, but they have announced that it will be available with an optional Beats Audio system.
The new Dodge Charger Blacktop is all about the black. It gets tinted windows, black wheels borrowed from the Challenger SRT8, as well as the sleek black exterior paint job. The muscle car’s LED rear tail light has also been smoked and the dual exhaust system is made of aluminum silver.
The interior of the Charger continues with the black theme and adds a new Beats audio system that consists of three 3.5-inch speakers located in the instrument panel, two 3.5-inch speakers located in the rear doors, two 6 x 9-inch front-door woofers that provide bass, two 6 x 9-inch speakers, and a center-mounted 8-inch speaker located in the rear-shelf area that provide full-range audio.
The Hagerty Fantasy Bid has catapulted since its inception in 2005, with bids coming in at 10 times the amount of the original game, and its latest offering illustrates this popularity. At the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Scottsdale Auction, Speed TV will be on hand to give away a special edition Ford Racing Champions Shelby GT500. All you have to do is make a bid during the Hagerty Fantasy Bid Game and you will be automatically entered into the drawing. The winner will be chosen by random drawing from the Fantasy Bid players.
But let’s get back to the actual car that’s up for grabs. The Ford Racing Champions Shelby GT500 Special Edition Mustang was given a few exterior aerodynamic and stylish upgrades, but it still features the standard 5.4-liter V8 engine. The engine, however, has been souped up with a Ford Racing Supercharger kit to take the standard 550 HP all the way up to 750 HP. This engine is then combined with a six-speed manual transmission that succeeds in sending the power to the rear wheels and a new, intense-environment C&R Racing cooling system and a 3.5-inch aluminum drive shaft.
The handling of power is achieved through a high-performance handling pack with Dynamic Suspension’s front-and-rear adjustable shocks, lowering springs, and stabilizer bars in the front and rear. Additionbally, stopping power will be acquired through the use of an upgraded Wilwood brakes package featuring 14-inch drilled, slotted rotors and six-piston forged billet calipers on the front, and 12-inch rotors and four-piston forged billet calipers at the rear.
Details on how to enter your bid during the Hagerty Fantasy Bid Game can be found after the jump.
Full story
A few years ago, Bugatti had set out to create the world’s fastest convertible car. They wanted "a car that would redefine the boundaries of technology in automotive construction while appealing to the aesthetically inclined and connoisseurs of exceptional automobiles." This idea gave birth to the Veyron Grand Sport which debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2008. Then, in 2010, Bugatti revealed the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport which had already been entered into the Guinness Book of Records with an average top speed of 431 km/h (267 mph). These two Bugatti models have had a successful go around in the automotive world, but at the tail end of the Veyron’s production, Bugatti has decided to smash these two vehicles together for one last and unforgettable special edition. World, meet the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Super Sport.
Just last week, Bugatti CEO, Wolfgang Durheimer, was discussing a future special edition displaying a Super Sport package for the Veyron Grand Sport model - the Veyron’s open top model. We figured this vehicle would be seen in a couple of years, but our spy photographers have already captured the first images of the vehicle entirely free of its camouflage.
UPDATE 01/04/2012: Bugatti has confirmed that the convertible version of the Veyron Super Sport will be making its world debut in March at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
Hit the jump for more details on the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Super Sport.
Full story
Automakers are constantly looking for a sales edge wherever they can get one and with a big tenth victory in this month’s grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans now sitting in their fruitful laps, Audi is prepared to cash in. In celebration of their marathon win, Audi UK has prepared the R8 V8 Limited Edition with only 100 units being offered to UK customers. Each model will be priced at £93,935 - or around $150,000 at the current exchange rates - and the first deliveries will be made in October 2011.
The R8 V8 Limited may be seeing a £7,000 (about $10,000 at the current rates) increase in price, but it benefits from an array of features worthy of the hike. The sports car will have an exclusive titanium effect paint finish and R8 GT-inspired titanium-look alloy wheels with red brake calipers, as well as carbon fiber options. The interior is dressed up with Black Fine Nappa Leather-upholstered seats and headrests and highlighted by crimson red accents on just about everything. From the flat bottomed, leather-covered multi-function steering wheel to the instrument cowl, leather finish monoposto, knee pads, and passenger door handle, red streams throughout the interior like blood coursing through its veins. Other additions include stainless steel pedals and illuminated door sills with bright aluminum inserts carrying the R8 logo. Power will come from the standard 4.2 liter 424 HP V8 FSI engine and can be mated to either a manual or R-tronic transmission.
The limited edition R8 also comes with equipment that isn’t standard for the regular R8, but gets thrown in the mix at no extra charge for the special edition. This equipment consists of the Audi magnetic ride, satellite navigation, the Audi Music Interface (AMI), interior light package, a Bang and Olufsen sound system, and Bluetooth mobile phone preparation with integrated seat-belt microphones.
Updated 01/02/2012: Its been quite a while since we last heard something about this R8 V8 Limited Edition, but now Audi has unveiled a new video that promotes this sports car. The video comes with another good news: we will see the R8 Limited Edition in USA too. Enjoy!
With the 2012 North American International Auto Show just around the corner, renowned tuning firm Mopar has set its sights on a 2012 Chrysler 200 with a special edition model called the 200 Super S.
Set to debut in Detroit in the coming weeks, the 200 Super S showcases the latest in Mopar’s aerodynamic components that will be made available to the sedan beginning later this year.
"The Super S is Mopar’s interpretation of the Chrysler 200," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. "The extensive list of high-quality Mopar parts enhances the performance and appearance of our Chrysler 200."
As you can imagine, Mopar is offering an extensive list of programs for the 200 that includes a Stage I aerodynamic program that includes a large chin spoiler, a satin chrome fog light trim, a satin chrome grille surround and mesh in the upper and lower grilles, a gloss black grille, new side sills, a satin chrome belt molding, black chrome "200" badges, a new trunk lid spoiler, a satin chrome light bar, a matte black lower diffuser with attached exhaust openings, and a new set of 18" "S" alloy wheels that come in either Gray or Hyper Black color options.
Adding to the pretty comprehensive Stage I program is the Stage II program, which comes with performance tweaks that include a new coil-over suspension, a new cold-air intake, and a new cat-back exhaust.
About the only downside to this model is that it doesn’t have any engine upgrades. That being said, the 200’s standard numbers are still impressive in their own right: a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine that delivers 283 horsepower and 260 lb/ft of torque.
