The Nurburgring has long been a testing ground for a number of the world’s fastest vehicles. It seems that all of the biggest car manufacturers have taken their turns around the Nurburgring with the same goal in mind: set the fastest lap for a production car in one of the world’s most famous circuits
The latest to take a stab at the record is the new Porsche 997 GT3 RS, which took to the track last week. While the record – 6m and 48s set by the Radical SR8LM - was realistically unattainable, the GT3 RS wanted to measure itself up against cars of its caliber.
In the end, the GT3 RS posted a time of 7m and 33s, seven seconds faster than the standard GT3. The time falls way short of the SR8LM’s lap record and is also slower than the Nissan GT-R’s time of 7m 27s. The GT3 RS’s lap time is still an impressive time posted by the folks from Porsche.
When McLaren unveiled their latest super car creation, the MP4-12C supercar they announced that the new speed machine will be available in full range of exterior colors. However while the company did not reveal exactly what shades would be made available in their pallet, the digital imaging software Photoshop can give us a few ideas.
So no matter which wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum you wish to cover your future McLaren in, hopefully this will give you some ideas and the high performance automaker will be able to deliver on this promise with their twin turbocharged 3.8 Liter V8 powered super car that is supposed to make somewhere around 600 HP and 433 lb-ft of torque. The MP4-12C’s engine is coupled to a McLaren seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox and can accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 3.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of over 200 MPH in a rainbow of colors.
When Lexus unveiled their new super car, the LF-A, at the Tokyo Motor Show last week, it did so with a replica sitting a few meters away from the original super car. And while replicas have become a common sight in auto shows, this particular sculpture of the LF-A is worth mentioning because it was made completely from ice.
The you-have-to-see-to-believe sculpture was the handiwork of renowned Japanese architect Scu Fujimoto and was created out of transparent acrylic boards, which was then polished to give it that ‘cold and icy’ look.
If pictures of the car don’t do justice to the intricate details Fujimoto painstakingly went through to create this sculpture, then we don’t know what else to say. The similarities between the real LF-A and the sculpture is remarkably uncanny and what’s even more mind-boggling is the fact that the
LF-A’s interior – and all the details that come with it – was also created in the sculpture version, down to the smallest of details.
Take our word for it; ‘amazing’ is an understatement.
After officially seeing the new Toyota super car unveiled last week at the Tokyo Motor Show, the good news about the upcoming Lexus LF-A just keeps getting better and better. For those owners that feel a limited production half a million dollar LF-A just isn’t exclusive or hardcore enough, the Japanese automaker is also planning to come out with a track version of their V10 powered rocket ship.
The track version will be a more intense version of the LF-A complete with a "harder, track-tuned trim", however no changes will made to the new car’s engine and drive train. "The LFA is such a bespoke machine that buyers can specify pretty much what they want," said a source inside the Japanese luxury automaker. "If they choose to ask for it to be stripped out and built with track use in mind, there’s no reason why it won’t be possible." It is just that sort of tailored fit that continues to impress us about the new Lexus LF-A.
The new super car is powered by a 4.8 liter V10 that delivers a maximum output of 560 HP at rather lofty 9,000 RPM and a peak torque of 354 lb-ft at 6,800 RPM. The intense surge of power allows the LF-A to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.7 seconds and reach a Lamborghini like top speed of 202 MPH.
Nobody knows the ins-and-outs of a Toyota-produced sports car better than Hiromu Naruse. Regarded as the Japanese carmaker’s resident “test driver”, Naruse has been behind the wheel of some of our favorite Toyota sports cars, including the MR2, the Supra, and lately, the Lexus LF-A.
In this video, Naruse jumps behind the wheel of an LF-A and takes all of us on a scintillating lap around of the car arounf the Homestead-Miami Speedway. You might be surprised to see just further along Naruse is in the calendar of life, but despite being older than most of us, he still knows a thing or two about taming these beasts of sports cars out on a racetrack.
Watch the video and enjoy Naruse bring the horses out of the Lexus LF-A.
We have been eagerly anticipating the even more powerful Audi R8 ever since words were first spoken about the Lamborghini rivaling 5.2 Liter FSI V10 powered four ring super car. Fortunately for us, the German luxury car builder brought this bright white example to the 2009 Miami Auto Show for all of South Florida to see. The R8 V10 will be powered by the same 5.2 liter V10 as the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. The engine is rated at 525 HP, which is 105 more ponies than the V8 version but still about 27 HP less than the Gallardo. Officially known as the Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro, It can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 3.9 seconds. When equipped with R tronic semi-automatic gearbox, it reaches 125 MPH in another 8.1 seconds and can reach a top speed of 196 MPH while selling for nearly $180,000.
The exotic Italian automaker Lamborghini had a strong showing at the 2009 Miami Auto Show, after all there isn’t any better place on the planet to enjoy these exotic Italian super cars. Leading the pack was a white V12 powered Murcielago that stretched out with its elongated nose and side scoop on the fresh carpeting of the Miami Beach Convention Center. Next in line was a fresh drop top Lamborghini Galardo Spyder, complete with some of the nicest mesh wheels we have seen in our collective lifetimes. The highlight of the group is the special edition rear wheel drive Gallardo LP-550 2 Valentino Balboni, named after the long time Italian test driver and eagerly awaiting a new tail happy owner. Somewhat of a cult classic here in South Florida and familiar with Lamborghini enthusiasts around the world, is the proverbial Sharpie Car, a Gallardo that was turned into a high performance piece of artwork.
Our friends at South Florida’s premier exotic car dealership, The Collection, brought out a trio of Ferrari’s finest to the 2009 Miami Auto Show. The headliners were the smaller of Maranello’s offerings, we saw the new retractable hard top California back at their Coral Gables showroom back in April, but any time you see a set of carbon fiber side mirrors, like those on an F-430 Scuderia, it is always a stunning sight to see. Hiding out in the back of the Ferrari part of the super car retailer’s display was their current flagship model, the front engine V12 grand touring 599 GTB Fiorano. Despite almost a million dollars worth of Italian speed machines, much of the interest was on the upcoming 458 Italia mid engine sports car that will eventually replace the discreet, non striped, Scuderia.
It seems that the Volcano is a very successful model for Hamann. After the first white model and the Red Edition revealed at the Frankfurt Show, the German tuner has also created a Yellow Edition. besides the paint scheme it brings no modifications to the Volcano supercar.
The Volcano is powered by a 5.4 Liter V8 boosted from 626 HP all the way up to a clean 700 HP, this drops .2 seconds off the car’s 0 to 60 MPH time which now clocks in at 3.6 seconds and is able to reach a top speed of 216 MPH.
The tuning kit also includes a new front spoiler, a redesigned rear bumper, new side sills, a big rear wing spoiler, a new rear bumper with integrated air diffuser and 21 inch Edition Race wheels.
As you are used by now, when you say Ultima GT-R you automatically think of a new world record. Well, you are not wrong! The British supercar managed to smash another one: 1 minute 9.9 seconds on the Top Gear circuit. However, before you’ll get to excited, you will not see the Ultima GT-R on the official list, as the test was not conducted by the Top Gear company.
With the new time, the Ultima GT-R is faster than models like: Ferrari FXX - 1 minute 10.7 seconds and Caparo T1 with a record lap time of 1 minute 10.6.
Richard Marlow, director of Ultima Sports said: "We are all absolutely thrilled with this lap record. I could see that the Formula 1 inspired Ferrari FXX looked supremely quick in the hands of Michael Schumacher, but I had every belief that it wasn’t a match for our legendary Ultima GTR720 road car. Of course unlike the Ferrari FXX, which is not road legal, we were able to drive our road car back home afterwards."
Short reminder: Ultima GT-R is powered by a 7-litre V8 Corvette engine that delivers 720 hp, makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 2.6 seconds and is capable of a top speed of 231mph.
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