Top Speed

Top Marques Monaco

Alexander@topspeed.com(Alexander) — Sun, 1 Jan 2012 14:41:00 GMT

Top Marques Monaco originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 1 January 2012 14:41 EST.

Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Dutch manufacturer, Savage, has been hard at work the past couple of years working on their 4-door "topless on demand" supercar, the Rivale Roadyacht GTS. The first prototype version was released back in 2008 with a production model envisioned for 2009. Now, two years after the planned debut, Savage has finished their unique supercar and will be debuting it at the Top Marques Monaco, starting April 14, 2011.

The Rivale Roadyacht GTS is the result of the wild imagination of three men who believe that every dream should come true. Their dream turned out to be a limited edition supercar with only 20 units and in only three exterior colors.

According to Savage this will be the only 4 door "topless on demand" supercar in the world. It combines a "bad-boy" exterior design aspect with an interior inspired by the yachting world. With a 670 HP V8 engine under the hood, the Rivale Roadyacht GTS will be capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, while top speed goes up to an impressive 205 mph.

UPDATE 12/19/11: The first official video of the Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS has officially been revealed, lending further credence to the growing sentiment that this is one of the most awesome niche super cars to come out of the market in recent history. Check out the video by clicking on the photo above!

Hit the jump to read more about the Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS.

gallery: Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS

Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 19 December 2011 16:00 EST.

Dartz Jo-Mojo

Kirby@topspeed.com(Kirby) — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 17:00:00 GMT

Following in the introduction of the Dartz Mojo roadster, Russian automaker Dartz has released the first renderings of the Mojo’s "cooler" brother, the Jo-Mojo.

Built in collaboration with Gray Design, the Jo-Mojo is an electric roadster that comes with an aggressive design and highlighted by a chameleon paint finish, custom seats, and patented bullet wheels. In addition, the Jo-Mojo also has a unique retractable cover that features flexible solar cells created by former Soviet space manufacturers, Sidrabe. What the cover does is charge up the electric roadster while its sitting idly under the Cote d’Azur sun.

As far as performance numbers are concerned, the Dartz Jo-Mojo is powered by an electric motor that produces 80 horsepower and 90 lb/ft of torque. The numbers might look puny to some, but considering its purpose, the Jo-Mojo can still accelerate from 0-62 mph in 9.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 125 mph.

Just like the Mojo, the Dartz Jo-Mojo is expected to make its world debut at the 2012 Top Marques Monaco in April. Details of this little bullet-proof bug are set to be revealed then. For now, you can check out the first renderings of the Jo-Mojo, as well as a new presentation video of the electric roadster.

Dartz Jo-Mojo originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 7 December 2011 17:00 EST.

Dartz Prombron Iron Diamond

Kirby@topspeed.com(Kirby) — Tue, 3 May 2011 10:00:00 GMT

Even in their press releases, you can tell that the people over at Dartz have a way of catching your attention. According to these guys, recent trends have shown that more and more ladies have paid closer attention to driving big cars. Armed with this nugget of wisdom, the tuning company that specializes in armored vehicles has built the perfect SUV for the ladies: the Prombron Iron Diamond.

A three-door, bulletproof monstorosity of an SUV, the Prombron Iron Diamond was built to cater to women that have a penchant for driving the biggest, baddest, and meanest set of wheels they can get their hands on. And if you’re to believe Dartz, it doesn’t get any bigger and meaner than the Prombron Iron Diamond.

In addition to it being bulletproof, the Prombron Iron Diamond also comes with ten interior treatments, including a choice of snake, crocodile, whale, skat, chameleon, or elephant skins. If animals aren’t your fancy, Dartz can also outfit the interior in the more ‘standard’ carbon fiber or matte trims. It also has eight cameras to help the ladies in their parking difficulties, as well as the noticeable absence of a door behind the driver to keep hardened crooks from getting inside the SUV.

While it’s hard to keep a straight face from all these descriptions, Dartz is quick to mention that the model that appeared at the Top Marques Monaco has been spoken for by a daughter of the Kazakh royal family, Princess Regina Abdurazakova from Kazakhstan.

Single ladies looking to ride to town in style should definitely hook themselves up with a Prombron Iron Diamond. At the very least, that chameleon-skin interior is a great conversation-starter.

Dartz Prombron Iron Diamond originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 3 May 2011 10:00 EST.

Abarth 500 "Motore Centrale R230" by Anzom

Kirby@topspeed.com(Kirby) — Sun, 1 May 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Aznom’s work on the Abarth 500 isn’t so much about the added output the little Italian hatch gets – 230 ponies for good measure – but more so on how they did it. You don’t get to wake up everyday and see an engine placed inside a clear, transparent box, do you? Yeah, we didn’t think so.

Traditionally a front-engine car, the folks over at Aznom decided to turn the Abarth hatch into a mid-engine, rear-drive vehicle, one that harkens back to the days of the original 500. Even better than rearranging the car’s overall set-up was the fact that the tuning company also tuned the car’s 1.4-liter turbo four engine all the way up to 230 horsepower and 243 lb/ft of torque. Figures may not mean much in a world littered with 300+ horsepower sports cars, but for a tiny hatch that weighs less than a ton, that’s a mighty impressive number.

Throw in other goodies like a new suspension with Bilstein dampers, upgraded brakes, and a set of Kumho tires, and you’ll have a car that’s going to make heads turn for all the right reasons. Let’s just all hope that the people over at Aznom won’t charge as hefty a price tag for the privilege of owning one in the future.

gallery: 2009 Fiat 500 Abarth

Abarth 500 "Motore Centrale R230" by Anzom originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 1 May 2011 06:00 EST.

Audi R8 V10 S.W.A.T Edition by MTM

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:00:00 GMT

The Top Marques Monaco isn’t just for luxury and super car automakers to display their newest creations; no, this event gets its fair share of tuning projects too. One project blindingly taking center stage in Monaco is this Audi R8 V10 by MTM. The German tuner took special care to prepare this sports car, S.W.A.T. style.

The Audi R8 V10 S.W.A.T Edition by MTM is based on the firm’s latest Biturbo version of the R8 that features a 5.0L V10 engine delivering an impressive 777 hp. This is just enough power to sprint the MTM R8 from 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, from 0 to 124 in 9.37 seconds, and allow it to hit a top speed of 217 mph. This special Audi R8 V10 S.W.A.T Edition features a 100% chrome wrap combined with a S.W.A.T theme. Considering S.W.A.T stands for Special Weapons and Tactics, we’re thinking the Audi could be the team’s special weapon.

Of course, it would be impractical to drive this thing to any emergency situation, but maybe it can be a gift for agent of the year or something along those lines. Either way, it is a shining example of what a tuner can accomplish when wanting a vehicle to stand out amongst the more grandoise vehicles at the Top Marques Monaco.

gallery: 2011 Audi R8 V10 Biturbo by MTM

Audi R8 V10 S.W.A.T Edition by MTM originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 14 April 2011 18:00 EST.

Melkus RS2000 GT and GTS

Kirby@topspeed.com(Kirby) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:00:00 GMT

We like the idea of niche automakers releasing limited-run models in the automotive market; it gives the whole entrée of choices some diversity. And it seems that in the past few months, more and more of these small-scale manufacturers have started to step forward to offer consumers an alternative to what we’re most often used to.

Melkus Sportwagen GmbH may not be the most popular carmaker in the world today, but nevertheless, the German brand still knows a thing or two about building a lightweight sports car. At the Top Marques in Monaco, Melkus will be introducing two new versions of the RS2000 sports car: the GT and GTS.

The two models are the latest iterations of the R2000 line, giving its customer base more powerful options to choose from. Both the RS2000 GT and RS2000 GTS will each come with state-of-the-art materials to go with more powerful engines.

Like we said, it’s hard to gauge the interest level on a car like this given its ‘niche’ status in the industry, but considering the way these cars are being presented, both the RS2000 GT and the RS2000 GTS could make strong impressions when they break cover in Monaco in a few days.

Details on the Melkus RS2000 GT and GTS after the jump.

Melkus RS2000 GT and GTS originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 12 April 2011 10:00 EST.

Soleil Anadi

Kirby@topspeed.com(Kirby) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Italian-American influences are prevalent in the world that we live in today, and the auto industry is just one example of it. In its long and storied history, the auto industry has produced a number of cars that share both an American and Italian lineage.

Today, the tradition is being brought back to life by some of the most exotic automakers on the planet and the Top Marques show in Monaco will play host to two of them. We’ve already touched on the Spada Codatronca Monza a few days ago. Today, we present to you the Soleil Anadi.

Now built under the Soleil Motors brand, the Anadi is actually the final version of a car that was three years in the making. Intially conceptualized by Ugur Sahin as a Corvette Z03 concept study back in 2008, the project gained some traction a year later when the designer began collaborating with tuning firm Mallett Cars in producing a one-of-a-kind Corvette-based supercar. After a few years of further development, the car, now christened as the Anadi, is scheduled to be introduced in one of the most prestigious auto shows in the world, the Top Marques in Monaco.

The car’s design has gone through some noticeable changes since it’s first rendering. Some of the most noticeable ones include a more aggressive rear end compared to the boxy Corvette-style rear end that was part of the first two designs. On the flip side, the Anadi’s front end is cleaner and more subdued than the aggressive, shark-like design of the past versions.

The folks over at Soleil were kind enough to send some photos our way, but if we want to get the full scoop on the Anadi, specifically what kind of powertrain sits under its hood, we’ll need to keep our seatbelts on and wait for the car’s official reveal at Monaco in a few weeks.

gallery: Corvette Z03 Concept by Ugur Sahin Design

gallery: 999hp Corvette Z03

Soleil Anadi originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 24 March 2011 15:00 EST.

Keating ZKR

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:00:00 GMT

The ambitious British supercar maker, Keating Supercars, first fell onto the radar in 2008 when they presented the world with their first two vehicles: the SKR and the TKR. Both cars featured V8 engines, but the power behind those engines was extravagantly different. The SKR was able to produce a measly (in comparison) 500hp while the TKR pushed out an extraordinary 1500hp. Now the British automaker is pushing the limits even more with the new ZKR delivering a mouth-watering 2200hp!

The supercar will be introduced to the world at the Top Marques Monaco in April 2011. This new supercar line will be powered by both supercharged and turbo-charged engines with power ranging from 600 to 2200 HP. Like with all other Keating models, the future ZKR will be hand-built on a monocoque chassis to help reduce the car’s center of gravity. Dual low lying fuel tanks are also positioned accordingly to increase chassis strength and performance.

More details will be revealed closer to the official launch.

Keating ZKR originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 20 December 2010 14:00 EST.

Video: Lexus LF-A, meet Monaco

Kirby@topspeed.com(Kirby) — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:00:00 GMT

When it comes to Monaco, there are only a certain number of cars that you can say fit in with the high-brow and elite stature of the city-state. No offense to these fellows, but Honda Civics and Mitsubishi Lancers aren’t exactly the type of cars residents of Monaco prefer to drive.

One car that definitely has a place in Monaco is the Lexus LF-A and it was present in full bloom at the 2010 Top Marques Monaco event. The folks over at GT-Spirit were even able to take the car out for a quick spin and even took the time to shoot this video of the supercar as it was being unloaded out of its trailer. Thanks to the enclosed space of the trailer, the sound of the LF-A’s monster V10 engine gets even louder.

If that revving engine doesn’t give you the chill bumps, we certainly don’t know what will.

Video: Lexus LF-A, meet Monaco originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 17 May 2010 21:00 EST.

Aston Martin DB5 wire sculpture can be had for 'only' £88,000

Kirby@topspeed.com(Kirby) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Posted on 04.20.2010 12:00 by Kirby
Filed under: Aston-Martin | Top Marques Monaco | history | Cars | Car News

For £88,000, you can probably buy a pretty good sports car along the lines of an Audi R8 or an Aston Martin V8 Vantage.

That or you can opt to make this purchase. The only problem is, while the latter is an Aston Martin, it actually doesn’t have a whole lot going for it.That being said, if you are one of those people that would shell out this much money on a work of art then this option may be the one for you.

Created by Swiss artist Dante, this DB5 sculpture is as rare as it gets - only 10 have been made - but it’s also quite a handful on the wallet. Scaled in 1:4 dimensions, Dante used a polished, piano black plinth for the base and even installed a lighting system, giving it somewhat of a sparkly glint anytime the lights are turned on. This scale model of the DB5 is scheduled to be unveiled at the Top Marques in Monaco, at which time, we’ll probably be hearing some fellow with deep pockets make what can only be described as a purchase done solely for the love of art.

Aston Martin DB5 wire sculpture can be had for 'only' £88,000 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 20 April 2010 12:00 EST.

BMW Shark by AG Excalibur

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:00:00 GMT

AG Excalibur - a Lithuanian tuner- presented the BMW Shark at the Top Marques Monaco. This car represents a tuning kit based on the BMW 6-Series featuring a red livery, white interior leather setup, and super-sized 30 inch wheels. And we can’t forget the front grill which looks like the BMW got a huge buck tooth.

Its true, Top Marques is a place for supercars designed with good taste and who feature impeccable lines, so a car like the Shark really has no place there. At the same time, Top Marques is a place for any kind of vehicular extravaganza and, in this case, we can understand why this car would take its place there.

The people who were there could only comment on how crazy this car was. That may have not been the reaction the tuner wanted to get, but the car still got some attention. We think that this may not be the best example of how bad publicity is still good publicity.

BMW Shark by AG Excalibur originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 16 April 2010 20:00 EST.

Dartz Kombat Prombron Monaco Red Diamond

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:00:00 GMT

After being announced at the beginning of April, the special edition Dartz Kombat Prombron Monaco Red Diamond made its debut today at the Top Marques Monaco.

The special edition T68 Kombat comes with a plethora of bad ass features including gold plated, bulletproof windows and bulletproof 22 inch alloys, a tungsten exhaust and tungsten badging and gauges, white gold gauges encrusted with precious gem stones, additional Kevlar coating, a Rogue Acoustic Audio System, and of course the leather is made from a whale’s organ for copulation. And, of course, the interior can be customized depending on the customer’s wishes.

This enormous SUV is powered by a V8 engine and can hit a top speed of 160 km/h. The crazy guys over at Dartz have been able to create this bullet-proofed, gargantuan Lego car. We figure we can take a look at this vehicle when we visit our local Toys R Us and check out the Lego display.

Dartz Kombat Prombron Monaco Red Diamond originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 15 April 2010 17:00 EST.

GTA Spano at Top Marques Monaco

Simona@topspeed.com(Simona), Alexander@topspeed.com(Alexander) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:00:00 GMT

The Spaniards definitely did something right when they designed and produced Spain’s version of the supercar, the GTA Spano. After making its debut at Valencia, the GTA Spano made its first public appearance today at the Top Marques Monaco. The supercar will be limited to only 99 units. It is powered by a monstrous V10 engine that snarls an impressive 780 HP and a torque of 920 NM. The GTA Spano’s chassis is a benchmark in the industry because of it combination of carbon, titanium and Kevlar. It makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in merely 3 seconds while top speed goes up to 217 mph.

One of the main GTA Spano innovations at Top Marques Monaco is its interior, which has a totally up-to-date design that transmits the car’s values; a sporting look which also renders luxury and comfort. Its interior design has been achieved with high-quality materials such as leather and carbon fiber. Among the main interior components is the remarkable LCD screen which is aptly located high on the dashboard and acts as a central rear-view mirror. The prevalent feature of the instrument panel is an LCD screen, which can be personalized according to the customer´s requirements and provides the driver with all the necessary information.

The GTA Spano gives the Ferrari 458 and the Lamborghini Murcielago a run for their money and speaking of money, if these three cars were to ever go head to head on the racetrack, our money would be on Sr. GTA Spano. The GTA Spano’s horsepower slaughters the 570hp of the Ferrari 458 and crushed the 670hp of the Lamborghini Murcielago. Ole!

Press release after the jump.

GTA Spano at Top Marques Monaco originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 15 April 2010 16:00 EST.

Special edition Dartz T68 Kombat Monaco Red Diamond Edition to be displayed at Top Marques Monaco 2010

Kirby@topspeed.com(Kirby) — Tue, 6 Apr 2010 10:37:00 GMT

The weird fascination for a whale’s genitalia continues with the soon-to-be unveiled Dartz T68 Kombat Monaco Red Diamond Edition.

To be unveiled at the Top Marques Monaco 2010 in two weeks, the special edition T68 Kombat comes with a plethora of bad ass features including gold plated, bulletproof windows and bulletproof 22 inch alloys, a tungsten exhaust and tungsten badging and gauges, white gold gauges encrusted with precious gem stones, additional Kevlar coating, a Rogue Acoustic Audio System, and of course – how can we forget – the whale ----leather interior.

The vehicle, which has already found a buyer, is poised to become one of the key attractions of the Top Marques Monaco 2010 when it opens its doors beginning April 15. In the meantime, here’s a teaser photo of the vehicle, accompanied by a pretty foxy young lady.

Special edition Dartz T68 Kombat Monaco Red Diamond Edition to be displayed at Top Marques Monaco 2010 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 6 April 2010 10:37 EST.