Can't wait for the Giugiaro Mustang? Here's another Italian thoroughbred

First, let's get a few things straight. The U69 is an American muscle car modified by an Italian tuner and vehicle importer that goes by the name UK Garage and is based in Milan.

Under the hood, this tuned pony car packs a supercharged version of Ford's quadcam 4.6L V8 that develops 490hp and is mated to a five speed manual gearbox. Top speed is a claimed 174mph, while the 0-62mph is done in just 4.3 seconds. If all this seems too much, a less powerful naturally aspirated version with 330hp is also available, as is an automatic transmission, but the less powerful motor reduces 0-62mph times to 5.4s. The car also comes with an Eibach lowering kit and a Borla Superflow exhaust.

Interested buyers will have to scrounge up the equivalent of $74,000 for the Italian Mustang, and then make the tough decision of what color to pick from a choice of either yellow, red, white, orange, or silver.

[Source: Autoblog.it]

Another Smuggled Audi Sketch: Audi A7

They started with the Audi R8 targa and A1, now the UK's Car magazine is completing its sketchy trifecta with a drawing of what could be the Audi A7. They say an insider smuggled the art from Audi's design studio in Ingolstadt, (though there's little information verifying the images' veracity). Nonetheless, the A7 is Audi's answer to coupish four-door models like the Mercedes CLS and coming Porsche Panamera, with an expected sleek, swoopy body shape and mechanicals lifted from the next A6. Car says the A7 will be fitted with a new steering rack, multilink suspension and a quattro system that's biased to the rear -- a much-anticipated novelty that may put a damper on Audis' notorious understeer. Under the hood will be the usual suspects: 3.0-liter six and 4.2-liter eight, and an expected S7 will likely get the typical Lambo-derived V10, though speculation extends to an RS7 with a twin-turbo ten banger. We'll see the result early next decade. [Car]

Mitsubishi to Unveil Concept-cX at Frankfurt Show

An Evo SUV? It may be the answer to an unasked question, but such a vehicle exists in the form of Mitsubishi's latest concept car. The company announced it's unveiling a prototypical SUV based on its Concept-X, the style concept that begat its latest-generation Lancer Evo X. It's dubbed the Concept-cX, and it employs a new 1.8-liter clean turbodiesel engine hooked to Mitsubishi's electronically controlled 4WD system and new Twin Clutch SSG (sport shift transmission), which will be available on the Evo X. It's another environmentally sensitive style play, with interior trim materials made from bamboo and plant-based resins. Baby pandas will totally dig it.

Mitsubishi Concept-cX for Frankfurt

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Press Release:

Tokyo, July 30, 2007 -- Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and its European unit Mitsubishi Motors Europe B.V. will unveil The MITSUBISHI Concept-cX* at the 62nd Internationale Automobil Ausstellung (IAA; commonly known as the Frankfurt Motor Show) in September. Held at the Frankfurt Messe Complex, the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show will be open to the public from September 15 through 23, with press and media pre-viewing September 11 through 14.

The MITSUBISHI Concept-cX represents a new-generation compact SUV, realizing an ideal balance between environmental and everyday practical performance. The concept car uses a new high-output, high-efficiency 1.8-liter clean diesel engine, featuring a variable geometry (VG) turbocharger for optimum boost control and a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) with diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the exhaust system for compliance with Europe's Euro 5 emission standards. Mitsubishi's new Twin Clutch SST (Sport Shift Transmission) adds superior power transmission efficiency for a powertrain that delivers nimble performance alongside excellent fuel economy and low emissions. Among the number of new environmental technologies applied in the Concept-cX is the extensive use of interior trim materials made from Mitsubishi's own Green Plastic -- made from bamboo and other plant-based resins -- in a step to stop global warming and slow the depletion of our oil reserves.

MITSUBISHI Concept-cX offers a number of proposals for better utility and road performance. Its high seating position expands the driver's field of view, providing the drivability expected in a SUV; the 4100 mm compact body makes for easy maneuvering around town; and the split tailgate -- already well received on other Mitsubishi models -- makes for easy loading and unloading of luggage. In the performance department, Concept-cX uses Mitsubishi's electronically controlled 4WD system driven through large 225/45R19 tires to deliver intuitive handling and outstanding stability on all road surfaces.

Great Scott! Could new DeLoreans be coming?

There's still a Delorean Motor Company, but it's not in the business of building new vehicles. At least not yet. The Texas-based firm purchased a lot of the assets of John DeLorean's original entity when it went belly-up, and it, along with its regional affiliates, does a brisk business keeping the dream alive. There are about 6,500 of the 9,000 DeLoreans produced still out there, but stocks of viable restoration candidates are petering out. Every time some child of the 1980s builds a replica of the Back To The Future time machine, we lose another candidate to stupidity. The recreations do serve to keep the popularity of the gullwing GTs up, we suppose, but the modifications required end up making a car that is more conspicuous than a bright red Maybach in Amish country.

My overbearing opinion out of the way, the crux of the biscuit is that DeLorean Motor Company may soon start building new DeLoreans. They'll be produced as kit cars, side-stepping the tighter restrictions placed on truly serial-produced cars. Once DeLorean Motor Company has cleared its plate of restoration work, likely by March or April 2008, it'll start on the new cars. We'll be keeping our eye on what materializes on the DMC front – being old enough to have seen BTF in the theatres, of course we've got a lust to have a DMC-12 sitting in our driveway, whether or not we have the optional Mr. Fusion installed.

Thanks to tipster Doug.

[Source: LA Times]

Is The Joker Car From The New Batman Movie...A Truck?

Our gadget-obsessed brothers snagged some pics of a vehicle a tipster snapped shots of at a filming location for the new Batman movie. The boys at the Giz believe it's the vehicle for Joker from the new movie. We're not so sure and although it's certainly bigger than the new ride for Batman kind of feel like it could be one of the "secondary" vehicles. We're still hoping for a purple 1950's Plymouth ourselves.

Porsche Sportec SP580

What's 100 horsepower between stoic, cross-border acquaintances? That's exactly what Switzerland's Sportec has accomplished vis à vis their Teutonic neighbor's Porsche 911 Turbo. It's the SP580, a title comprising the tuner porker's horsepower figure. The top kit among three stages of tweakage includes a turbo upgrade, ECU hack, stainless-steel exhaust system with high-flow catalytic converters and quad tailpipes. Torque measures 564 lb-ft, providing enough thrust to hit 60 mph from a stop in 3.4 seconds, and reach a v-max of 210 mph. Stiffer suspension tune and a body kit complete the Helvetic additionals. Expect some manner of international throwdown on the E41 autobahn to Stuttgart. [Autoblog.it]

Abarth roadster on way

A new baby roadster which will wear the famous Abarth SS badge is on the drawing board

Distinctive two-tone paintwork to join black bonnet

And believe it or not, the pretty two-seater shares its underpinnings with the Fiat Panda.

Designed in Turin, home of the giant Italian car manufacturer, it has a proposed price tag of just over £12,000. Under the bonnet is a 100bhp 1.4-litre engine, which gives peppy performance thanks to the roadster’s lightweight construction. The new project also includes scope for a more powerful 150bhp 1.4-litre turbo version in the future.

Fiat relaunched the famous Abarth brand at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, where both road and race-going versions of the Grande Punto were displayed on a special stand. The SS project features a distinctive two-tone red and white paintjob, like the Geneva show cars, as well as a traditional black bonnet.

The project – which is the work of the European Institute of Design in Turin – could provide a useful toe-dipping exercise for a future Abarth-only model. There are currently no further plans for a small roadster in the firm’s product schedule, but Fiat is one of the most ambitious car makers in Europe and will be fully aware of its potential.

For the time being, though, its scorpion-badged offshoot is focused on developing uprated versions of more mainstream Fiat cars.
As well as a hot Grande Punto, engineers at the evocative tuning division have been spotted testing a 500 city car at the famous Nürburg-ring circuit in Germany. It will make its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show later this year, before hitting British showrooms in 2008.

However, the SS isn’t the first proposal for a roadster spin-off using the Panda’s underpinnings. Leading coachbuilder Bertone unveiled the Barchetta Concept at the Geneva Motor Show in March, which was also based on the Panda 100HP platform.

More on the 9ff GT9 and its Veyron-beating record attempt

It's been a few months since we've heard anything out of the 9ff camp regarding its attempt to unseat the Bugatti Veyron's top speed record. Thankfully, the German Car Blog was able to translate an article from Bild.de that reveals a bit more about the 900 HP, slicker-than-snot road rocket.

Only 20 copies of the GT9 will be produced, with a hefty price tag of 476,000 euros. One gentleman from Arabia has already placed an order, with the only caveat being that it can eclipse the 400 km/h mark.

With over 900 HP being created from the 4.2-liter flat-six, coupled with a roof that's been chopped by 12 cm and a body extended by 30 cm, the chances of it beating the Veyron during its record attempt at the Nardo test track in Italy are good. We'll have to wait and see later this year.

German Car Blog

Toyota SARD entering Supra HV-R hybrid racer in Tokachi 24 hours

Last year, Toyota Team SARD fielded a race-prepped Lexus GS450h in the Tokachi 24-hour enduro. The Lexus went the distance, finishing 4th in its class and 17th overall. The 2007 edition of the contest is set for July 15th, and SARD will be back with another hybrid-powered machine. This year, however, it's going to be decidedly racier -- a Supra, to be exact. It would appear that the SARD folks are looking to possibly win it this time around. The newly-announced Denso SARD Supra HV-R began its life as a Supra GT racing car and will be powered by a hybridized Super GT-spec 3UZ-FE V8 displacing 4,480cc that dishes out 480 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque.

The hybrid system for the car will incorporate regenerative braking, a pair of 10kW in-wheel motors up front and a 150kW motor at the rear. It'll weigh in at a little over 2300 pounds. The provisional race livery was revealed in the artwork shown above, and we'll have more whenever SARD rolls out the finished car. Not a bad way to make use of a retired racer, eh? SARD currently runs the Denso Lexus SC430 in Japan's Super GT series, too.

KTM X-Bow: 1000 pre-orders and counting...

The funky-minimalist-cool KTM X-Bow is proving to be a roaring sales success, and it's not even out yet. On Thursday, KTM announced that it has eclipsed the 1000-car mark in pre-orders, and that more continue to flow in, surpassing the company's expectations. And why not? The Audi TFSI-powered X-Bow is mean-looking, fast, and exclusive. After the initial pilot series of 100 Dallara-built cars is complete, the regular production run at Magna Steyr in Germany will begin. With a projected maximum annual capacity of 1000 cars, it would appear that the entire first-year run is spoken for already. Plans announced back in April stated that subsequent years will likely see annual production of around 500 cars. If the demand for the X-Bow remains this hot, one wonders if KTM will try and boost that number to meet it.

Cars can be reserved via the X-Bow website or at KTM motorcycle dealers. The press release after the jump has all the details.