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.

Shelby GT500 Super Snake snagged in the wild

The massively-powerful Shelby GT500 Super Snake isn't going to officially debut until later this weekend at the Mid-America Ford Performance and Shelby Meet, but that hasn't stopped Mustang Evolution from snagging and posting the first real shots of the ride ahead of its big reveal. Its GT500KR looks are further augmented with Super Snake badging and blacked-out head and taillamps -- the whole package looks just menacing. Appropriate, when you consider it'll be available with up to 725 supercharged horses underhood. Daddy wants a pony for Father's Day...

Ripsaw MS1: Fastest two-track vehicle on terra firma?

This is the Ripsaw MS1, a scratch-built tracked vehicle created by Howe & Howe productions. It's very fast -- its 650-horsepower blown 427 CID V8 rockets it from 0-50 in 3.5 seconds and lets it run up to 80 mph. It's also very agile, sporting a suspension with fourteen inches of travel that lets it handle bumpy terrain with aplomb. In fact, the Howe & Howe guys say it's the fastest tracked vehicle anywhere. We can't verify that, but based on the video embedded after the jump, it's clear that the Ripsaw does indeed have some serious giddyup. Lastly, based on the photo above, it can probably be made to look like a Cobra H.I.S.S. tank with a some extra effort, increasing its awesome factor by an order of magnitude. Who do we write the check out to?

Follow the jump to see it in action!

Slimy red car found oozing on Russian city street

We've seen badly-painted cars before, some with store-bought spray cans and even some painted with brushes. But we've never, EVER, seen one painted with, um, what is that? Stucco? Bondo applied with a shovel-wielding 6-year-old? And, possibly more important, what WAS that? A Renault?

Going to the source (careful, link NSFW for some) of these photos didn't really help much, either. Not only was there little accompanying text, but it's all in (surprise!) Russian.

We look forward to hearing our readers' comments on this one, and would be very interested to hear from anyone who might have insight into this lumpy car's slimy background. And, yes, we know some of the other off-color things it might resemble, but let's keep things family-friendly.

Officially Official: 2008 Ford Shelby GT

Click image for photo gallery

Last week, the info leaked onto the web. Today, Ford made it official, announcing the 2008 Shelby GT, which will indeed me available as a convertible. Also, as reported previously, the only color available will be Vista Blue with GT Silver stripes. Convertibles get a light bar with supplemental bracing, and on all cars, the 18" polished Bullitt wheels complement things nicely.

A coupe will also be available, and total Shelby GT production for 2008 will be capped at 2,300 cars (over 6,000 '07s were produced). Everything else having to do with the car is a known commodity. The lower bumper is grabbed from the California Special, and the Shelby also gets an aluminum grille, hood pins, a (non-functional) scoop, Shelby badging outside, a number plate inside, and a cue-ball-topped Hurst shifter for cars with the 5-speed manual transmission. A 5-speed auto is also available. Horsepower is raised to 319 ponies and 330 lb-ft of torque thanks to the Ford Racing Performance Upgrade Package plus a revised exhaust, and the Ford Racing Handling Pack delivers a more sporting ride.

The Shelby GT will be formally introduced today at the Mid-America Ford Performance and Shelby Meet in Tulsa. Production at Carroll Shelby's Las Vegas facility begins in August, and pricing won't be announced until they begin showing up at dealers, who will gleefully slap a surcharge on them. Hang on to your wallets, kids.

Monroe Truck offers production version of Transformers' Ironhide

Of all the GM rides playing Autobots in Transformers, one of the favorites around here is Ironhide (above), who rolls as a completely tricked GMC TopKick 6500 pickup truck when he's not kicking ass, taking names, and intimidating Chihuahuas as the Autobots' weapons specialist. Monroe Truck Equipment, which modifies rides like the TopKick for business owners, has partnered up with Hasbro to offer the ultimate adult Transformers toy: a near-exact Ironhide replica (minus the giant transforming robot element, of course).

Ironhide buyers get twin big-rig-style smokestacks, 20" black wheels wearing massive tires in lieu of the TopKick's standard dualies, custom, powder-coated front and rear bumpers, and a monster winch up front. The only real differences we see on the Monroe Truck version are the amber running lights (Ironhide's are blue) and the non-aero (but more useful) mirrors. As for the look of horror on Prius drivers' faces when you thunder by in this thing, well, that's an intangible that you can't put a value on. Ironhide effing rules!

Former Chrysler design god Tom Gale joins Cerberus advisory team

Looks like Cerberus is getting the Chrysler band back together. Automotive News reports (sub. required) that the latest former Chrysler exec to come back is Tom Gale. You probably remember Gale as the force behind Chrysler's design revival in the 90s. Motor Trend recently called Gale "The man who helped Motown find its Mojo," which is hard to argue with when Gale is credited with bringing to life the Viper, Prowler, PT Cruiser and 300M.

This should be big news for anyone doubting the buyout by Cerberus. Gale is no bean counter brought in to cut the company to the bone. Gale is one of us. He's a car guy and hot rodder who started at Chrysler in 1968 as an engineer then moved into design. This is a very good sign for the new Chrysler and points to the possibility of amazing products in its future.

In fact, in Motor Trend's article (which is definitely worth a read, btw), Gale has a seemingly prescient quote.

"When you get the opportunity to be head of design, you should always try to get your company to the point where you're being proactive and the others have to react to what you're doing. That gets you design leadership. It's not something you can just proclaim; it's something you have to earn."

Welcome back, Tom. We can't wait to see what's up your sleeve.

It runs. It moves. The VW GTI W12 650 in motion

Click image for high-res gallery

Now, don't get too excited. This isn't some VW-produced promo video depicting the twin-turbocharged GTI W12 650 show car pushing ludicrous speeds on the Nürburgring or anything. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Here, we see it doing a run-through for a show presentation at low speed. It definitely sounds mean, though, with an exhaust note that we'd gladly listen to all day. Those aggressive looks haven't gotten old to anyone here yet, either. Come on, VW -- put it on a track with a professional camera crew and give us some real eye candy already. Let's see how it looks and sounds at something better than parade speed (assuming it's capable).

The Joker's in trouble: Batman's Batpod bike revealed

Most fans of the Dark Knight appreciated the overall tone of the latest film to feature Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, Batman. The emphasis on Wayne's transformation into the Caped Crusader gave Batman Begins a psychological edge and complexity that... oh, who am I kidding? It was the Tumbler that we all loved. Typically outrageous without being overly cartoonish, it was a reconfigurable warship on wheels. With a follow-up film on its way, it was inevitable that rumors about the newest Batmobile would eventually surface.

BB 2 will take the series further back to its roots by featuring one of Batman's greatest archenemies, The Joker (here's his pretty pathetic set of wheels). It will also, apparently, bring back another iconic Bat vehicle: the Batcycle. Actually it is called the Batpod and, thanks to Gizmodo, we have a couple of pics of this new Batride to share. Our first reaction was that it looks like half of the Tumbler, minus the bodywork with the same chunky tires and mutating layout. The Batpod also features huge cannons up front and no immediately identifiable engine. Speculation suggests wheel-mounted electric motors. It's definitely intimidating, although we're not sure how those wheels will affect its driveability. Some have also noted its resemblance to the Tomahawk, minus the Viper V10. Where that Chrysler show bike is pure muscle, this thing looks more military.

We'll get to see more of the Batpod when The Dark Knight rolls into theaters next summer. Or as soon as more pics surface.

New Ferrari Dino tipped to be at Frankfurt Auto Show

The on again off again entry-level Ferrari is back in the headlines, this time rumored to be making a showing at September's Frankfurt Auto Show, which is shaping up to be one of the hottest shows for sports car fans. German magazine AutoZeitung is betting that a new model to be called the Dino will be on display, a car designed to rival the Porsche 911 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage.

The Dino will likely feature a 400-hp mid-mounted V8 engine fed with cold air via two large inlets on the rear fenders. Top speed should be in excess of 185 mph with the 0-62 mph taking roughly four seconds. Additional features would be an F1-style gearbox, carbon-fiber brakes and a lightweight composite body. Adding to the speculation, Ferrari could also reveal the upcoming F430 Challenge Stradale in Frankfurt, as hinted by its Chairman Luca di Montezemolo earlier in the year.

In response, arch rival Lamborghini may unveil its own entry-level model with a new Gallardo V8 that was spotted recently by spy photographers circling the Nurburgring, as well as a Murciélago Superleggera seen in recent spy shots. In all, there's reported to be up to 22 different sports cars at the Frankfurt show, so if you're a car nut you better start saving those euros and taking German classes.

Autoblog Drives the Dodge Demon Concept

Click the image above to see our high-res Demon gallery with new pics

It's easy to be impressed by the sharp looks of the Dodge Demon concept, and the words "no-brainer" are often uttered when enthusiasts discuss whether the vehicle will actually hit the market. Even though it seems every other automaker is making a two-seater right now, we can't help but think there's room for Dodge's stunning mini-Viper. For now, however, all we have is the concept.

When we had the chance to pick from six Chrysler concepts, we didn't hesitate to single out the Demon first. A roadster on a beautiful summer morning always seems like a good choice, and considering the critical praise the Demon has received, we wanted to see just how close this baby feels to production. Well, the bad news is that it has a very, very long way to go. The gauges don't work, the chassis is go-kart jarring, and the doors feel like they're made of lead. In other words, it's a concept that wasn't ever meant to be driven, but given the chance we'd get behind the wheel every time.

Best looking Ferrari Dino guess yet

You have Turkish designer Ugur Sahin to thank for the Ferrari Dino Concept you see above. Sahin has nothing to do with Ferrari, and the car above is sprung from his imagination ... but if the actual Dino unveiled in Frankfurt happened to look just like this, we wouldn't be at all disappointed. His goal was to update the Dino while keeping the rounded styling language of and trademark rear window of the original. From our view, it's mission accomplished. The most interesting thing about the concept is that Sahin is actually studying international hotel management -- he only designs on the side. May we suggest a change of major, Mr. Sahin?

Good bye baby: Speeder pays ultimate price, loses Viper

If you're going to wrecklessly disregard traffic laws in the state of Illinois, make sure to do it in a Dodge Stratus.

The driver of a black 2000 Dodge Viper learned this lesson the hard way when he was clocked doing 127 MPH in a 35 zone. The clueless motorist was caught red-handed, but he decided that his 450 HP beast was quick enough to evade the long arm of the law. The driver then hid in a parking lot where he was later captured. The local law enforcement knows a compromising situation when they see one, so the fuzz decided to keep the pricey snake for their own as a promotional vehicle for D.A.R.E.

This is no doubt an extremely steep price to pay for a moving violation, but since the driver of the Viper disregarded the lives of others during the chase, the consequences could've been far worse.

Badass, Optimized: Edo Competion's Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

Click image for high-res gallery

The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 is a rolling monument to automotive badassedness. It's as if the Italians captured the mojos of Darth Vader, John Shaft, Jules from Pulp Fiction, Chow Yun Fat, Snake Plissken, Lawrence Taylor, Boba Fett and Dirty Harry Callahan and somehow turned them into a car.

Edo Competition found a way to make it better badder.

Think of it as adding a little Lee Van Cleef to the mixture, coaxing out an additional 23 horses for a grand total of 663. Zero to 60 mph runs should should take 3.4 seconds or less, and the Lambo tops out at 216 mph. The boost comes as a result of a reprogrammed ECU, high-flow air filters, performance cats, a new muffler with a stainless tip, and an exhaust butterfly valve that can be controlled remotely by the driver. The Murci's menacing bodywork is left largely undisturbed, save for a new rear wing with an adjustable lip on its trailing edge. Perhaps the best modification is the simplest: a Calvin sticker, shown at right, that communicates how the car's owner feels about the raging bull's competition from Maranello. And you thought those things only came in Ford and Chevy versions...

60th Anniversary Ferrari 612 Sessanta

Click image for photo gallery

To wrap up Ferrari's celebration of six decades of automotive porn, it took the wraps off a limited edition 612 Scaglietti dubbed the Sessanta -- Italian for "60."

Mechanically, the Sessanta is little more than a mildly massaged 612, sporting 19-inch forged aluminum wheels, black chrome exhaust tips and Ferrari's F1 gearbox. It's only when you open up the door and slip into the heavily bolstered seats that you get the sense that the Sessanta is something special.

The roof employs the three-position electrochromic glass that originally debuted in the Superamerica, which allows variable levels of light to swath an interior coated in custom leather by Frau. The steering wheel gets a start/stop button, the gauge cluster is a model-specific unit and in-car entertainment duties fall upon a Bose media setup that has a TV tuner and a rear-parking camera.

Appropriately, the Sessanta is limited to a run of 60, with the aforementioned mods, anniversary badging and choice of two colors: Grigio Scuro, a dark gray, and Rubino Micalizzato, what we're assuming is a dark burgundy.

We're hoping that one of these beauties makes its way over to Goodwood, so our man Frank can snap more pics than the few Ferrari made available.

Follow the jump for a video of the unveiling.

First Fisker finds a home

It's been a while since we've heard from the Southern California coachbuilding firm headed by Henrik Fisker, and sharing the ex-Aston designer's last name. Thankfully, it's good news.

The first vehicle to come out of the design house was delivered to the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance in Beverly Hills, California, and it's arguably the most desirable model Fisker "produces." The inaugural Latigo, based of the BMW 6-series, could've come with the 360 HP V8 found in the standard six, but the CS is built atop (around?) the M6, producing 648 HP from it's massaged V10 powerplant and able to reach 60 in a tic under four seconds.

Aside from the exterior and engine enhancements, the Latigo CS gets a custom interior, which adds to the exclusivity. That, and the $304,000 price tag.

2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed: Bugatti Royales

The Bugatti Royale was an interesting car. It was quite a novel idea for an automaker to build vehicles exclusively for royalty and heads of state, and though It's been 80 years since Bugatti introduced the Type 41 Royale, the cars look as stunning as ever. Altogether, six Royales were built. Five of them were at Goodwood this weekend. At first, they thought it was only going to be four (only four?), but the Henry Ford Museum came through and brought over the fifth one at the last minute. All of the cars are unique, but one stands out in particular. It's a stunning cream-colored two-door cab with coachwork by Weinberger. Very beautiful.

Two of the other four Royales had to have special leave granted by the French authorities. They are normally on permanent display at the Musée National de l'Auto (Collection Schlumpf) in Mulhouse, France. The fourth Royale came directly from Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., and the last, the Kellner Coupé, was on loan from its owner. That's $60 million worth of cars gathered under one tent. Big and powerful (they have huge 300 hp, 12,763 cc engines), $60 million is a heck of a lot of money for five cars, but they seem so worth it in person. Not to sound greedy or anything, but it's a shame the American owner of the last Royale couldn't be persuaded to put his on display as well. Seeing one is rare, two is almost impossible, but five is simply unimaginable. Only the full roster of six could have topped it.

Electric car builders can still love speed

Just because Tesla Motors is going to build plug-in electric cars exclusively, it doesn't mean the people involved in the company see cars as a necessary evil like some environmentalists do. In an AutoblogGreen interview CEO Martin Eberhard explained that the reason he got the whole project going in the first place was because he wanted a fun to drive car that was clean. That's why they built the Roadster around a modified version of the Lotus Elise chassis and suspension.

Martin isn't alone in his need for speed. Tesla VP of Marketing, Darryl Siry's garage currently includes a '73 Datsun 240Z, a '73 Corvette Stingray convertible and most recently his '02 M3 was replaced by a '06 Mitsubishi EVO IX. Unlike most people with fast cars, Darryl actually gets his equipment to the track fairly regularly and the cars are generally modified for that environment. Darryl's most recent post on his car blog includes photos of his Ducati Monster 1000 S2R and some of the mods he's performed on that machine.

Nothelle's 520 HP Bi-turbo Audi TT

Click the image above for a gallery.

Renowned Audi tuner Nothelle has dubbed its latest creation a "Porsche-killer." A lofty title, but considering the amount of effort that was expelled on boosting the 3.2-liter V6 from 250 HP to 520 HP, it will certainly keep pace with its cross-town rival in a straight line.

The firm's kit for both the hardtop and cabrio TT employs a bi-turbo arrangement to produce the aforementioned horsepower bump and a tire-decimating 468 ft.-lbs. of torque to propel the Bauhaus two-door to a top speed of 191 MPH. The suspension has been firmed up with the company's coilover suspension that drops the TT 25mm overtop 20-inch rolling stock.

The exterior gets a body to match its extreme performance, utilizing a three-piece front fascia, along with side skirts and a trio of aero elements in the rear to increase downforce at speed.

More information about all the options provided by Nothelle is in the press release after the jump.

Sunred SR08: Spain's supercar attempt

SunRed, an automotive development company based in Spain, made news recently when they revealed one of the strangest solar-powered motorcycles ever. But the company isn't just into two-wheeled conveyances. When they unveiled their bike at the Barcelona Motor Show, they also debuted their next foray into extreme machines: the SR08.

The firm's new supercar is being developed to campaign in the FIA GT1 series, with a limited run of 10 vehicles to reach homologation requirements. The carbon fiber monocoque stretches over 16 feet long and about three and a half feet tall, and gets motivation courtesy of a 500 HP V10 mounted amidships. Carbon ceramic brakes, with 380 mm discs and six-piston calipers, put the kibosh on kinetic energy, while adjustable Ohlins ensure that body roll is kept to an absolute minimum.

With a power to weight ratio of 4.85 lbs./hp, the SR08 can theoretically reach 60 in under three and a half seconds, and on to a top speed of 300 km/h.

Renderings of the SunRed SR08 are available in the gallery and you can check out some live shots by following the "Read" link below.

Civilian Espionage! 2009 Challenger caught with cameraphone

Hot on the heels of Brenda Priddy & Co's new shot of the Challenger comes this great profile shot of a different mule taken by member "98Formula" at the LS1GTO.com forums. What's so encouraging here is just how faithful the overall shape of the car is to the concept. The retro profile is completely intact, and those sizeable wheels and tires look just right. According to the photographer, this car was snagged on 1-75 in Auburn Hills, MI. He said it sounded good, as its driver would give it throttle every so often, goosing the HEMI underhood. The cladding obscures everything aft of the doorline, so whether or not the production car keeps the show car's pillarless look remains a mystery. We sure hope it does, but the preproduction shells that made the web rounds back in April suggest that could possibly not be that case. That all said, this thing's looking pretty good so far. Expect plenty more sightings, as we now know there are at least two running around in the wild.

Daimler Super Eight refresh unveiled

As goes the Jaguar XJ, so does its Daimler-badged luxo-cousin. The last Daimler Super Eight bowed in 2005, and was essentially a very loaded-up and luxury-oriented XJ sedan sporting a six-figure price tag. Now that the XJ has undergone an update, it makes sense that the Daimler Super Eight does as well. Power comes from the same 400 hp 4.2L supercharged V8 as before. The bodywork, like the XJ's, is made of aluminum, and the rest of the changes are in the details, like standard 19" wheels instead of 18-inchers (dubs are now an option, too), a freshened grille, and new front and rear bumpers. Backseat passengers still enjoy plenty of legroom and copious amounts of leather and wood. Rear-seat entertainment (DVD, MP3 compatibility, etc.) is also part of the deal, and occupants' shoes will have the privilege of soiling lambswool carpets embroidered with the Daimler "D" logo.

VIDEO: Scale-model R/C off-roading

We like offroading vids as much as anyone, because they show just how much many of the SUVs we roll in are actually capable of. We're also suckers for cool toys, and the video that follows the jump combines both of these interests to great effect. Pretty cool stuff...enjoy.

Live from the Ford Dearborn Development Center: 2008 model preview

It's that time of year when all the carmakers want to show off their latest wares for the upcoming model year and Ford invited the media out to their Dearborn Development Center to try out some of what's new for 2008. Before we got a chance to actually hop in the vehicles and find out what's what, we had to sit through a couple of speeches.

First up was Group Vice President, North America Marketing, Sales and Service Cisco Codina with a rundown on Ford's marketing efforts. In spite of all Ford's struggles of late there are a few bright spots. The company's crossovers are flourishing as well as proliferating with the sales of the redesigned Escape up thirteen percent in June and the Edge recently moving into the top spot in it's category ahead of the Toyota Highlander. According to Cisco, the new Taurus has over 501 improvements compared to the Five Hundred. Five hundred of them came from the engineers with one coming from marketing in the form of a new name. So far response to the new Taurus seems positive with Automotive Leasing Group estimating that the Taurus will retain 49% of it's value after three years, up from a figure in the mid thirties for the old model.

Next up was Derrick Kuzak, the Group Vice President, Global Product Development for Ford. Derrick gave us an outline of some of the product changes for 2008. Since Ford appears to be trailing behind the competition, particularly GM, in getting exciting new product to market, over the next couple of years they're pulling ahead some of the features which might normally be saved for furure models. For example, the F-150 is getting the new mid-box storage system in the final year of it's product cycle before a redesign for 2009. The F-150s are also getting an integrated cargo management system in the bed and a backup assist system that displays the output of a rear camera in the rearview mirror. Another feature that will be showing up in eleven models for 2008 and rolled out the rest of the lineup in the next couple of years is Ford Sync, which was also shown in Detroit.

Moving forward, Derrick said that Ford is speeding up its product development process and focusing on areas like better interior quality, reduced noise, and better overall quality. An example of the attention to detail is the notches on the upper surface of the new Taurus mirror housing. They provide an aesthetic design detail, but they also provide an aerodynamic improvement and reduce the wind noise from the mirror by four percent. Lots of efficiency improvements are coming as well. Ford will be putting their vehicles on a major diet after some recent vehicles have become decidedly porky, particularly the Edge.

Major powertrain improvements are also coming in the next couple of years with Twin-Force technology playing a major part, especially when mated to Powershift gearboxes. Powershift is Ford's name for dual clutch gearboxes like the Volkswagen DSG. Twin-Force first appeared in January under the hood of the Lincoln MKR concept with the twin turbocharged, direct-injected 3.5L V-6. Ford will be applying direct injection and turbos to a whole range of four and six-cylinder engines between now and 2011 to improve efficiency and make the output of smaller gas and flex-fuel engines match that of larger engines. Again this is the same pattern VW has taken with their TSI engines that can achieve up to 200hp form a 1.4L four cylinder. Kuzak says that Ford can approach the efficiency of diesels with the setup at a much lower cost, since they don't need the fancy exhaust after-treatment systems.

After Derrick was done, it was time to drive. Ford had four driving areas setup to evaluate different aspects of the vehicles. First up was an autocross course set up on the vehicle dynamics area. A mixed group of FWD and AWD Fusions, Milans and an MKZ were on hand for this event. Nearby were some F-150s to demonstrate the backup assist system.

After that it was off to the high-speed loop where a wider variety of cars and trucks, including the Lariat Limited and Harley-Davidson F-150s, were lined up alongside coupe and convertible Shelby GT Mustangs and both 2007 and 2008 Escapes and Mariners. For safety reasons, we were limited to 65mph on the loop. The older Escapes and Mariners were provided so that we could evaluate the improvements on the new models back to back.

Over at the steering and handling track, the F-150s were replaced by Edges and MKXs joining the V-6 and GT Mustangs and Escape and Mariner Hybrids. This track allowed us to experience a Sunday drive in the country with a variety of twists, turns and elevation changes. As you might expect, the topless Mustang was clearly the preferred ride for this event, although none of the vehicles embarrassed themselves. Of course that should be expected since they were designed and developed here.

Finally we hit the straightaway, claimed to be the straightest, flattest roadway in North America. Here Ford had the Taurus, Taurus X and Sable alongside their ancestors the Five Hundred, Montego and Freestyle. Ford also had some technology demonstrations for their Sync and Direct Fuel System. You might notice that the Ford Focus was not mentioned here. That's because there were none available to drive. Two 2008 Focuses were on static display with one being used for Sync demos so we'll have to wait for driving impressions. We'll have full reports and videos on how the individual vehicles performed over the next couple of days, so stay tuned.