TopSpeed Daily Update |  |
- Video: Rare Gumpert Apollo crashes at Goodwood Festival of Speed
- BMW M3 by Active Autowerke
- Rumormill: Jaguar Producing F-Type GT3 Racecars
- Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster
- Mercedes CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake
- Rumormill: Alpine Brand may not be Just a Concept for Much Longer
- YouTuber inadvertently captures Pagani Zonda R Evolution at Nordschleife
- Video: RallyCross Driver Comes up a Little Short on his Jump
- Video: Big Muscle Checks out an Unusual Chevelle Build
| Video: Rare Gumpert Apollo crashes at Goodwood Festival of Speed Posted: 02 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT
With the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed well under way and the fact that million dollar supercars race up the short hillclimb seemingly continually throughout each and every day of the event, it was only a matter of time before Goodwood's first 2012 crash occurred. Rather than it being a cheap-to-repair hot hatch, the car involved in this serious incident was none other than an ultra-rare Gumpert Apollo in the closing meters of the hillclimb. The crash was captured on film, and the above video displays the true severity of the crash in which both the driver and passenger suffered minor injuries. No official cause for the crash has been identified thus far, but it seems pretty obvious to us that the driver went into the left-handed bend with a little too much speed which prompted the rear-end to step out, resulting in the car sliding uncontrollably into the hay barrier. Fortunately, this relatively soft crash barrier would have helped reduce the impact of the crash, while the Apollo's carbon fiber monocoque undoubtedly played a role in protecting both occupants. A commenter on Shmee150's blog has claimed that the female passenger was stuck in the car for upwards of an hour before being admitted to hospital for no less than 5 hours with bruises. Video: Rare Gumpert Apollo crashes at Goodwood Festival of Speed originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 2 July 2012 15:00 EST.
| ||
| Posted: 02 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT
Saudi Arabia and the surrounding areas comprising the Middle East has become quite the haven for exotic super cars. As an extension, a number of tuning companies have also made their way in that region, including one that has just taken a BMW M3 and added a little demonic touch to it. Built by Strasse Forged Wheels in partnership with Active Autowerke, this particular M3 has plenty of what you’d want to put into your German sports coupe. The first order of business was the aesthetic and aerodynamic kit and modifications were done to ensure that it looks the part of an aftermarket wonder. A factory frozen black paint finish was applied to the body to give it a more menacing appearance. From there, a carbon fiber hood and trunk was added courtesy of Arkym while Revozport was responsible for the carbon front lip, carbon fiber rear diffuser, and carbon fiber mirrors. There’s also a Performance M3 Control Arm upgrade, a new set of 20" Strasse Forged Deep Concave SM7 wheels with matte black centers, titanium brushed lips, gloss blank inner barrels, and a race-prep weight reduction package. From there, the modifications turned to the engine and that’s where Active Autowerke comes came into the picture, thanks to a Stage 2 supercharger kit that jumped the output of the car’s 4.0-liter V8 engine from 420 horsepower all the way up to an impressive 625 horsepower. By the way, those red headlights are just pure evil. Pure, pure evil. BMW M3 by Active Autowerke originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 2 July 2012 14:00 EST.
| ||
| Rumormill: Jaguar Producing F-Type GT3 Racecars Posted: 02 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT
Finally, the Jaguar F-Type made its public debut at Goodwood and tackled the hill climb with its 380-horsepower, 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 whistling away and its top down. Unfortunately, the Jag was still wearing its rather funky looking camo, but it's easy to get a good idea of what we are going to see once it's officially released. Its appearance at Goodwood and its hill climb run is not the only F-Type talk going around. Recently, an unconfirmed rumor has come about that has all of us auto junkies’ interest on high alert. Supposedly, Jaguar is cooperating with Williams F1 to build 20 racing spec F-Types. The rumored intention for these racing spec F-Types is to enter in the FIA's GT3 competition. According to the rumors, which are fueled by AutoExpress, the GT3 F-Types will not have the factory 3.0-liter under the hood, but rather a 500-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine. This is anticipated to get the F-Type to 60 mph in just shy of 4 seconds and pump its top speed up to nearly 200 mph. As we said, these are completely unconfirmed rumors, but seeing a race-ready F-Type would not surprise us. It would also help increase public awareness in this new Jag on the market. We'll keep a close eye on this situation and let you know if any additional rumors or hard facts become available. Rumormill: Jaguar Producing F-Type GT3 Racecars originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 2 July 2012 13:00 EST.
| ||
| Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster Posted: 02 Jul 2012 05:00 AM PDT
After being rumored for about three years now, the new V12 Vantage Roadster is finally here! Aston Martin hasn’t released any details on it just it, but the first official images and specs have already surfaced the web. Before you get too excited, we have to tell you that this news comes with a dark side: the new V12 Vantage Roadster will be limited to only 101 units making it almost as exclusive as the One-77 and the V12 Zagato supercars. Just like the coupe version, the V12 Vantage Roadster will be powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine that delivers an amazing 510 HP and 420 lbs-ft of torque. Unlike the coupe, however, the new roadster has received a few updates: a revised rear deck lid with a re-designed spoiler, a redesigned front air gurney, and modified front and rear suspensions. These changes were made in order to ensure that the open-top version would have the same aerodynamic results as the coupe. UPDATE 07/02/2012: This review has been updated with the official details and images on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster. Hit the jump for the full review on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster. Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 2 July 2012 12:00 EST.
| ||
| Mercedes CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake Posted: 02 Jul 2012 04:00 AM PDT
When Mercedes unveiled the Shooting Brake Concept last year, we didn’t think there was any way we would see it hit production lines, but recent spy shots have proved us wrong. After all, if Ferrari can come out with the FF, why shouldn’t Mercedes release a Shooting Brake version for the CLS? Our spy photographers have only caught the standard version testing, but we jumped at the chance to render a possible AMG version of the future Shooting Brake model. The new model will be the perfect vehicle for those who want to combine a standard family car with the sportiness of the CLS 63 AMG sedan. Just like the sedan version, should expect a more aggressive design language defined by a V-shaped bonnet, a more powerful front apron, larger air intakes, an AMG rear apron with black diffuser insert, and dual twin chrome tailpipes. Under the hood, there will be the same 5.5-liter V8 biturbo engine that delivers 525 HP and 516 lbs-ft of torque and mated to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission and Controlled Efficiency stop/start function. The new CLS Shooting Brake is expected to make its world debut in the summer of 2012, with sales to begin shortly after. UPDATE 07/02/2012: The recent launch of the new CLS Shooting Brake didn’t open any doors on what the AMG version has in store for us, but Mercedes has decided to drop a cool teaser video of the upcoming CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake to quench our thirst for knowledge. Judging by the fact that the car is completely uncovered in this video, we expect to see it launched very soon. Mercedes CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 2 July 2012 11:00 EST.
| ||
| Rumormill: Alpine Brand may not be Just a Concept for Much Longer Posted: 02 Jul 2012 03:00 AM PDT
  We love gossip just about as much as a 16-year-old schoolgirl, but our gossip is about [ahem] manly stuff; you know? Things like the rumor out of France that Renault will in fact re-launch the Alpine brand that it shuttered up a little less than two decades ago. You read that right, the Alpine sports car brand is returning… if the rumors are true. According to comments made by Renault chief of design, Laurens van den Acker, the French automaker is trying to develop a car that is more similar to the A110Berlinette from the `60s and `70s and that it is trying to do with Alpine what BMW has done with MINI. Now, before you go getting all excited about seeing a production model of the A110 concept, you can scratch that, as Renault wanting a design similar to the `60s and `70s Alpine A110 nixes that possibility. To add some validity to the reports, Jean-Pascal Dauce, Renault's motorsports department head, was reported saying that they anticipate producing 5,000 to 10,000 Alpines per year. Rumors also point to this limited lineup of sports cars running between €35,000 and €40,000 ($44,000 to $50,000), which makes them relatively attainable. The final tidbit of info leaked is that Renault is anticipating its release to occur sometime in 2015. Unfortunately, there is no information on whether the new Alpine lineup will be available in the U.S. or not. We are certainly hoping that it does, given what we have seen from the A110 concept. We'll keep you posted on anything else that comes across the rumormill. Rumormill: Alpine Brand may not be Just a Concept for Much Longer originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 2 July 2012 10:00 EST.
| ||
| YouTuber inadvertently captures Pagani Zonda R Evolution at Nordschleife Posted: 02 Jul 2012 02:00 AM PDT
Prior to Pagani officially unveiling the Zonda R Evolution to the public at the ongoing Goodwood Festival of Speed event in the U.K, GHPixx managed to capture the Evo at what's sure to be its new home in the coming months, the Nordschleife. Shot on the June 26th, very few car aficionados would have been able to identify the car as the Zonda R Evolution, as our good friend Marchettino already falsely claimed to capture the Evo a couple of weeks ago. Nevertheless, this is a mighty spot and in addition to the Zonda R Evo doing the rounds at the 'Ring, a Pagani Huayra was also seen shadowing the Zonda R Evolution, suggesting that the Italian company may be planning to run both cars around 'Green hell' with record lap times in mind in the coming days and weeks. Sounding just as incredible as the 'standard' Zonda R, the Evolution variant is said to produce 760BHP, although some sites have claimed output to be as high as 800HP from its modified 6.0-liter AMG-sourced V12 engine. Whichever it is, the Evolution is unquestionably faster than its predecessor and should eclipse the R's record-setting Nurburgring lap time captured a couple of years ago. YouTuber inadvertently captures Pagani Zonda R Evolution at Nordschleife originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 2 July 2012 09:00 EST.
| ||
| Video: RallyCross Driver Comes up a Little Short on his Jump Posted: 01 Jul 2012 04:00 PM PDT
We told you before exactly how awesome RallyCross really is. It's full of carnage, contact, and even bicycle ramps. Well, on the flip-side of that coin is extreme danger, especially where the jumping part is concerned. At the X-Games RallyCross running this year, there was a jump with a 50-foot gap and clearing that is typically not a problem. Well, RallyCross rookie, Toomas Heikkinen, found out just what can happen if you take the jump a little too slowly. As Toomas exits his jump, you can tell something just isn't quite right. Your feeling would be accurate too, as he slams headfirst into the landing ramp, absolutely destroying his car and landing upside down. Toomas managed to get out of his flipped Ford Fiesta, as it spewed fluids and fortunately got out prior to it catching fire. Also fortunate is the fact that Toomas escaped with his life, though he does have a broken ankle and some abdominal pain, according to X-Games representatives, to deal with. This means that he will likely not compete in the remainder of the X-Games, but you never know about these RallyCross guys. Our best wishes go out to Heikkinen for a speedy recovery and a successful return from his injury. Since he is doing well, we feel some good video of the crash is in order. There are two different angles of the crash, with the first being the best, and you can just imagine how much that wreck hurt. The best video is above and the alternate angle is after the jump. Video: RallyCross Driver Comes up a Little Short on his Jump originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 1 July 2012 23:00 EST.
| ||
| Video: Big Muscle Checks out an Unusual Chevelle Build Posted: 01 Jul 2012 11:00 AM PDT
I am a huge fan of the Chevelle and it's definitely my favorite muscle car, but there is a limit to my love, and that limit stops after the 1972 model year. Not only did the Chevelle get strangled by 1973 Emission regulations, but Chevy also gave the Chevelle a very poor redesign. Those two happenings were pretty much the death of the Chevelle and ultimately resulted in most of us not thinking of the Chevelle beyond its first and second generations. So when we read about a third-gen Chevelle that has been modified and restored, we just have to have a look. Big Muscle gave us a great look at Sean Rich's 1973 Chevelle Pro Touring and we received a nice surprise. Under the hood is a bad-ass 350 cubic-inch V-8 that's good for about 400 ponies, which is just enough to give this 4,000-pound sedan a little pop, but not enough to get you into trouble. It also boasts 17 x 9-inch Crager Soft-8 wheels on the front, wrapped in 285/40R17 tires and 17 x 10.5-inch Crager Soft-8 wheels on the rear with 315/35R17 tires. All of that extra meat helps this massive sled actually take corners with some confidence. In addition, Rich installed 6-piston front calipers, but left the rear drum brakes. He also installed a Tremec T-56 transmission to toss those 400 ponies to the rear wheels. What really sets this car off is its dark theme. It boasts a coat of perfectly laid dark grey paint and the rims are a very similar dark grey color. This allows the Chevelle to look good without adding too much focus on the awkward 1973 styling. It's a far better choice of color than the bright yellow that Rich originally painted it, that's for sure. Check out the above video to see Big Muscle's full piece on the car. It is definitely worth spending 12 minutes to watch. Video: Big Muscle Checks out an Unusual Chevelle Build originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 1 July 2012 18:00 EST.
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Top Speed To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Tag: