2013 Mercedes-Benz A25 AMG
The new hot hatch from Merc tuner AMG is expected to be released later on this year, for now, all we’ve got is a couple promo shots and heavily clad spy shots to oogle over. From the pics its clear there’s been more than a few tweaks from the standard A-Class on which the AMG model is based.
Rumours abound that this beast will be a four wheel drive pushing around 335hp.
$TBD
More info here.
Audi RS Q3 Concept
Audi just took the wraps off this brand new concept at the Beijing Auto Show in China. The theme for the vehicle is “thrilling dynamic performance”. The styling certainly has me thrilled, but 360hp, while nothing to sneeze at, isn’t exactly on par with, say, the 420hp pumped out by the Q3′s VAG stablemate Porsche Cayenne GTS we looked at last week.
Yet, the niceties don’t begin an end with horsepower, oh no, you also get a 7-speed tiptronic gearbox, full time Quattro all-wheel-drive and a top speed of 265kph with a zero to 100kph time of 5.2 seconds. Inside the Q3 you can expect all kinds of branded accoutrement and gobs of gorgeous black leather.
$TBD
Visit audi.com for more details as they slither out.
2013 SRT Viper
She’s baaaack! And boy oh boy, does she look pissed! It wasn’t so long ago that most purists were writing off the Viper as dead, not worth more than a new pair of snake skin boots. If it wasn’t for the dedication of the SRT folks the Viper would’ve been lost to annals of history as the car that, well, tried to compete with the Corvette.
Ralph Gilles, the president and CEO of Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology team — or SRT — said uncertainty about the Viper’s future was “gut-wrenching.” The company decided to revive the Viper as the recession ceded and sales began to stabilize. Chrysler turned its first annual profit since 1997 last year.
“The launch of the 2013 Viper proves that we simply would not let the performance icon of the Chrysler Group die,” Gilles said in a statement.
The Viper is built by hand at a plant in Detroit. The company sold just 1,172 Vipers in 2007, the year before the recession began. They cost about $90,000 then, and will likely hit $100,000 when they go on sale later this year.
$100,000 approx.
Check it out at drivesrt.com
2013 Porsche Cayenne GTS Unveiled
The Porsche Cayenne GTS is designed to be the median between the S model and the Turbo model, but the underpinnings are still based on the basic S model. On the surface you may think all you’re getting is a glorified Cayenne S with the GTS, as it has significant performance and visual upgrades over the standard Cayenne S model. These upgrades include tweaks to the engine to juice out some extra power and suspension modifications to keep you glued to the road during hard manoeuvres.
In addition to performance mods, the Cayenne GTS also features some visual and interior upgrades.
A 420-hp V8 based on the Cayenne S engine is underneath the hood, mated to an 8-speed Tiptronic S transmission with integrated start/stop function, propelling the GTS from zero to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. Top track speed is 261 km/h. In a nutshell, it’s fast – for an SUV.
The stiffer chassis is equipped with Porsche’s Active Suspension Management, air suspension and a 20-mm lower ride height than the standard S model for a bit more street-cred.
$TBD
Check it out at Porsche.com
BMW i8 Spyder Concept
Electric cars – how we love you, and oh, how we’re not prepared to pay for you and, oh, how our grids aren’t ready for you, and oh, oh, oh, are we going to be surprised when you cost as much as gasoline. We’ll be pleased with a much higher social prestige though, that’s for certain.
It’s easy to see how capitalism is naturally placing the electric car this time around, especially with a beast like the i8 on display.
Electric-whizz-bang future machines like this are going to become the fashion product first, supply will be short, demand will be high and only the best and brightest need apply. Maybe that should be best and elitest? At any rate, that’s how the world is shaping this chance at a new beginning. That’s how the marketing executives will “make it work”, simply by treating us like the idiots we are. All you really have to do these days is treat your product like a premium item and the plebs will fall in line. It’s the Apple ethos, or what the rest of the world has learned from Apple, regardless of the veracity.
You can’t have one, but you want one. All the cool kids have one. “You’re using gasoline? Pfft! What are you, trying to kill the environment? See ya later lamo!” It’ll be like a dagger through your heart.
Oh, believe me, it’s coming.
The real reason Apple has succeeded so mightily is actually down to the fact that they gave consumers what they wanted at exactly the right time. That’s not going to happen with electric cars. You will be gouged. Cajoled and ridiculed.
On the bright side, we get futuristic looking cars with light-up-parts and what-not to look at!
The true advances will be made while the marketing folks aren’t really paying attention. The heads up displays, the electronic aids, the battery design, those are all needed by the marketing folk to ramp up their product’s awesomeness, so they stay – but they also move us forward, they move humanity forward. That’s how capitalism succeeds, when the men who think they’re in charge aren’t really paying attention.
I don’t want you to think that I’m advocating gasoline either, I’m not, I’m ruing a missed opportunity – not that it really existed in the first place, but, it’s a really a shame how macro-economics have recognized that it’s just so easy to sell to the lowest common denominator, poor, stupid humanity, to make an idea that was being forced on you anyway “work” for the bottom line.
When you boil things down to an individual level, what’s not to like? The car is freakin’ awesome. So, we soldier on.
Super Yacht Adastra
I know, I know – you’ve all seen these CG mockups of awesome yacht’s before, big deal. Well, this one is a big deal – this one is being built, right now, as we speak, in China. The Super Yacht Adastra is designed by the John Shuttleworth Yacht Design Co and is a testament to modern accoutrement and efficiency. It’s also absolutely stunningly beautiful. Check out the gallery for further mockups and a look into the build project.
$TBD – but far more than you and I can ever hope to attain.
Check out at john-shuttleworth.com
The Eagle Jaguar E-Type Speedster
“The Evolution of the Most Beautiful Car ever made…” I don’t know if I’d go quite that far, but they’re not far off the mark. If you’re as tired as I am of ‘super’ cars with their sharp angles and futuristic curves, while not wanting to sink into the soupy quality of “retro” styling either – I think I may know what you’re looking for. It’s called ageless beauty. And the Jaguar E-Type is most certainly that.
What’s happened here is that the E-Type has been, let’s say, upgraded, to make it a more relevant car for today’s discerning driver.
Eagle is by far the foremost restorer of older E-Types, and has taken it upon themselves to take the car forward to a new generation. Everything is done by hand to a level of detail meticulous doesn’t do justice in describing.
Take a break, check out the Eagle Speedster – and if you’re feeling frisky, fork over close to a milly and she’s all yours. Trust me, no one will suggest it was a moment of poor judgement when this juggernaut of elegance rolls into view.
$700,000+
Check it out at JaguarSpeedster.com
Jeep J-12 Concept
For all that is loved and holy, for all the wishes made on starry nights and the thousands of coins flipped into thousands of wishing wells – please – someone, anyone, all of you – get Jeep to make this vehicle. This is what I want. Half Jeep, Half Truck and all awesome.
Apparently this badass bromobile is based on an extended frame from the JK-8 pickup Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. It differs from that vehicle in terms of overall length, hood, front fascia, tires and general badassery.
Jeep, you build this. You build this now.
$TBD
Check out more concepts from Jeep at AutoBlog.com
2012 Shelby Mustang 1000
Why the ’1000′ moniker? Glad you asked. How about because this beast pushes 1000hp through your right foot to the rear wheels? How does that sound, bad boy? Yeah you like that, don’t you? Got you all tingly, don’t it? Well, back it down a touch – it’s actually closer to 950+ hp. The Shelby 1000 is the follow-up to the 800-hp Shelby GT500 Super Snake and aims to improve upon what we thought was the perfect ‘Stang.
What’s that? You want more? Well then, how about the Shelby 1100? Guess what the ’1100′ stands for? You guessed it – 1100hp.
Unfortunately, the Shelby 1100 S/C is a track-only car and not meant to be taken down to the shops for a quart of milk.
No word on price just yet, but the fine folks over at automobilemag.com have all the deets.
$TBD
Check it out at automobilemag.com
Ducati Monster Diesel
Not what you might originally think, it’s not a diesel motorcycle – it’s a tie-in with the chic clothing manufacturer, Diesel. Diesel sponsors the Ducati MotoGP team, and as part of their contract, I’m assuming, they were granted the rights to name a production Ducati Motorcycle. That’s not altogether a bad thing. There’s exclusivity, and the fact that, hey, it’s a Ducati and it looks fantastic in Military green.
$13,795
Check it out at Ducati.com
2012 Can-AM Spyder RS-S
Yes, that 3-wheeler, the one Kenny Powers has been riding around on. The brand is “Can-Am”, but for those in the know, the company behind it is Bombardier. Canada’s shining light in the automotive, aerospace and engineering space.
In addition to some of the best rail, light rail, aeroplane and automotive engineering Bombardier also makes ski-doo’s and sea-doo’s in addition to awesome, and some might say practical, three-wheelers. Basically, Bombardier enables all manner of awesome ways to hurt yourself, really, really badly.
Really though, at the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about? Ya’ know what I mean? Doing something dangerous and actually, doggone it, not getting hurt. That’s a man, baby. Up top!
Available with a 998cc V-twin engine that pushes 106 horses, a 5 speed manual or semi-auto transmission and gobs of style – whether it’s lame, tacky or not – and it isn’t – it’s, well, it’s a friggin’ three wheeler and guess what’s up with that? You’ve got one and that lame-ass doesn’t, that’s what’s up.
The point isn’t whether or not you have an opinion on the styling, the point is that everyone is looking regardless.
$18,000+
Check it out at Spyder.brp.com
Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
So you and Jeremy Clarkson thought V12′s were done did you? Oh no my friend, not at all. The marque that made powerful V12′s their standard has done it again and delivered on a promise to offer the world a pure driving experience. The cockpit has been sanitized of unnecessary clutter, the gauges and dials and knobs scaled back to only the essentials. Yes, indeed – 740+ horsepower from a fire breathing V12 that doesn’t redline until 8500rpm and sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard before. The Ferrari that understands what enthusiasts want.
The sound in particular sets this car apart. It’s funny to say, as most Ferrari’s, lets be honest, sound fantastic – but there’s something eloquent, something exotic and sensual about the noise this V12 makes. Truly exceptional. It sounds like a level of engineering that shouldn’t be available to the common man.
$TBD
Check it out at the F12 Berlinetta Micro-site, f12berlinetta.com
Pre-Launch, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa put the Berlinetta through it’s paces at Fiorano, Ferrari’s private test track.
And then, the launch video…
Bentley EXP 9 F Concept SUV
Quite possibly the most luxurious vehicle in the world. Or rather, the biggest expression of your immense wealth.
Luxury can be defined in many different ways to many different people. A small one-person cabin in the woods can be luxurious to some, to others, an expression of torture. If this is the type of vechicle that floats your boat, so be it – but I really don’t see a place for this type of over-the-top wanton disregard to frugality anymore. It’ll still sell in Dubai and the rest of the middle-east of course, but I suspect that’s about it.
Not that I would ever turn one down, mind you.
Nor would I scratch it off my list if I was a Russian oil and gas billionaire, I might need to impress someone, at some point – right? Right … ?
Expensive for expensive’s sake is still cool, ain’t it? Gold and diamond embossed iPhone’s are the height of awesome, aren’t they?
What about the anti-cool? The head shakingly rich just being rich and flaunting it, they can still make us shake our collective heads while we follow them on twitter can’t they? Or have we finally figured out that it’s our head-shaking that validates them?
No, I don’t think we have. That one’s still up for debate.
$TBD
Check it out at BentleyMotors.com
2012 BMW M6
Coming to a showroom near you Summer 2012! If you haven’t had the opportunity to drive an ‘M’ class vehicle from BMW, I highly suggest it – I don’t own one, far from it, nor am I suggesting you rush out and buy one. However, BMW probably offers some sort of ‘driving training’ school near you, just check in with you local dealership. It’s essentially a track day where you get to sample all sorts of automotive debauchery, staring the one and only BMW M series of cars, amongst others. Again, I strongly recommend it.
I also strongly recommend the BMW M6 – just look at this beast.
In order to achieve these lofty performance goals, the new BMW M6 Coupe and Convertible share the most powerful engine ever fitted in a series-produced model from BMW M GmbH mated to a high-torque 7-speed M-Double Clutch Transmission (M-DCT). An innovative Active M Differential which optimizes power transfer between the rear wheels. This drivetrain, combined with extensive chassis and suspension upgrades ensure that the engine’s performance can be transferred to the ground.
The engine: High-Revving V8 Engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology. The new engine shared by the BMW M5 and M6 has the highest output ever generated by a BMW M car, and at the same time provides the most efficient balance between performance and fuel consumption. It is characterized by immediate throttle response, a linear power band and an unusually high and flat torque curve. The new engine produces around 10% higher output than the V10 engine of its predecessors and torque is up by over 30%. At the same time, fuel consumption and CO2 are expected to be reduced by approximately 30%.
To achieve the performance levels demanded by the M6, the engineers at BMW M started with the proven BMW M developed V8 engine from the BMW X5 M – X6 M (internally known as the S63) and further developed it for its duty in the latest M5 and M6 models. Internally designated as the S63Tü this new engine uses similar M Twin Power technology combined with the reverse flow V8 layout. The result is that the high-revving V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology lends a whole new intensity to the powerful thrust at higher rev ranges for which M cars are known. The 4.4-liter engine develops a peak output of 560 hp (412 kW) at 5,750 – 7,000 rpm (versus 555 hp at 6,000 rpm for the S63), while its maximum torque of 500 lb-ft (680 Nm) is on tap between 1,500 and 5,750 rpm (versus 500 lb-ft from 1,500 to 5650 rpm for the S63). The rev limiter intervenes at 7,200 rpm (up 200 rpm from the S63 engine). The rev band, which offers extremely dynamic acceleration between peak torque and the availability of maximum output, is therefore almost three times as wide as that of the V10 engine in the previous generation M6.
The engine’s exhilarating thrust gives the new BMW M6 models impressive acceleration. The instant power delivery and sustained thrust of the engine results in an acceleration of 0– 62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.2 seconds for the Coupe and 4.3 seconds for the Convertible. The sprint from 0–124 mph (0-200 km/h) takes only 12.6 seconds for the Coupe and 13.1 for the Convertible. The top speed of both models is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h). While the engine’s output has increased by around 10% and maximum torque is up by more than 30%, the new BMW M6 models consume roughly 30% less fuel and have substantially higher range than their predecessors.
$100,000+
Have a look at the new M6 at BMW.com
Aston Martin 2012 Vantage
The iconic brand has done it again, a stunning beauty with long legs, a big bulbous chest and sultry styling – the Aston Martin 2012 Vantage has it all. You’ll find carbon fibre just about everywhere, attention to detail just about everywhere and everyone will be looking at you just about everywhere you go.
One of the most important aspects you can take to the bank with Aston? Your car will be hand made in their U.K. factory. Having a hand-made automobile must truly be an exquisite feeling, I hope to enjoy it at some point during my life time.
Whether fitted with the vocal 4.7-litre V8 or sensational 6.0-litre V12, each model in the versatile Vantage range is bestowed with phenomenal performance, agility and dynamism together with the refinement and tractability to excel in everyday driving.
$135,000+
Check it out at AstonMartin.com
