 Report: Famed designer Jason Castriota to pen for Shelby Supercars | |
Mar 16, 2010 - 7:50 AM - by Haltech |
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Design/Style
Bertone Mantide - click above for high-res image gallery
 While definitely one of (if not the) fastest production cars in the world, the SSC Ultimate Aero has seldom been praised for its looks. Somewhat resembling just about every other supercar out there in one detail or another, the styling has charitably been described as everything from derivative to kit car-ish. Shelby Supercars wants to do something about that. Now that they've proven they can get their car up to its claimed top speed of over 255 mph, the next step is to get a few more of them out the showroom doors. To that end, the company is said to be courting supercar designer Jason Castriota to pen a fresh look.
Jerod Shelby, the "Shelby" in "Shelby Supercars," has apparently tapped Castriota to design SSC's next generation hypercar. If Castriota's name sounds familiar, and even if it doesn't, he is the designer of record behind the Pininfarina P4/5, the Bertone Mantide (shown above) the neo Maserati Birdcage and the Rolls-Royce Hyperion. Having recently left his post at Bertone, Jason will become the exclusive designer for SSC's next two cars and will add a degree of credibility to the team, or at least that's the plan. According to the Tri-City Herald, the cars will actually be badged with his name to hammer home that point.
While the new Aeros will carry a price tag double the current cars' at $800,000 to $900,000, the company says it will also develop a "little brother version" that will retail for just $300,000. Production targets are a dozen or so Aeros and about 50 Aero-lites per annum. The cars might also show up in a reality TV series that is being pitched to chronicle the project.
Gallery: Monterey 2009: Bertone Mantide
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0 Replies | 1 Views | | | PSA: Buy a Dodge Challenger, get $2,000 in Mopar bucks for go-faster (or look faster) bits | |
Mar 16, 2010 - 7:10 AM - by Haltech |
Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Dodge
 Dodge Challenger Mopar Performance Appearance Package - Click above for high-res image gallery
Having trouble deciding which of the three modern muscle cars you want to buy? Dodge is now providing some extra incentive to buy a Challenger over a new Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro. Through April 30 Mopar is offering $2,000 in "Mopar Bucks" to anyone who buys a Challenger R/T, R/T Classic or SRT8, allowing customers to choose between several combinations of performance parts and accessories.
For those who want their Challenger to look even more retro, the best option is probably Mopar's exterior package. It includes a body-color hood with scoop, rear "Go-Wing" and stripe graphics. Of course, at $1,995, that leaves you with nothing left for performance parts. That's why we'd probably opt for the cat-back exhaust system ($1,190) and pair it with the interior package ($780) for the manual transmission (of course) that includes a T-handle shifter and full car cover. For super-boring more practically minded Challenger buyers, Mopar is also offering customer care packages that include scheduled maintenance, towing and roadside assistance and rental car allowance. Thanks, but no thanks. Get all the details of the offer after the jump.
Gallery: Dodge Challenger Mopar Performance Appearance Package
    
[Source: Chrysler]Continue reading PSA: Buy a Dodge Challenger, get $2,000 in Mopar bucks for go-faster (or look... [Read More] | |
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| Pics Aplenty: Bugatti 16C Galibier is back... in black | |
Mar 16, 2010 - 6:40 AM - by Haltech |
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Bugatti, Luxury
Bugatti 16C Galibier concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Bugatti seems intent on keeping us on the ropes regarding the production prospects for the 16C Galibier. The concept was unveiled to a very select audience last September during the Frankfurt Motor Show, but didn't debut on the marque's show stand. Bugatti pulled a similar shtick in Geneva, but we were luck enough to get a closer look at an exclusive viewing in Beverly Hills.
The company has been fairly tight-lipped on whether their higher-ups at the Volkswagen group have given it the green light - leaving the matter up to speculation and conjecture - but to keep us interested, they've released this batch of photos showing what appears to be a second show car, doing its best Johnny Cash impression instead of the two-tone blue and silver paint scheme seen on the the original.
Underneath the dramatic split hood sits a version of the Veyron's 8.0-liter W-16 engine, but with a pair of superchargers replacing the quartet of turbos and an eight-speed automatic reportedly in place of the Veyron's seven-speed DSG. Will we ever hear one rumbling down our streets? That's in Wolfsburg's hands now, so for the moment, we'll just have to enjoy the latest crop of photos in the gallery below.
Gallery: Bugatti 16C Galibier concept in black
    
[Source: Bugatti]Pics Aplenty: Bugatti 16C Galibier is back... in black originally appeared on ... [Read More] | |
0 Replies | 8 Views | | | 'Ring Leader: Lexus announces return to Nürburgring 24 with new LFA racer | |
Mar 16, 2010 - 6:40 AM - by Haltech |
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Lexus, Toyota, Racing
 2010 Lexus LFA racer - Click above for high-res image gallery
Toyota has announced its racing activities for 2010. And while Formula One has already been removed from the program, the Japanese automaker has plenty going on in other disciplines, including the domestic Super GT series, Formula Nippon, NASCAR and...what's that? The Nürburgring 24 Hours.
As you may recall, Toyota's Lexus division took LFA prototypes to the 'Ring in both 2008 and 2009 for the round-the-clock race to help drum up some excitement and give the prototypes some competition testing. Since then, the LFA has gone from concept car to race car to production car and is now going back to endurance racer for this year's event.
The pair of cars, now based on the production LFA, will be fielded once again by Gazoo Racing, piloted by a roster of Japanese and German drivers with a wealth of experience between them in sportscar racing. They'll be supported by Toyota factory personnel, potentially to include once again company president Akio Toyoda.
The announcement comes hot on the heels of the similar news regarding a track-oriented LFA special edition, reportedly bearing the Nürburgring name as well. The race takes place in May, but in the meantime, you can check out the press release after the jump and the fresh images in the gallery below.
Gallery: 2010 Lexus LFA racer
    
[Source: Toyota]Continue reading 'Ring Leader: Lexus announces return to Nürburgring 24 with new LFA racer
'Ring Leader: Lexus announces return to Nürburgring 24... [Read More] | |
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| Iron Man Tony Stark to sponsor Formula D car? [w/video] | |
Mar 16, 2010 - 6:00 AM - by Haltech |
Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Subaru, Racing
Of all the fictitious captains of industry and superheroes ever to grace the silver screen, Tony Stark's got to be one of our favorites. Why? Well aside from flying around the world in his super-suit and kickin' terrorist butt, he's also a hardcore car guy. Just look at the Audi R8, Saleen S7 and the poor old Shelby Cobra he nearly ruined in the first episode. Now the sequel is almost upon us, and Tony is taking to the track in a Stark Industries-sponsored single-seater. (See for yourself in the trailer after the jump.) But though the company and its eponymous chief may be fictitious, that won't stop them from actually sponsoring a real race car of their own.
As you can see from the photo above, Iron Man 2 will be sponsoring Stephan Verdier's Crawford Performance-prepped Subaru Impreza in this season's Formula Drift series. That's nothing new: Movies, superhero movies especially, often sponsor racing teams. (Just check out David Coulthard on the podium in a superman cape or Jarno Trulli riding the bat-pod to see what we mean.) But if you look closer, you'll see the Stark logo on the quarter-panel. So while we wait to see Stark's on-screen heroics in the upcoming movie, we can enjoy Verdier's on-track heroics in Formula D as well. Top Tip, Andy!
[Source: MotorWorldHype]Continue reading Iron Man Tony Stark to sponsor Formula D car? [w/video]
Iron Man Tony Stark to sponsor Formula D car? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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0 Replies | 6 Views | | | A Life Bus in Pictures: The Volkswagen Bus turns 60 *Updated | |
Mar 16, 2010 - 6:00 AM - by Haltech |
Filed under: Classics, Minivan/Van, Volkswagen
Volkswagen Bus turns 60 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Many automakers will build cars for decades and never create a product that can truly be considered a cultural icon. Few that do produce multiple such models. One of those is Volkswagen.The original Beetle/Bug/Type 1 is recognizable almost anywhere and even by people that know nothing about cars. The Beetle itself spawned another icon in the form of the Type 2 (or Microbus), a vehicle that is celebrating its diamond anniversary in 2010.
Like the original Bug, the Microbus had an air-cooled flat-four cylinder engine hanging off the back of the rear axle. The front seats were moved up over the front axle creating a format that was eventually copied by Ford, Dodge, General Motors and countless Japanese automakers.
Over sixty years, the bus became the ride of choice for surfers, hippies and iconoclasts everywhere. Many surviving examples from the 1960s are still hauling surfboards and Deadheads today. In the 1980s, the third-generation bus morphed into the still-loved but less iconic Vanagon, with emissions standards forcing the adoption of water cooling in 1983. The last of the rear-engined VW vans ceased production in 1992. A tip of the hat to Brooks!
*UPDATED: New photos added and official VW press release available after the jump
Gallery: Volkswagen Bus Turns 60!
 
[Sources: Volkswagen, Life]
Continue reading A Life Bus in Pictures: The Volkswagen Bus turns 60 *Updated
A Life Bus in Pictures: The Volkswagen Bus turns 60 *Updated originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Can we please ban those? It's getting to the point where it's crashing my browser every time I try to scroll and each person has an animated gif rolling in their avatar or sig, or both.
