Officially Official: Happy 50th - MINI Coupé Concept

Rumors have been swirling for months about what BMW would do on August 26, 2009 for its Mini brand. After all, that is the fiftieth anniversary of the public debut of Alec Issigonis' original Mini. With most of the speculation revolving around either a coupe or some kind of cropped windshield speedster, it turns out the reality was somewhere in between. Unlike the original coupe of the Sixties that simply had a fastback replacement for the standard square-back roof, the new MINI Coupé Concept completely replaces everything from the beltline up. The upright windshield that has been part of the Mini look from day one is finally swept back and a truncated roof covers the remaining two seats.

All pretenses of being a four seater has finally been dispensed with for the new coupe. The shape of the roof indicates that should Mini move ahead with production, and it could easily be replaced by a folding fabric unit to create the anticipated speedster model. What's more, dumping the rear seats means Mini could theoretically add a hefty brace back there restoring some of the structural integrity lost in the standard convertible, or perhaps restore some cargo room as compared to the Cabrio. At this point, it's unknown if those B-pillars are are tinted glass or just big solid blind spots, but visually, the lower half of the car remains pretty standard R56 John Cooper Works.

Although we don't have images of the interior yet, it sounds like it's largely standard Mini, although there are two clocks hanging off the sides of the steering column mounted tachometer much like the so-called Openometer in the convertible. One tells time while the other is a stopwatch for recording laps. The MINI Coupé Concept will be shown publicly at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month alongside the production version of the new Crossover.

1954 Bentley R-Type on eBay Motors - Find of the Day

Have you got two-hundred grand to drop on a Bentley Continental? Well, then you're more fortunate than most of us, but before you head down to the local luxury dealership and place your order for the same car that everyone else in your tony gated community already owns, why not consider something with a little more character? May we suggest this 1954 Bentley R-Type fastback racer.

Crafted on special order in the post-war period, this Chassis #B77ZX has earned a bit of a following from its appearances in concours events, participation in historic races and inclusion in books on Bentley history. Different from the other 2,300+ R-types built, this example features a louvered hood, custom competition wheels, rally lamps and a set of white racing stripes leading over the British Racing Green bodywork from the color-keyed grille surround all the way to the elegantly sloping fastback tail. It's being offered for sale by The San Diego Collection with a buy-it-now price of $195,000, but reasonable offers and trades are also being considered. Check out the images in the gallery below for a closer look.

More Pics --> Auto Blog

Reiter Engineers Gallardo GT3 Strada

So who turns road cars into race cars and then back into a road car? Well thats Reiter Engineering for you, who recently built a street-legal variant of their Murcielago R-GT that competes in the FIA GT1 and European Le Mans Series, is now offering a road version of their Gallardo GT3 racecar.

Based on the standard Gallardo this one features carbon fiber body work wich widens the car by 60 mm. A single large center-mounted exhaust system reduces weight by nine kg and added an extra ten horsepower, while new three-piece alloy wheels are wrapped with ultra sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 2 rubber. The interior stays relatively stock, although the stock seats have been replaced with leather-covered racing units. I can't say more about this car but that it is one of the cleanest/sickest Lambo's I've ever seen.

Cayman vs. 911

I’ve just been driving the new Porsche Cayman S - the one with the new direct-injection engine and the limited-slip diff, the one that’ll now hit 60mph in just 4.9 seconds - out in Spain.

We’ll have a proper in-depth review soon, but for now, here’s what you need to know: it’s unbelievably, unbelievably good - brutally quick, completely useable and just a tiny bit unhinged.

No, the Cayman isn’t a friendly point-and-go sort of car: it makes you drive it properly. Stand on the brakes mid-corner and it’ll happily deposit you into a hedge, but take some time to get to grips with the mid-engined manners and it’s just magically, stunningly good to drive. One of the best ever, I reckon, especially if you get the manual rather than the double-clutch PDK gearbox.

In fact, the Cayman S is so savagely quick - the direct injection gives astonishingly sharp throttle response - and so pure in its handling that I’d take one over a 911 Carrera. No question.

But here’s where I need your help. The guys at Porsche are saying that - despite the general consensus that the Cayman S is now as quick as the Carrera over just about any sort of road - they’re not worried that potential customers might choose it over a 911. Different markets, different people, they say - while they admit the gap between the two ranges has tightened, people considering a 911 won’t look twice at a Cayman.

So what do you think - is Porsche right? Is the 911 just too iconic to make you ever think about a Cayman, no matter how fast? Or would you stoop just a little for a car as good as this?

By Sam Philip from ---> Top Gear

2009 Maserati Gran Turismo MC Sport Line

Looks like Maserati is getting into some territory usually reserved for the customizers when it unveiled a new special edition at the Bologna Auto Show, the MC Sport Line. Starting with a GranTurismo S, Maserati adds front and rear carbon-fiber spoilers, side skirts with a matte black central panel, carbon fiber mirror housings and exterior door handles, and glossy black 20" wheel rims.



Maserati also added performance enhancing elements. The suspension has been upgraded to stiffer springs, shock absorbers and anti-roll bars. There’s also new software for Maserati’s Stability Program, which the company says allows the driver "more freedom".

Because this comes directly from Maserati everything is done in good taste. This makes it a much harder sell for some of the custom jobs out there. Although this MC Sport Line is based on the GranTurismo S, Maserati says it will bring the Sport Line features to the GranTurismo and then the entire Maserati line-up in 2009.

More pics ---> Top Speed

Bentley Continental GT Sports Line Black Bison by Wald

Bentley owners usually sit on two very opposite sides of the rich people spectrum. They are conservative people who want to keep a low profile but still ride in luxury, or recording artists (or wannabes) who are out to show the whole world how wealthy they can appear. This kit is for the latter.

The Black Bisson Edition of the Continental GT by Wald takes the graceful lines of the Bentley and bolts on some attention. The edges of the body kit are rounded off with louvered styling elements. There is also a front bumper spoiler, side skirts, rear bumper spoiler, trunk spoiler and roof spoiler. Other parts offered are a suspension height reduction kit and D.T.M sports muffler exhaust system. Price tag for the body kit alone is 1,522,500 Yen (about $16,000).

Euro Tunes The Dodge Challenger by Eibach

The Dodge Challenger made its way to Europe and the Essen Motorshow thanks to suspension manufacturer, Eibach which readied a mildly tuned version of the American muscle car. The SRT8 was imported for Eibach by USCars24.de and converted according to the applicable German lighting and licensing regulations. While retaining the SRT8's stock 6.1-liter Hemi V8 that produces 425HP, Eibach equipped the Challenger with the Coil-Over Suspension System Multi-Pro-R2 from its US product portfolio as well as a set of Botticelli III 22-inch alloy wheels from O.Z. wrapped around in Toyo Proxes T1R tires for improved handling.
The The Eibach Challenger is also equipped with a multimedia unit from Alpine Electronics, which has been installed by the specialists of XTON from Dortmund, Germany.

VW Scirocco by Prior-Desig

The latest addition from the German tuner Prior-Design is the new body kit for the Vw Scirocco. Although the car didn’t reach yet the U.S. market, although Vw assures us it will, we can still get a preview of the tuning programs for the stylish coupe.

The new kit includes a re-designed front bumper, new side sills, a new rear roof spoiler, a new rear bumper with integrated air diffuser as well as a new exhaust system. The new kit is completed by the new multi-spoke alloy wheels painted in black in order to give the vehicle a new look.

VW Scirocco Tuned by ABT

ABT, is one of the first tuners to get their hands on the new VW Scirocco, which has already begun to sell in European dealerships. This German tuner has made an aggressive looking bodykit for VW’s sport coupe that includes a new front bumper with a lip spoiler, side skirts with air inlets, a larger roof spooler, a rear skirt that incorporates a diagonally attached set of four tail pipes and a boot wing. For just a little more they have also added the feature of the option of 18" or 20" alloy rims.

The suspension brings the car 30 mm closer to the ground. This package will be available in Germany on January at the price of €5,990 or $8,300 USD.

For recreational purpose customers can also upgrade the engine's performance with ABT’s engine kits which raise the 1.4-liter TSI’s output from 160 to 200HP, the 2.0 TSI’s from 200 to 240HP and the 2.0 TDI’s from 140 to 170HP. The engine modifications can be combined with a set of larger and better disk brakes.

2009 Lotus Exige Cup 260: Now Even Lighter

Lotus Motor Company released its Exige Cup 260 for the 2008 model year to terrorize much larger and more pricier cars on race tracks around the world. For 2009, the British automaker has spiced things up by adding lightness in the marque's grand tradition. Weight drops by over 80 pounds this year to just under a ton thanks to carbon fiber. Fit with a 257-horsepower 1.8-liter Toyota (Tuned Celica Engine) air force fed through an intercooler by an Eaton M62 supercharger, the '09 Exige Cup 260 should hit 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. Electronic goodies such as launch control combined with variable traction control, plus 40 kilograms of downforce at 100 mph, do their best to keep the car planted on the track.

VW Scirocco Tuned By Oettinger

The Volkswagen Scirocco has only been on sale in Europe for only about a month, but that didn’t stop Oettinger from tuning it. The new kit consists of a front lip spoiler, new side skirts and a new rear air diffuser featuring a 4-pipe stainless steel exhaust system and 20 inch Oettinger type RXX alloy wheels.

Because the Scirocco is based on Golf, the engine improvements are easy to make. The 1.4 TSI engine has been boosted from 170 to 200 hp while the 2.0 FSI engine now gives out up to 240 hp. There is also a new kit that is currently under development, which will boost the 2.0 FSI engine to 350 hp. No words about the price though.

VW Golf IV by JMS

Now that the Volkswagen Golf is on it's VI generation, that means that it's prices go down on all previous generations, leaving more room in the budget for performance parts. This may be why JMS revealed today it's new tuning parts for the Golf IV. The new kit includes a front bumper with 3 big cutouts, the customer can choose black or silver vents, new side skirts, a new roof spoiler and a new rear bumper featuring 3 big cutouts with integrated exhaust cutters.

Also, a new coilover system from H&R was installed as well as a new set of Eta Beta 19 inch alloy wheels fitted with 225/35R19 tires. At the customer’s request, the tuner can install 18 inch ASA wheels fitted with 225/40R18 tires. Price of the kit: $6,600.

MTM Tunes Audi R8

MTM has been tuning  Audis for more than 20 years, and they have put that experience into developing a new twin-screw supercharger system that pairs up to the 4.2-liter V8 in the Audi R8. The addition of forced induction brings a total output of 552 hp, coincidentally matching the output of the R8's cousin, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. In addition to the supercharger kit, MTM also offers a complete line of products for the R8 including brake upgrades, 20" forged wheels, high-flow exhaust system, and a variety of exterior style upgrades.

Top Gear: Saab 9-X Air Concept

Saab may have stagnated into GM-branded middle-of-the-roadness in recent years, but when the engineers from Trollhatten are left to their own devices, they can still come up with some pretty nifty technology.

Like this, the 9-X Air Concept. Forget the standard Saab concept face and eminently sensible 1.4-litre turbocharged engine (E85 powered, naturally) and take a look at that roof instead.

The Air Concept is, essentially, Saab's guess at what the next-gen 9-3 convertible will look like when it goes on sale around 2013, and it features a very cool folding soft-top roof.

There's a two-piece fabric cover with a solid glass rear screen, which descends when the roof is folded back and then raises back up to cut out turbulence in the cabin.

Shunning a fashionable folding hard top is good news for weight, while a glass screen eliminates the need for one of those huge cumbersome deflector-thingies that fit over the rear seat. Neat, eh?

Saab reckons the added lightness should allow the Air Concept to hit 60mph in just over eight seconds while returning a healthy 107g/km of CO2.

We'll get to fiddle with the Air Concept's clever roof at the Paris show early next month, if the Saab engineers let us near it...

Audi Q5 by ABT

The Audi Q5 is not yet available in the U.S., and we can already show you the second tuner package for the car. After Digi-Tec, the Audi Q5 received another tuning program from another major German tuner, ABT. The new body kit consists in a new front grille in the ABT style, a completely re-designed front bumper with integrated fog lights, new stylish side sills, a new rear bumper with integrated exhaust system and rear air diffuser and a rear roof spoiler.

Under the hood, the 2.0 TDI engine received a power boost of 20 hp, developing now 190 hp, while the 3.0 TDI engine develops now 310 hp. The 2.0 TFSI engine was also boosted from 211 hp to 240 hp. More details when the official information will be released.

Source: Top Speed

2008 Wolf Ford Kuga

With the Ford Kuga, the Cologne-based automobile manufacturer once again presents a car from a still booming vehicle class: a compact SUV. The Ford Kuga is an emotionally and technically perfected vehicle which can now even be further enhanced by the exclusive Wolf styling programme. The Ford specialist already devised a power enhancement which improves the serial performance from a standard 136 hp with 320 Nm to 158 hp with 375 Nm. The (German) retail price is 795 euros. The Wolf Race rims measuring 9 x 20“ ET40 in a silver design with high-grade steel lining of the outer rim are not only elegant, but also sportive. The set comes with 275/30 R20 Pirelli tyres. The overall price for the light alloy rim set by Wolf is 2,850 euros (Germany). The Wolf sport springs which lower the car by 40 mm render optimal road holding and can be obtained at any Ford dealer or directly at the company Wolf Racing Neuenstein GmbH & Co. KG for 199 euros (Germany).

The light alloy rim programme for the Ford Kuga is also available in the measures 8,5 x 18“ and 8,5 x 19“. The light alloy rims which were exclusively developed by Wolf stand out by their lower weight compared to the serial rims. This does not only reduce the unsprung masses and renders more comfort, it also minimises the fuel consumption, as every additional and unnecessary load leads to a higher total weight and therefore also to a higher fuel consumption. The light alloy rim programme by Wolf is available in various surface finishes. The complete Wolf styling programme can be directly ordered from Wolf Racing, Neuenstein or from your local Ford dealer.

2006 Ariel Atom

Okay, if you are to scared to drive a motorcycle what do you get, if you went to have the thrill of a motorcycle what do you get, the Ariel Atom of course. It is one of the fastest most fun cars ever made, and it feels like a motorcycle. It performs like a race car and is legal in the U.S. which is very important, because then it would be no fun if we could not drive it here in America. When you drive the Ariel Atom you can see for your self how the driver train works, you can see .at the side of the car how you push the acceleration pedal and how the arms turn the wheels. The Ariel Atom is one fast vehicle, faster than a Bugatti off the start but not at the top speed. The Atom does 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph, and it has no front shield so be prepared for all the flies and bugs going into your face and teeth.

Engine

Power bhp: 300

Driveline: Rear Wheel Drive

Type: Supercharged Inline-4

Performance

Acceleration 0-60 mph: 2.7 seconds

Top Speed: 155 mph