supercars

#70, Journalist, photographer John Lamm’s new supercar book

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:41 — 43.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreJohn Lamm is a journalist and photographer who has worked for decades for many of the automotive industry’s most prestigious magazines. He’s also the author of several books, including the new release, Supercar Revolution: The Fastest Cars Of All Time. Sub-titled “The one-stop guide to world-class supercar and their battle for ultimate performance and supremacy,” Lamm’s coffee-table-sized volume is essential for anyone who admires, dreams of, or owns a supercar of their own. The veteran journalist is our guest on episode #70 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. It’s also our first episode on video. It will be posted separately. Lamm’s book is cleverly organized

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The Weekly Driver Podcast, Episode 4, Ferrari owner Bill Finkbeiner

Automotive legend Enzo Ferrari began his legacy under the brand name Auto Avio Costruzioni in 1940. Seven years later, the Ferrari brand debuted with the 125S with a 1.5-liter V12 engine. The exotic Italian supercar with its famous black prancing horse, yellow background and Italian flag logo forever changed the automotive industry. Bill Finkbeiner, a landscape contractor and car collector in Auburn, California, has owned a Ferrari for nearly 40 years. He’s our guest on Episode 4 of The Weekly Driver podcast. Finkbeiner purchased a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE 2×2 on Feb. 18, 1979, Enzo Ferrari‘s 80th birthday. It was the first mass-produced four-seat Ferrari. The Weekly Driver Podcast co-hosts Bruce Aldrich (tahoetruckeeoutdoor.com) and James Raia (theweeklydriver.com) talk with Bill

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Jerry Seinfeld set to auction rare Lotus super car in Texas

Jerry Seinfeld is known for his passion for Porsche cars. But the comedian has a vast interest in all kinds of automobiles, including a rare Lotus he used to own that’s now about to be auctioned. The 2009 Lotus Exige S260 sports coupe will be among 16 former celebrity owned cars in addition to 175 other vehicles set for the auction of May 27 in the Dan Kruse Classics Midland-Odessa Car Auction in Midland, Texas. The fastest to, from and around the track model, the 2009 Lotus Exige S260 Sports Coupe was among the vast collection that the car enthusiast owns is in special order Kawasaki green. Highlights of the super sports car include a 1.8 Liter Inline 4-Cylinder Engine

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New Ferrari 812 Superfast: Italian carmaker’s finest?

Ferrari may have outdone itself. The iconic Italian automaker will debut the Ferrari 812 Superfast, “the most powerful and fastest Ferrari” in the manufacturer’s history at the 2017 Geneva Auto Show. Th 87th Geneva Auto Show will be held March 9-19. According to Ferrari, the 812 Superfast will be brand’s last naturally aspirated V12. It’s powered by a 6.5-liter V12 that outputs about 789 horsepower, 8,500 rpm and 525 pound-feet of torque at 7,000 rpm. The 812 Superfast, which is front-mid mounted, is matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It’s the first Ferrari to use electric power steering. Four-wheel steering has been added to increase low-speed maneuverability as well as high-speed stability and responsiveness. The V12’s acceleration is 0-100 kph in 2.9

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Nissan legacy: small sedans, SUVs, super cars

Approaching its 85th birthday, Nissan has endured ownership changes, collaborations and mergers and has emerged as the manufacturer of a varied collection of popular cars and trucks. Shortly after debuting in 1933 as the Jidosha Seico Co., Ltd., the company merged with another Japanese company and was renamed Nissan Motor Company. It manufactured cars under the Datsun brand and those vehicles, like the Datsun 100, were first available in the United States in 1958. Another merger later, the Datsun 510 sedan was unveiled and proved a hit. But it was outdone by a sibling, the arrival of the first in series of edgy sports cars, the Datsun 240Z. It was a revelation for the era, equipped with an inline six-cylinder

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Manufacturer Spotlight: BMW, airplanes to supercars

With its legacy dating nearly 110 years to manufacturing airplanes, BMW (Bavarian Motor Works) is renowned for its luxury vehicles that provide a unique combination of driving pleasure and performance. It took 18 years after BMW began in Munich, Germany as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG for the company to transition from airplanes to cars. The Dixi, the first four-wheel effort, was a hit. It joined by the Type 328 roadster as the brand’s defense against the Depression. The two-seater was hugely successful on the racing circuit with more than 120 victories during a five-year tenure ending in 1940. Following WWII, BMW stretched its ever-advancing success with models like the 501 and 502, luxury and roomy sedans. But the carmaker didn’t

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Manufacturer Spotlight: McLaren, the elegant supercar

Lightweight, fast and British is the most succinct way to define McLaren. But the supercar is much more. Conceived with the passion of Formula 1 driver Bruce McLaren from New Zealand, the exclusive and powerful coupe represents innovation at its stealth best. While enduring financial catastrophe and design issues since its arrival in 1963, McLaren‘s racing division consistently challenges Ferrari for supremacy with its impressive array of prestigious honors. McLaren’s sensational racetrack pedigree also reflects the lightweight automotive rocket’s success of the road. The supercar may be exclusive, but when it’s on the scene as a racetrack celebrity or as an elite public star, it’s unlike any other vehicle. It’s the elegant, performance-oriented superstar of supercars. Consider the 2017 McLaren

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New Bugatti Chiron: 0-60 mph, 2.0 seconds, $2.5 million

A decade ago, the Bugatti Veyron set the standard for supercars. Now the iconic carmaker is attempting to reclaim its former top perch with the Bugatti Chiron. While vehicles like the Porsche 918 Spyder and McLaren P1 have come into prominence, the Bugatti Chiron will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2016 with numerous upgrades from its current sibling. The more powerful Bugatti is expected to have direct injection and electrically-powered turbochargers. It’s reportedly also going to feature 1,500 horsepower and 1,100 pound-feet of torque. The current Veyron is an 8.0-liter, 16-cylinder motor in a W configuration and with four turbochargers. It produces 1,000 horsepower and 922 pound-feet of torque. Power in the original Veyron is delivered via

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Hello, Tesla, welcome the 2,400 hp SP-200 SIN supercar

PSC Motors in Las Vegas has announced its pending entry in the hybrid supercar business with the limited manufacture of the awkwardly titled SP-200 SIN.  The 9.0-liter V8 with a combined 2,400 horsepower has a promoted top-speed of more than 280 mph. The start-up said it will build only 35 of vehicles with a carbon fiber and composite aluminum frame.  The 1,000 gas horsepower engine will be mated to at least two electric motor that will push the vehicle to its predicted 0-60 mph acceleration in 2.6 seconds. PSC Motors said it began working on the SP-200 SIN five years ago. It has a mid-engine and is naturally aspirated. It also has an eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission with five adjustable driving

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Ferrari LaFerrari: Fastest Ferrari and it’s a hybrid

Unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show in March, the LaFerrari is a limited production hybrid sports car built by Ferrari. The LaFerrari is the first hybrid from Ferrari, providing the highest power output of any Ferrari while decreasing fuel consumption by 40 percent. Only 499 units will be built and each will cost more than $1.6 million. LaFerrari’s mid rear mounted V12 Internal Combustion Engine has a 6.3 liter engine capable of 789 horsepower. But it’s supplemented by a 161 horsepower KERS unit (called HY-KERS). It provides short bursts of extra power. The new Ferrari also has a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission and is rear-wheel drive. Top speed is 220 mph and with 0-60 mph in just under three seconds.

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New Bugatti supercar pending: 1,600 horsepower, 0-60 mph in 1.8 seconds

Bugatti never rests on its new automotive masterpieces for long. Which is to say, the iconic carmaker is working on a lighter, faster car likely with 1,600 horsepower and 0-60 mph acceleration time of 1.8 seconds. According to an interview in AutoExpress with Jens Schlenburg, chief engineer for Bugatti, the automaker is considering using carbon fiber wheels to eliminate weight as one improvement component that will allow the car to achieve a maximum speed of 288 mph. Bugatti is also considering using a hybrid engine in its new car, according to the article. One obstacle: Hybrid engines are appreciably heavier than gas engines, providing a more difficult task of reducing the weight of the new car. The new Bugatti is

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2014 Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series: Lightweight, powerful, no price — yet

The 2014 Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series, the fifth edition of the race car-inspired lightweight speedster with a top speed of 196 mph, will go on sale in the summer of 2013. Engineered in line with the AMG Lightweight Performance strategy, the Black Series weighs 3,417 pounds, achieves a power/weight ratio of 5.49 lb/hp and negotiates the 0-60 mph standard acceleration test in 3.5 seconds via its seven-speed sports transmission.“The new SLS AMG Black Series is a perfect study in the one hundred percent transfer of technology and engineering from motorsport to road,” said Ola Kallenius, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. “We have drawn inspiration from the worldwide success of the SLS AMG GT3 customer sport racing car on both a

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Bugatti Veyron remains world’s most expensive car in 2012

The Bugatti Veyron Supersport, the exclusive and elusive French-made supercar, remains the world’s most expensive car in 2012, according to the new report on Forbes.com. The mid-engined grand touring car is the fastest road-legal production car in the world, with a top speed 268 mph. Bugatti is designed and developed by Volkswagen Group (based on the Bentley Hunaudieres concept) and produced by Bugatti Automobiles SAS in Château Saint Jean in Molsheim, France). Here are some facts & figures about the Bugatti Veyron Supersport: Manufacturer: Bugatti Automobiles and Volkswagen Group (parent company); Production: 2010-present (Super Sport); Assembly: Molsheim, France; Body style     Standard: 2-door coupé; Layout: Longitudinal mid-engine,permanent all-wheel drive; Engine: 8-liter, W16 quad-turbocharged, 1,184 horsepower; Transmission: 7-speed DSG sequential; Wheelbase,

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Bugatti plans plug-in electric Galibier for 2012

The rumor has been around for a while, but Bugatti has confirmed it will soon a offer a plug-in hybrid. Wolfgang Durheimer, the Bugatti CEO said the luxury automaker will debut, likely in 2012, a 1.4 million super car based on the 16 C Galibier concept that debuted in 2009. The four-seat sports sedan will feature 16-cyclinder engine, with the plug-in hybrid option possessing a 25-mile radius in electric-only driving. Durheimer didn't report if Bugatti hybrid engine will be downsized, but he commmented Bugatti hopes to sell around 1,500 units during car's yet-to-be determined tenure. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.

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Million Dollar Baby, Pagani Huayra, will be sold in U.S.

Pagani, the niche Italian carmaker founded about 20 years ago, will sell the Huarya, its new more than $1 million sports car, in the United States later this year through a dealer network. The Zonda, Pagani‘s current model, is a perennial favorite for enthusiasts interested in top-speed and brute-power. But it’s not available in the United States. Pagani, based in San Cesario sul Panaro, near Modena, Italy, builds about 40 cars per year, and hopes to sell five of its new Huayra model in the U.S. this year. Named after Huayra Tata, an ancient God of wind, the Huayra has a six-liter, 12-cylinder engine with two turbochargers built by Mercedes-Benz’s AMG. The engine breathes through a pair of air intakes

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Pagani Huayra 2012: New god-like, $1.4 million supercar

Named after an ancient Andean god of wind, the 2012 Pagani Huayra is the newest Italian supercar offered from by one of the smallest and most unheralded automakers. Unlike the company’s current car, the Zonda, the Huayra has been engineered to meet U.S. safety and emissions standards, and should be available — to a chosen few who can get one of the 20 made for about $1.4 million. Pagani describes the car as “a carbon-titanium monocoque chassis cradling a mid-mounted, 700 hp 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine.” It was designed for Pagani by AMG, the performance division of Mercedes-Benz. The two-passenger cabin features leather and carbon fiber trim among other high-end gadgets and options. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist

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