Ferrari F430 Scuderia Spider 16M.

Novitec Rosso has a new tuning programme for the Ferrari F430 Scuderia Spider 16M. Ferrari will be making only 499 units of the 16M and just in case some potential customers aren't satisfied, Novitec Rosso reckons it has the answer. Pictured here is the Novitec Rosso Scuderia Spider 16M but with notably more bite.

The tuner known for getting more out of standard Ferraris has fitted twin superchargers to the 16M. Power should be up by an estimated 186hp (139kW) on the factory model to 696hp (519kW). In comparison the stock vehicle's V8 has a maximum power output of 510hp (380kW). It will push the car from 0 - 100km/h in 3.7 seconds and let it go as fast as 315km/h (196mph). Therefore it would be fair to assume the more powerful Novitec car will outsprint and ultimately outrun a normal F430 16M Scuderia Spider.

Judging from these initial pictures it appears that Novitec has not changed the exterior looks too much. The only alterations that really stand out are the darkened rear lights and of course custom painted NF3 wheels.

Project Kahn Cosworth 300 Sport based on the Range Rover Sport.

What you see in the photos is a true masterpiece, which takes the luxury 4×4 to the next stage! The new kit for the Range Rover Sport, designed by Project Kahn and Cosworth, includes a new front spoiler, a Cosworth handcrafted mesh front grille and side vents, new side sills, side steps, stainless steel side bars that will only fit with side steps, new rear roof spoiler, a Cosworth rear valance and a lower boot spoiler.

At the interior we find blue illuminated instrument dials, stainless steel door sill plates engraved with Cosworth logo, a new set of Cosworth aluminium foot pedals with black rubber grips, perforated Nappa leather interior with white stitching including front and rear seats, headrest, centre seat arm rest, front and rear door grabs, centre glove box, perforated gear knob and Cosworth leather or Alcantara hand stitched steering wheel.


Also a rear multimedia kit was installed including twin 7” flat face flush mounted Alpine screens with Cosworth screen saver, multi-region dvd player and twin Phillips cordless headphones, as well as a new push start button, new iPod connection, head-up display unit showing both mph or km/h, colour reversing camera with integrated tv screen in the dashboard or, as an option, front and rear parking camera.For better handling a new Cosworth fully adjustable electronic module was added while under the hood the engine received a Cosworth 300 engine upgrade, a carbon-fiber engine cover and a new stainless steel exhaust silencer. The kit is completed by the new 22 inch multispoke wheels wrapped in 285×35x22” tires. Of course, everything has a price and for a standard customization program from Project Kahn you have to pay £70,000 ($116,118 or €89,142) while for a fully customized vehicle with every option installed you have to pay £122,226 ($202,758 or €155,684).

Toyota FT-HS Concept.

Words are being exchanged in the motoring fraternity that Japanese-based auto maker, Toyota is planning to produce a hybrid coupe, which will share the same powertrain as the Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle. The hybrid is said to carry over certain design cues from the Toyota FT-HS Concept which was previewed at Detroit 2007.

According to Auto Express, Toyota will dub the hybrid coupe as the MR2, and that the environmentally friendly compact coupe will feature a rear wheel drive setup with a paddle shift transmission. The British-based magazine also revealed that Toyota’s executive vice president Masatami Takimoto mentioned that the auto maker understands that people in the U.K and Europe are very fond of the MR2, and the company is developing small hybrid sports car.

The coupe is expected to also offer excellent handling characteristics with improved aerodynamic efficiency and if it goes into production, we can expect a price point that would hover over the GBP 20,000 figure. It is also speculated that the hybrid coupe would be able to hit the 100 km/h mark in 7 seconds, while returning an impressive 60 miles to the gallon.

2020 Hyundai City Car Concept.

Nicolas Stone, a recent graduate from the College of Creative Studies has designed the concept you see above, dubbed as the 2020 City Car Concept with the help of Korean-based auto maker, Hyundai.

Featuring a naturalist theme, the futuristic 2020 Hyundai City Car Concept seems to feature a front end that looks a little like the Mitsubishi i MiEV.

The “green” theme can also be seen in the airy interior, with a design that mimics “leaves growing off a stem”. Electricity is obtained via transparent solar panels mounted on the car that will then channel electricity into a water tank to split hydrogen molecules from oxygen molecules (Hydroxene anyone?). Just like a plant, the eco-friendly car uses stored hydrogen to power to vehicle while oxygen is released into the atmosphere (this is the plant part). This method is in fact called “artificial photosynthesis”.

Mazda Refreshed 2010 CX-7 And CX-9 Models.

Japanese-based auto maker Mazda will attend next month’s New York Auto Show with the facelifted Mazda CX-7 and Mazda CX-9 models. The refreshed CX-7 has received a slightly updated exterior as well as a restyled interior. Most importantly, Mazda has added a new engine option, the naturally aspirated 2.5 liter DOHC 16-valve MZR four-cylinder, that is mated to a 5 speed automatic transmission, while the current 2.3 liter MZR with Direct Injection Spark Ignition will still be offered.

The seven-seater, three-row crossover Mazda CX-9 (RM 287,204.60 - 3.7L model related to the Lincoln MKX and Ford Edge) now also comes with an improved exterior and interior design, with added options and reinforced safety features.

Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 enters the IRC.

The Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 rally car will be entering the Intercontinental Rally Challenge full-time after its first competition debut late last year. Proton will be the 7th manufacturer in the IRC series, joining the likes of Abarth, Honda, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Skoda and Volkswagen.

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Proton into the IRC family. The new Satria Neo S2000 has already attracted a lot of praise in its short career to date. I have no doubt that Proton will quickly find success with competitive rally customers on IRC events, as well as on national and regional championships that are based on S2000 technical regulations,” said IRC GM Marcello Lotti.

“The IRC provides the ideal format for manufacturers to showcase their products around the world. We are very excited to register for the IRC this year, alongside many of the leading manufacturers in motorsport. Although we are still developing the Proton, the IRC will provide the perfect opportunity to gauge the competitiveness of the car, and ultimately to take the project forward,” said Proton’s MD Datuk Syed Zainal.

The Satria Neo S2000 made its first rally debut piloted by Bryan Bouffier and co-driver Xavier Panseri in the Rallye Antibes Cote d’Azur leg of the 2008 European Rally Championship in the South of France. In full rally trim, the hatch has the smallest front and the lowest roof height (heh I am not surprised really) of any homologated S2000 car. It’s 2.0 liter engine is derived from Renault’s 1.8 liter unit from the Waja 1.8X and puts out 278 horsepower at 7,600rpm.

Mini John Cooper Works.

A MINI engineer has revealed to AutoExpress via an interview that the auto maker is considering to produce a diesel-powered variant of the high performance MINI John Cooper Works and we can expect a launch date sometime in 2010. The engineer also revealed that the diesel powered version would actually be more powerful than the current petrol powered variant, and not only in terms of torque figures.

Citroen confirms production for its GTbyCitreon Supercar.

Vincent Besson, an executive for Citroen revealed in Geneva that the auto maker has confirmed its intention to produce the GTbyCitroen based on a limited production run of probably 20 units. The GTbyCitroen first appeared in the Gran Turismo 5 game based on the Playstation 3 platform and its full-scale model was featured in Paris.

The GTbyCitroen would become the first car to be produced based a video game. Besson did not reveal a production schedule and other details, but the GTbyCitroen will most probably feature a V8, supplied by either Ford or struggling General Motors.

The full scale model measures 4.960 meters long, 2.080 meters wide and 1.090 meters high, which is considered pretty big for a super car. Other features included in the scale; large wheel arches, 21-inch alumimium wheels,LED lights, that project information to the driver and “gullwing” styled doors. Lets just keep a watchful eye on racing games these days, as you would not know, what might just end up being produced!

2010 Kia Sorento.

Official photos of the upcoming 2010 Kia Sorento have been leaked onto the Internet. The new Sorento or also code named as the XM will make its official debut at the Seoul Auto Show next month which is where more details of the engine options will also be revealed. Thus far, apart from these official photos, we can just speculate.

The new Sorento would be the first Hyundai-Kia vehicle to feature the new efficient diesel from the R-diesel engine family. With a 2.2 liter displacement, this EURO5-compliant engine is expected to put out 200HP while returning 14.1 kilometers per liter of fuel. Other petrol powered options may include a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder and a 3.8 liter V6. There would also be a 2.7 liter LPI engine for the Korean market. Transmission wise, for now we know that there would be a 6-speed automatic. Another big change is the fact that it will be based on a unibody design instead of the current Sorento’s body-on-frame truck-like construction.

Just like any other new vehicle which was released by Kia recently, the 2010 Kia Sorento is rather good looking, with its front grille carried over from the Kia Cerato Forte, another handsome car. According to Kia-world.net, the new Sorento has also grown in size with its overall measurement figured at 4.685 mm in length, 1.885 mm in width and 1.710 mm in height. This means it is slightly longer by 95 mm and wider by 35 mm. However its height and 2,700 mm wheelbase is lower and shorter, by 15 mm and 5 mm respectively.

This new XM Sorento is one of the cars expected to hit Malaysian roads when introduced by Naza Group through Naza Kia Sdn Bhd this year or next.

Mercedes Benz releases the SLK 2LOOK Edition.

Mercedes Benz arrived at the Geneva Motor Show with the SLK 2LOOK Edition which is essentially a regular SLK but with a number of features which sets it apart from a regular version. These include two body colour options such as calcite white or black, headlights with black surrounds, 18 inch 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels with mixed tire sizes (front: 225/40 R18, rear: 245/35 R18) that can ordered with titanium silver or a dark “shadow” finish, discreet emblems bearing the 2LOOK Edition logo on the wings and a drought-stop of transparent acrylic glass.

Over on the inside, the 2LOOK Edition features sports seats finished with nappa leather with seat centre panels in white and the contoured bolsters in black, contrasting black-and-white scheme on the doors and centre armrest, carefully finished decorative seams on all leather surfaces, white-painted trim in the black dashboard, black roof lining as well as white-edged floor mats with an embroidered Edition label.

Potential owners can place their orders now, with a number of engine choices including the SLK 200 KOMPRESSOR, SLK 300 and SLK 350 Sports Engine. Price wise, the 2LOOK Edition demands an extra 2,100 Euros over the standard SLK. Potential buyers can also request for an exclusive obsidian black metallic body finish or the special designo mystic white finish, which is limited to 300 vehicles worldwide. The obsidian black finish costs 580 Euros while the designo mystic white carries a 1,990 Euros price tag.

New E89 BMW Z4 Roadster.

The new E89 BMW Z4 Roadster made its European debut at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. BMW is solidly hammering it into our heads that the new Z4 is a piece of automotive art, and that it definitely is. All those lovely curves are a modern interpretation of the old BMW 507 and alot of Bangle cues have been toned down. The new Z4 also now gets a convertible hard top, replacing the first gen Z4’s cloth top. New BMW Group design director Adrian van Hooydonk talks to BMW Web TV at the Geneva show on the new Z4’s design. It’s quite interesting to hear stuff said from a designer’s perspective actually - apparently designers take delight in clamshell-style bonnets as they can then play around more with the design lines on the bonnet without having to deal with the bonnet shutlines.

Lotus Evora Launch Edition.

Proton-owned and British-based sports car maker Lotus has launched the Lotus Evora Launch Edition at the Geneva Motor Show. The Launch Edition is sort of a “market testing” variant where only 450 unit will be produced at first, and deliveries in Europe will start by May this year. The 2+2 sports car is offered in two body colour options including Ardent Red and British Racing Green and buyers can also opt for other colours as well, with a bump on the price tag.

This mid-engined lightweight sports car receives power from a 3.5 liter V6 that is good for 276HP an 342Nm of torque which enables to Evora to hit the 100 km/h in just over 5 seconds, and can deliver 260 km/h in terms of top speed. With that power, the Evora consumes a reasonable 8.7 liters for every 100 kilometers traveled (based on Official European Combined Cycle), and releases 205 grams of harmful emissions per kilometer. Other fuel consumption figures include; Official European Urban Cycle figures of 12.4 liters per 100 kilometers and 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers for the Official European Extra Urban Cycle.

On the inside, the Evora (my fingers are somehow trying to type Exora) is generously finished in leather with a driver focused instrumentation, a dash with tactile details such as flush-mounted controls that glow with blue LED haloes and a stylized speedometer and rev counter. Other features among others, include; Bi-Xenon headlights, an Alpine Imprint audio system, a reversing camera as well as electric powerfold mirrors.

Lotus also revealed that it plans to produce a 2-seater, a convertible and a variant with an automatic transmission in the future.

240hp Alfa MiTo GTA.

Alfa Romeo has unveiled more details on the Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA. It’s still called a concept right now but I reckon it’s quite close to a production version. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Alfa Romeo nomenclature, GTA actually stands for Gran Turismo Alleggerito and is associated with mad and scary cars full of torque steer such as the 147 GTA. Under the hood of the MiTo GTA is a 1.8 liter turbocharged engine with dual variable valve timing and direct fuel injection producing a nice 240 horsepower. Although torque figures were not given you can probably expect between 300 to 350Nm of torque. The MiTo GTA has been lowered by 20mm, and the front suspension uses new geometry for the aluminium leading arms, and all-new bushings for the rear suspension. The dampers also have active damper control for a better balance between handling and comfort.
There is also something Alfa calls a “Sky-Hook” function which is supposed to improve comfort levels, but it’s not known what it is or how it works at the moment. We’ll have to wait until Geneva to find out.

Alfa Romeo 159.

The new Alfa Romeo 159 was released at the Geneva Motor Show with the additions of two new Euro 5-compliant engines including; a 200HP 1.75 liter TBi with 320Nm of torque which accelerates the 159 sedan to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds, to a top speed of 235 km/h, and a 170HP 2.0 liter JTDM power plant. This can propel the 159 Sportwagon to the 100 km/h in 9 to a top speed of 216 km/h. At the show, two variants are being displayed including the 159 sedan in TI trim and the 159 Sportwagon. The sedan in TI trim is finished with lowered geometry, bigger tires, 19 inch alloy rims, miniskirts and large aluminum brakes with red calipers on the outside while the interior features sports seats in perforated leather with the Alfa Romeo logo stitched in red, plus the steering wheel with sports grip and the gear knob covered in leather with red stitching. The TI also comes equipped with triple-zone climate control, VDC system with Electronic Q2, GPS, Bose Hi-Fi system and Cruise Control.

On the outside, the 159 Sportwagon is treated to 18 inch wheels while the inside features sports steering wheel with radio commands, a gear knob covered in leather with black stitching and new sports seats covered in leather while its head lining, the parcel shelf and the pillar fairings are finished black. Making up the equipment list include; triple-zone climate control, Cruise Control, VDC system (with Electronic Q2), Bose Hi-Fi system, GPS system (with telephone and voice commands), and Visibility Pack (rain, mist and twilight sensors.

Quant Concept by Koenigsegg.

Koenigsegg has arrived in Geneva with its Quant Concept vehicle which is a 4-seater solar powered electric super car. According Koenigsegg, if the Quant goes into production, it can be fully recharged in just 20 minutes, and with that it can deliver 500 kilometers in terms of driving range. The company also revealed that the batteries can be charged an unlimited number of times with no degradation. Further power can also be drawn from a thin film photovoltaic coating on the body and from the four-wheel brake regeneration. This rear wheel drive, futuristic looking concept is said to be able to deliver 512HP at the touch of the accelerator with 715Nm of torque. Naught to 100 km/h is achieved in 5.2 seconds and it can do a top speed of 275 km/h. Other preliminary features include; 6 air bags, ABD, ESP, 3 zone climate control, LED front and rear lights, among others.

Bugatti "Monster Veyron".

Bugatti has joined the automotive circus at the Geneva Motor Show with the latest version of the ultra-powerful and super-exclusive Veyron, the Blue Centenaire. This new version which celebrates the auto maker’s 100th anniversary is able to spit out a massive 1001HP and a jaw-dropping 1250Nm of torque thanks to its 16-cylinder quad-turbocharged 8.0 liter power plant. Exterior finish is highlighted by a number of features including; a two tone unique combination of “sprintblue matt” and “sprintblue gloss” paint finish (which can only be seen up close), special polished anodized-aluminum rear view mirrors and roof-trim-stripes, mesh grille inserts, exclusive Centenaire wheels, as well as bright red brake-calipers. The interior is mostly finished in “snowbeige” leather. Other features which are offered as standard with the exclusive car include; LED lighting, Park Distance Control and a rear view camera.

Bentley launches the Continental Supersports.

British-based Bentley has launched the Continental Supersports at the motor show in Geneva, which is its fastest and most powerful vehicle yet, and to add more spice, the Supersports’ W12 power plant is able to consume petrol as well as biofuel or ethanol (E85). Mated to a 6 speed automatic transmission with Quickshift that cuts shift times by as much as 50% and enables double downshifts, the engine is fitted with sensors that monitor the petrol/biofuel mixture ratio, which then supplies data to the ECU to ensure that peak performance is always maintained, which is rated at 621HP and a remarkable 800Nm of torque.

The Aston Martin One-77.

British sports car maker; Aston Martin has revealed the One-77 super car at the Geneva Motor Show. The One-77, which will only be produced on a limited 77-unit production run features a 7.3 liter dry sump V12 which is based on the 6.0 liter V12 block and developed with Cosworth. Horse power is figured at slightly more than 750HP. The One-77 which features a lightweight and immensely rigid carbon fiber monocoque structural core comes with Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) technology, Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes, Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires (255/35 ZR20 front, 335/30 ZR20 rear) and an improved version of the 6 speed robotized sequential manual. The auto maker has yet to release confirmed information regarding the One-77, but has revealed that it is projecting weight figure to hover around the 1,500 kg region and that naught to 100 km/h sprint figure is expected to be 3.5 seconds while top speed is expected to be in excess of 320 km/h.

Shelby Supercars Ultimate Aero.

Shelby Supercars (SSC), makers of the Ultimate Aero supercar, has released recently the details of the 2009 SSC Ultimate Aero supercar which has been updated for the next year. The 2009 edition will attempt to best the world record speed set by the previous model by reaching 270mph. The 2009 SSC Ultimate Aero now has a 15% increase in power and outputs an amazing 1287 hp. The front design of the 2009 SSC Ultimate Aero has been updated, together with the interior of the vehicle.
One of the most important new features of the 2009 SSC Ultimate Aero is the SSC-designed, 1-piece billet aluminum engine block. This makes the unit stronger by bettering its ability to deliver oil to key engine components enabling SSC engineers to turn up the turbo boost. It also features the new AeroBrake rear spoiler system that deploys under braking situations. The of Ultimate Aero price has not been announced yet.

Barack Obama Cadillac Presidential Tank Limousine Revealed.

General Motors has revealed the custom armored Cadillac presidential limousine that Barack Obama will use during the inauguration and as president. Unlike other presidential limo models it does not have an official model name, but by some accounts, it's called "The Beast."

"Although many of the vehicles' security enhancements cannot be discussed, it is safe to say that this car's security and coded communications systems make it the most technologically advanced protection vehicle in the world," said Nicholas Trotta, assistant director for the Office of Protective Operations. The new Cadillac model of the presidential limousine was made by General Motors Corp.

The vehicle includes heavy armor that is reportedly at least 5 inches thick bulletproof glass, run-flat tires, ultra high strength ceramic armor, system fire on board, and a completely sealed interior to ward off a chemical attack, the paper reported. It also has electronic communications equipment. One tech item they are talking about are the LED spotlights that’ll illuminate the fender-mounted flags at night.

Lotus Exige S Sports Improved Aerodynamics, Reduced Mileage.

Looks like fuel price instability has had a permanent effect on automotive design, even where high performance cars are concerned. Lotus is no different, announcing at the Geneva Motor Show that its new Exige S now earns 26 mpg on the highway.

The lightweight Exige S has never been an extremely thirsty vehicle, but aerodynamic tweaks have reduced fuel consumption, cut emissions, and improved the downforce that puhes body to tarmac for more stable handling at speed. Revised front end styling and a new rear wing are responsible for both reduced drag and the improved downforce.

Details of the new front end include a more angular, larger air intake for more flow through the radiator, and two added intakes specifically to route air to the car's twin oil coolers. Residing below the three new air intakes is an aerodynamic splitter that envelopes the entire front end and also reduces drag.

Hamann McLaren SLR Volcano.

The production by which Mercedes-Benz SLR is already one of the most impressive cars I have seen. But topping that is the Hamann McLaren SLR Volcano by Hamann-Motorsport with its cutting edge and refined superb sports cars. The Hamann has placed a strong diffuser into the car and has developed overall paintjobs for the Volcano in either aluminum/chrome or white/matt completing the striking appearance of this bolide.
The Hamann makeover is not only the most sportive, but also has the most out of the Mercedes Benz V8-aggregate. It has been developed for high performance exhaust and manifolds that will fully facilitate the increase of the motor performance.
With a maximum speed of 348 km/h, the Hamann Volcano is 14 km/h faster than their serial model. This car achieves 0-60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds, which is pretty awesome. Also, The Mercedes can reach a top speed of 216 mph. All in this entire car is a total package for the right consumer that is a true lover of the Mercedes-Benz.

2009 PPI R8 Razor Audi GTR.

After the introduction of this wildly acclaimed car, PPI R8 RAZOR’s automotive team has used its wits from the past year in the competition and recreated this truly remarkable production car. The Audi specialist has focused on optimizing the power-to-weight ration of the Audi R8 and has strengthened the motor, increased the performance, and improved the handling dynamics.
PPI has developed high-performance brakes only available for the RAZOR GTF that can be identified by its metallic orange-colored brake calipers.
This optimal deceleration and perfect pedal pressure control is enlarged by a 6-piston calipers in connection with the extra-large discs. Proving this car is a monster, it can accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than 3.6 seconds and achieving top speeds of 206 mph.