Automotive News

Filed under: Coupes, Videos, Bentley

Somebody buying a Bentley Brooklands isn’t so concerned with how it performs, how it stacks up to the competition or how much it costs. They’re far more taken by the Bentley-ness of the whole thing, that je ne sais quoi, a certain indescribable quality that you just can’t put your finger on, lest the car’s owner release the hounds…so you’d better get your own.

Put yourself in that mindset before you watch the following video. Imagine you’ve got all the money and taste in the world and ignore the notion that the Continental GT is the better performer, because the “baby Bentley” is just so nouveau riche. Now pour yourself a brandy, light up a cigar and enjoy what amounts to little more than some black and white footage of a land yacht accompanied by some acid jazz…jaaaazzzz!

[Source: The Hollywood Extra]

Continue reading VIDEO: The Bentley’s just so crazy about that jazz

 

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Filed under: Motorsports

It was wet and nasty, but the SARRC Club participants forged ahead at Barber Motorsports in Birmingham, Ala. Despite the bad weather, accidents were few and spirits were high, Saturday. Autoblog wandered the paddock, talking to drivers and fans and snapping photos of anything interesting. Race results for those interested should be posted on the Web site of the Alabama Region SCCA soon. For a couple of stories from the participants check the jump. For those who just want to see some cool machinery, check out the gallery.

Continue reading Barber Motorsports hosts SARRC Club racing

 

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Filed under: Supercars

Did you think the Castagna Aznom was an odd little duckling? Then you’ve clearly forgotten about the Codatronca, the likewise Corvette-based Italian coachbuilt limited-edition supercar, initial details of which we brought you several months ago. SpadaConcept, the Italian design studio that cooked up the concept, has now released more details on the distinctive tailfinned sportscar.

For all you technophiles out there, we’ve got all the dimensions and specifications. Based on the Corvette C6, the Spada Codatronca places the engine in a front-mid layout, driving through the rear wheels. Starting with the aluminum LS7 7-liter OHV V8, Spada fits twin Rotrex superchargers, dual intercoolers, an eight-quart dry-sump lubrication system, titanium valves and connecting rods, sequential fuel injection and a boosted compression ratio of 11:1. All that nets an impressive 600 hp at 6,300 rpm and 790 Nm of torque at 4,600. The power is channeled through the rear wheels via a short-throw 6-speed manual.

(Details continue to astonish after the jump.)

[Source: Italiaspeed]

Continue reading Shark Attack: Spada Codatronca details emerge

 

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Filed under: Supercars, Bugatti

Let’s admit it: playing around with the customizing tools for cars you never intend to buy is fun. Although the Veyron’s is one of the nicer ones we’ve tinkered around with, the lack of choices gets boring pretty quick, two-tone paint schemes notwithstanding. Fortunately the good folks at Bugatti - those same good folks who brought us the 1000hp ultra-mega-über-super-car - have decided to bestow upon us a few more criteria to tinker with. Alright, maybe it’s more for the actual customers, but since there won’t be another Bugatti model coming anytime soon, as we sorrowfully reported several months back, we’ll take what we can get.

Future buyers ponying up the million clams it takes to put a Veyron in their (undoubtedly immaculately paved) driveways will now be offered several new choices: a few new color combinations, some new leather trim options for the interior, and colored wheels. The latter will likely please individualistic buyers the most, as a 250-mph supercar can’t take just any wheels the aftermarket has to offer.

Reports also suggest that Bugatti is working on a revised exhaust system following client feedback that the exhaust note was not sufficiently impressive, muffled as it were by the four turbochargers (!) and whatnot.

If anyone needs us, we’ll be spending the next little while sorting out our new preferred Veyron specs.

[Source: Spiegel Online via German Car Blog and Motor Authority]

 

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Filed under: Driving

Last week in Orange Beach, Ala., a police officer spotted a speeding Monte Carlo, threw on the blue lights and started an 8-mile, 100-mph chase that ended with the Monte upside down.

With his gun drawn, the officer says he approached the car to find an 11-year-old girl behind the wheel. Sorry, an allegedly drunk, slightly injured 11-year-old girl behind the wheel.

Orange Beach assistant police chief Greg Duck wouldn’t say what the girl’s blood alcohol level was, but did say it was higher than the legal limit for adults, .08 grams per milliliter, and much higher than what state law allows for anyone under 21, which is .02 gpm.

We’re baffled. First, that an 11-year-old can see above the steering wheel, much less reportedly pilot a Monte Carlo at 100 mph. Second that she is accused of being drunk while doing it. And third, that Alabama has a blood alcohol limit for minors.

Wow. Just wow.

[Source: Press-Register]

 

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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, China

Brilliance China Automotive Holdings, Inc., front-and-center in the news of late thanks to a disastrous performance by its BS6 sedan in German crash tests last month, has announced that it’s delisting its American Depositary Shares from the New York Stock Exchange. Brilliance is making its exit due to a decline in trading volume and an uptick in related administrative costs.

The shares will me made available over-the-counter once the delisting is complete, and regular shares in the company will continue to be traded via the Hong Kong Stock market. brilliance is BMW’s partner in the Chinese market, where it manufactures cars for the German automaker. As previously noted, it also builds its own branded vehicles such as the aforementioned BS6 (a.k.a. the Zhonghua in China), the Jinjue, shown above, and others.

[Sources: AP, The Auto Channel]

 

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Filed under: Motorsports

9:05 AM - Race meeting just ended. We’re waiting for a tire to be changed on a fire truck before the festivities commence. Click on through for our LIVE coverage, and to find out what overall penalties were incurred by some of the race leaders.

Continue reading LIVE BLOG - 24 Hours of LeMons: Day two of destruction

 

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Filed under: Motorsports

Well, maybe not the refreshed part, but we’ve moved from the media room and into Jay, the organizer’s, Airstream van that’s conveniently located within the pits. We’re mere feet away from the Wheel of Misfortune and should have a great view of what’s coming in for service, what’s going back out and what’s met its timely demise. Although the photos might not be as telling, we should have an additional man manning the shutter to capture the action as it unfolds.

The race is set to begin in mere minutes. Look for our post titled “LIVE BLOG” and begin hitting refresh as soon as it goes up.

 

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Supercars, Lexus

The Lexus LF-A has been appearing at auto shows in two different design iterations for a couple of years now, and countless spy shots of the the V10 supercar circulating the Nurburgring have been published here and elsewhere. The latest prototypes are now running with minimal camouflage and looking much more like the original concept version. All this activity implies that a production version is impending and it will probably turn up at the either the Frankfurt or Tokyo Motor Show this fall.

[Source: AutoExpress]

 

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Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Hirings/Firings

Top-level athletes are being identified at younger ages all the time, with most tennis or gymnastics prodigies being noticed by age 10. Over in the UK, motorsports are huge, and four year-old Ben Kasperczack has just been signed to a four-year contract with Motorsport World. That’s right, ‘lil Ben isn’t even old enough for kindergarten and he’s been granted unlimited track time, his own mechanic, and all the equipment he’ll ever need.

It’s easy to dismiss such a contract as little more than a publicity stunt, yet Ben has shown an amazing knack for recognizing understeer and oversteer (most adults aren’t as fortunate), and he knows just when his tires need changing. Since at age four he’s completely fearless, Ben also maintains the most aggressive driving line possible, which makes him faster around the track than most adults.

We don’t know if Michael Schumacher should worry about any of his records just yet, but the karting world will have to wait four more years before Ben Kasperczack competes in his first race with other drivers. Let the hype machine begin.

[Source: Winding Road]

 

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