Spada Codatronca

Legendary Italian designer Ercole Spada, known for his work with Ferrari, Lamborghini, Zagato, and Aston Martin as well as many other European makers. His family has contributed what most would call automotive works of art, dating back to the 1960s. More recently, Ercole's Spada Vetture Sport brand has taken on the task of overhauling a Corvette C6 ZO6 chassis with its designs--adding a European flare to raw American V-8 horsepower. To the American eye, the Spada Codatronca is as radical in design as it comes and bares little to no resemblance to the Corvette. The rear diffuser adds to its aerodynamic stability, its slippery figure helps the aluminum chassis surpass the ZO6 in drag coefficient and top speed. We are awaiting official wind tunnel numbers, but the advertised top speed is over 211 mph on the naturally aspirated version and 220 mph when supercharged.The use of lightweight materials, such as the magnesium engine cradle and Kevlar body panels throughout this handbuilt supercar, to keep weight under 3,000 pounds despite a well-hidden rollcage for safety that uses a special coating to bond to the frame. Spada ups the ante on the TS (Turismo Sportivo) version with an 11.5:1 LS7 that is tweaked to produce 630 horsepower and 670 lb-ft of torque naturally aspirated. The big-boy TSV (Turismo Super Veloce) will pack a twin C38 Rotrex centrifugal supercharged and intercooled LS7, said to be capable of a conservative 750 horsepower and 950 lb-ft of torque.

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Dakar Rally concept

futuristic Citroen 2020 Dakar Rally Vehicle concept from designer Chu Hyung Kwon

Mitsubishi news

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plans to kill its current lineup of U.S.-made vehicles, the Eclipse, Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor and Galant sedan over the next three years and switch to producing global vehicles at its Illinois plant. The current nameplates will be phased out by 2014 as part of the carmaker's new business plan unveiled Thursday by president Osamu Masuko.Mitsubishi's factory in Normal, Ill., its only U.S. assembly plant, will pick up new models based on the platform underpinning the Outlander crossover, Outlander Sport small crossover and Lancer sedan. The company plans to announce early next month what model will debut there. Mitsubishi sold 55,683 vehicles in the United States in 2010, up 3 percent from 2009.

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KIA KV7 concept

For the past several years Kia Motors' design-led transformation has been delivering production vehicles – such as the Soul, Forte Koup and Sportage – that bear a very close resemblance to the original concept designs that preceded them. At the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Kia will make another dramatic design statement with the world debut of an all-new, convention-challenging concept vehicle named "KV7."

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Armored Car sales UP

MEXICO CITY — Armored cars and body armor in Mexico are no longer exclusively for government officials, foreign executives and the super rich, as a raging drug war spreads across the country, leading to a spike in orders. Sales of armored vehicles rose 20 percent this year, the bloodiest in the government's four-year fight against the cartels, to 1,900 units, according to the Mexican Armored Car Association. In a garage in Mexico City, technicians this month were busy fitting bulletproof glass and armor plating to vehicles ranging from luxury cars to humble family sedans. Mexico's worsening war between rival drug cartels and state security forces has killed more than 33,000 since late 2006, stoking fears among ordinary people, especially as civilian deaths grow in northern cities Monterrey and Ciudad Juarez. Authorities say the vast majority of drug-related violence is not directed at ordinary citizens, but high-profile kidnappings and extortions have rattled middle-class citizens. Attacks on public officials increased in 2010 and mayors, political candidates and other regional politicians were all victims of drug cartels seeking to expand their influence. That violence has also spurred sales to municipalities and other non-traditional buyers of armored vehicles. And while the most sophisticated armored vehicles, which cost more than $120,000, are out of reach of middle-class consumers, less costly protection, including bullet-resistant clothing, is being snapped up.

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$300,000,000 Yacht

Andrey Melnichenko’s $300Million “A” cuts through water creating no wash at 25 knots, but has made quite a splash in international yachting circles. Taking its design cues from battleships of yore, the 390 ft steel craft has all the delicacy of a dreadnought. Its beaklike bow can cut through arctic ice and its Rolls-Royce steering system can chart a seven day course across the Atlantic. The irregular concept endured rigorous testing off of the Isle of Wight before it was deemed seaworthy. Initially, it was feared that the ship might not just look like a submarine but also dive like one. French designer Phillipe Starck lent his aesthetic expertise. Named for Andrey’s wife, Aleksandra, the superyacht, especially its interior, reflects her unconventional choices. Swathed in “Panama Beige” leather, a light parchment color, and studded with stainless steel fixtures, the interior boasts six cabins with moveable walls. Three pools are closed in the vicious looking hull, one of which has a glass bottom and floats above the discotheque, which doubles as a parking space for two 30 ft speedboats.

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Hyundai Veloster

The Hyundai Veloster is a compact sport coupe set to begin sales in the Summer of 2011. It was released on January 10, 2011 at the Detroit auto show. Hyundai states the production model is to receive a direct-injected 1.6 liter 138 horsepower, 123 lb.-ft. (@ 4,850 rpm) torque, 4-cylinder engine. A 6 speed manual gearbox is standard while a 6 speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters is also available as an option. The DCT transmission is developed by Hyundai and is the first dual-clutch transmission from the company. The Veloster will achieve an estimated 40 mpg fuel economy, but does not yet have an official EPA rating. A turbocharged version will be available later on. The car includes 17 inch wheels and 4 wheel disc brakes as standard features. The car is different from many competitors as it has one door on the driver side and two on the passenger side in US bound models. European models will have four regular doors. The Veloster will also utilize Hyundai's new BlueLink system, which is similar to OnStar used in GM vehicles, providing customers with automatic crash notification, vehicle diagnostics, etc. Pricing is expected to start around $17,000.

BMW 507

The BMW 507 is a roadster produced by BMW from 1956 to 1959. Initially intended to be exported to the United States at a rate of thousands per year, it ended up being too expensive, resulting in a total production figure of 252 cars. The 507 made its debut at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York in the summer of 1955. Production began in November 1956. Max Hoffman intended the 507 to sell for about $5,000 U.S., which he believed would allow a production run of 5,000 units a year. Instead, high production costs pushed the price to $9,000 and ultimately $10,500. Intended to revive BMW's sporting image, the 507 instead took BMW to the edge of bankruptcy The company lost money on each 507 built, and production was terminated in late 1959. Only 252 were built, plus two prototypes.
The engine had a 150 hp 193.3 CUI OHV V8 that had a top speed of 122 mph. The styling of the 507 later influenced the Z3, Z4 and Z8. The 507 remains a milestone model for its attractive styling, which attracted some famous buyers. American icon Elvis Presley was the most noteworthy purchaser. In addition to owning another car, while on duty with the US Army in Germany in 1959 he bought a white 507 and brought it back with him to the US, and had the engine replaced with a 289-cubic inch Ford V-8. in 1997, it sold at an auction for US$350,000. 202 507s are known to survive in 2009 the prices for 507s have reached $900,000.

BMW Z8

The BMW Z8 was a roadster produced from 2000-2003.
The Z8 was the production variant of the 1997 Z07 concept car, which was designed by Henril Fisker at BMW's DesignworksUSA in Southern California. The Z07 originally was designed as a styling exercise intended to evoke and celebrate the 1956-'59 BMW 507. The Z07 caused a sensation at the '97 Tokyo Auto Show. The overwhelming popularity of the concept spurred BMW's decision to produce a limited production model called the Z8. There were 5,703 Z8s built, approximately half of which were exported to the U.S.

The Z8 remained extremely faithful to the concept car. The Z8 price was $128,000 had an all aluminum chassis and body and used a 4.9 L 32-valve V8, that developed 400 hp 370 torque. This engine was built by the BMW Motorsport subsidiary and was shared with the M5. The engine was located behind the front axle in order to provide the car with 50/50 weight distribution.Motor Trend magazine tested (0–60 mph) in 4.2 seconds.Road and Track mesasured the car's lateral grip at .92. As with most BMW products, its top speed was electronically limited to 155.4 mph the car's maximum top speed with an unlocked computer was 186 mph. The Z8 included an innovative use of neon exterior lighting. The tail lights and turn indicators are powered by neon tubes that offer quicker activation than standard lightbulbs and are expected to last for the life of the vehicle.

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KIA Mojave concept

The 2004 concept KIA Mojave was designed at the Kia/Hyundai Research & Design Center in NamYang, South Korea, under the direction of Lee Jae-Rim, Designer and Senior Research Engineer on the Advanced Design Team at Nam Yang. “The idea behind the Mojave project was to take advantage of Kia’s research and development resources and create a concept vehicle that is closely aligned with Kia’s positioning in North America,” said Peter M. Butterfield, president and CEO of Kia Motors America. “Despite the fact that we do not currently have a factory with the capacity, or the location, to manufacture this truck, the Mojave is an outstanding example of what Kia is capable of delivering, and will allow us to conduct consumer research at the Chicago International Auto Show to gauge consumers’ reactions.” “Our design objectives for the Mojave were unique in that we attempted to combine a forward-thinking cabin with an advanced, open and modern feel that would appeal to Generation Y consumers,” said Mr. Lee. “Alternately, the exterior design combines a more traditional exterior truck profile made up of simple, basic forms that clearly communicate the rugged capability of the vehicle.” Named “Mojave” for two reasons. Not only does the name represent the ruggedness and beauty of the spectacular American Southwest.A key design feature is the Mojave’s ability to stretch its rear bed into the passenger cabin at the touch of a button. After manually raising the rear glass and folding down the rear seats, the power-operated rear wall quickly slides forward to extend the bed from 71 inches to 86 inches in length -- enough room to fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood -- making even a larger-than-normal load from Home Depot easy to deliver. The extended bed position also provides built-in protection from forward-sliding cargo due to the design of the folded rear seat back. A 3.8-liter, DOHC 24-valve V6 putting out an estimated 280 horsepower, coupled with a 5-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission

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Motor Trend 2011 Car of The Year

The Chevrolet Volt (Motor Trend magazine's 2011 Car of The Year) is aplug -in hybrid electric vehicle. The Volt has been on sale in the U.S. market since mid-December 2010. The Volt's 16 kW·h lithium-ion battery pack can be charged by plugging the car into a 120-240VAC residential electrical outlet. No external charging station is required. After the Volt battery is depleted, a small 4-cylinder engine that burns premium gasoline to power a 74 hp generator to extend the Volt's range. The electrical power from the generator is sent primarily to the electric motor, with the excess going to the batteries, depending on the state of charge (SoC) of the battery pack and the power demanded at the wheels. The distribution is controlled by the electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle.

GM states the Volt can travel 25 to 50 miles on batteries alone, and the total range (electricity and gasoline) is 379 miles. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt starts at $40,280 excluding any charges, taxes or any incentives. Qualified buyers are eligible for a US $7,500 U.S. Federal tax credit The Volt will be initially sold in seven regions:California, Washington DC, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Austin, Texas Nationwide availability in the U.S. and Canada is scheduled to begin with the 2012 model year

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