Lexus is entering into the exclusive sports car market with its new 2012 LFA. The production of the new car will be limited to only 500 worldwide and at a price of about $375,000 (approximately R2,9 million) Lexus are being very selective about who they sell their new model to. This won’t be an easy car to add to your collection.

Lexus manufacturer, Toyota where concerned about the LFA’s weight savings and so the engineers chose specified aluminum alloy construction over traditional steel but when it was discovered that the aluminium would not enable them to achieve the desired lightweight objectives, they decided on carbon fibre as the material of choice. Expensive and difficult to work with, the automaker relied on its 150-year-old textile manufacturing experience to cast and mold the material to specifications.

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McClaren Automotive unveiled the new MP4-12c supercar at the International Johannesburg Motor Show recently. The bespoke vehicle is considered the modern day successor to the McLaren F1.  This occasion marked the first time the the car was made available for public viewing in South Africa since 2010 and is the first car to be produced to South African specifications.

Under the hood,  the 12C has a bespoke McLaren ‘M838T’ 3.8 litre, V8 twin-turbo engine that produces 441 kW, driving through a McLaren seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox (SSG). This supercar can reach 100km/h in just 3.1 seconds and has a top speed of 330km/h. The McLaren MP4-12C features a revolutionary carbon fibre chassis structure, the Carbon MonoCell which is the first time any car has ever featured a one-piece moulded carbon fibre structure.

The McLaren, with a selling price of between R2.5 – 3 million, is expected to reach the local showrooms at the end of October 2011.

Source: sacarfans

General Motors is set to unveil the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show in November. The vehicle, mechanically similar to that of the hard-top muscle-car version, is arguably one of the most powerful topless cars in the world. Like the coupe, the convertible will pack 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque from its supercharged 6.2-litre LSA V8. The Camaro will also offer Performance Traction Management as part of the Magnetic Selective Ride Control, which is exclusive to General Motors. Finalized performance figures have yet to be announced, but GM says to expect almost identical performance metrics to the ZL1 Coupe.

General Motors has made some changes to the body structure with additional reinforcements that include a front X brace and rear V brace, underbody tunnel brace and tower-to-tower brace under the hood and  a transmission support reinforcement brace.

Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer said that: “The Camaro ZL1 convertible will be one of the most powerful and most capable, convertibles available at any price. “This is a car that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time you drop the top – or hit the gas.”

The Chevrolet Camaro Coupe is scheduled to go on sale in early 2012 with the ZL1 Convertible expected to follow soon after.

Volvo is currently working on the expansion of its C30 range with this new four-door V30. The V30 is expected to rival the Audi A3 and recently revamped BMW 1 Series hatchback.

The V30 will launch either along side or after the next-generation C30. The V30 shows off a more family friendly designed vehicle –  In front, there are  smaller and more sharper headlamps that better mimic what we see on the S60 and at the rear the tailamp design is more shapely while still incorporating Volvo’s signature lighting scheme.

The V30 is expected to debut in late 2012 or early 2013.

source: autoblog.com

If there is one luxury vehicle that is associated with the iconic James Bond character it’s the Aston Martin. As for his off-road transportation Bond has made use of submarines, hovercrafts, Sunseeker speed boats and megayachts and according to Aston Martin owner and naval architect Luiz de Basto, it’s time to bridge the gap between road and sea. de Basto, who has several Magnum yacht designs to his credit, has created the Voyage, a 55-foot speed boat that puts Aston Martin quite literally on water.  The name follows the tradition of naming its vehicles with a ‘V’ reflected in the Vantage, Virage,Vanquish and Volante models.

However, the Voyage will go far beyond semantics with design elements that are similar to those of  the automaker’s famous GTs with a grille shape that has been interpreted into the windshield, the side vents into hull portals and the center console into a cabin access hatch. The stylish shape, rich green colouring and crafted golden Aston Martin logo all exude the very best of Aston Martin exclusivity and sophistication.

Luiz de Basto has stated that “the goal was not only to propose an interesting interpretation of the famous car lines in the water but design a fully functional boat, able to be built anytime upon request.” The boat will also make use of new innovative and renewable materials that do not interfere with tradition in any way.

After leading the way in bringing iPod integration and iPhone connectivity to its vehicles, BMW has now brought the same functionality to Android with the soon to be released remote app for Google’s open-source OS.

As with Apple’s OS, the app will allow drivers to remotely lock, unlock and locate their vehicles. In addition, the driver will be able to access the Climate Control function to activate the vehicle’s auxiliary ventilation or heating and a Flash Light or Horn Blow function can be used to gain a visible or audible reminder of the car’s location. If the car is out of sight or earshot, the Vehicle Finder function can locate it within a radius of up to 1,500 metres.

BMW will be releasing the app later this year and will also include real-time traffic information.

Ginetta has finally revealed their new G60 sports car, a rival for Porsche’s 911 and Cayman as well as Jaguar’s forthcoming XE sports car. The Ginetta may look familiar as it is essentially a revised version of the Farbio GTS. Ginetta has quite a history  - Ginetta was acquired by businessman Lawrence Tomlinson in 2005 when he and his team began expanding the racing side of the business over the next few years.  In 2010 Ginetta announced plans for the G40R and also acquired Farbio Supercars. The GTS was then renamed the F400 but production was halted so the company could give the car a complete make-over. Now in 2011 the F400 is launched as the new G60.

The original F400 shape now has a carbon fiber body, a revised splitter that adds downforce, anti-lock brakes, traction control, LED-infused headlights and a sporty rear fascia. Power comes from a Ford Mustang-sourced 3.7-liter V6 engine with 310 hp (231 kW / 314 PS).  The double wishbone suspension has been changed to incorporate unassisted steering.

With just 50 being built each year at a price starting at £68,000, Ginetta says the G60 “is rare by any standards.” First deliveries are expected to begin in February 2012.

The new Porshce Boxster was recently spied while being taken for a test drive, undisguised and in broad daylight. The picture provides a clear view of the model’s lines and detail with its sharp side strakes, side air inlets and prominent wheel arches. The rear of the vehicle sees a new integrated lip spoiler that spans right across the car’s rump, bisecting the taillamps.

Provided by some forced induction and a few tweaks, the 2.5-litre flat-4-cylinder engine could generate as much as 360hp under the hood.

The model is expected to make its official debut around the beginning of 2012.

Image source: Autoblog