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Named for the city that Pininfarina calls home, its Cambiano concept may just be the sexiest plug-in diesel hybrid ever created. While the vehicle will make its official debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, Pininfarina chose to release some of its concept shots in advance.
The Cambiano is powered by batteries, a diesel-fueled turbine or both and propelled by an electric motor at each wheel. The car gives a maximum output equivalent to 816 horsepower and can sprint from 0-100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 155 mph.
While showing-off a supercar performance, the Cambiano was primarily designed to be environmentally friendly and so emits just 45 grams of CO2 per km which should be clean enough for the car to be compliant with future Euro 7 emissions standards.
Images of Infiniti’s new electric supercar called the Emerg-E have surfaced ahead of its official debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The images appear to be the official renderings for the Emerg-E showcasing a vehicle that is both sleek and sporty.
While the technical specs on the Emerg-E have yet to be revealed, the Emerg-E is expected to be a range-extended electric car similar to the Chevrolet Volt. This means that it will be a plug-in hybrid that has a gas engine that acts as a backup generator.
The engine will be mid-mounted for better weight distribution and improved handling, while the electric portion will be similar to the Nissan LEAF’s drivetrain but probably a more advanced battery with greater capacity.
Possibly the world’s fastest convertible is the recently revealed 2012 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse that will make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The vehicle is essentially what you get when you combine the open top body of the Veyron Grand Sport with the powerful 183bhp powertrain of the Veyron Super Sport.
As for the name, Vitesse means ‘Speed’ in French and it’s a much more interesting name than the Grand Sport and Super Sport. As for what the name reflects in its performance, the Vitesse has an 8.0-litre engine, with the cubic capacity split between 16 cylinders (in a ‘W’ formation) and fed air by four turbochargers, hence the 16.4 moniker. The Vitesse has also had the same tweaks as the Super Sport which means enlarged turbochargers, bigger intercoolers, a modified chassis to handle the extra power and new front and rear bumpers as part of a tweaked aerodynamic package.
Chris Harris spent five days in one of the most interesting and desireable sports cars ever made, the McLaren MP4-12C. The 600 horsepower vehicle mixes everyday usability with Millennium Falcon performance. Features include: a carbon tub, seamless shift gearbox, hydraulic suspension, 370mm steel rotors and 0 to 124mph in 9.1 seconds.
Chris drives it everywhere from the town-centre to the race-track. For a supercar its unexpectedly easy to drive at low speeds and can theoretically be driven every single day should one who owns one be willing to do so. And so it begins with the growl of the engine…
Aston Martin has a new V8 Vantage with a new gearbox, styling tweaks and chassis upgrades, which Aston Martin claims amounts to the ‘most comprehensive programme of enhancements’ since the 4.7-litre version of the V8 Vantage was launched in 2008.
The new Vantage will be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva motor show next month, just in time to distract potential buyers from the new Porsche 911.
Essentially the standard V8 Vantage is being upgraded with parts first seen on the more focused V8 Vantage S which means that the (optional) clunky six-speed Sportshift automated manual gearbox will be replaced by the less clunky but still not perfect at low speeds seven-speed Sportshift II transmission with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. There are 10mm wider tyres from the Vantage S as well, which Aston claims not only increase grip levels, but improve steering responses and allow the larger brakes to be fully exploited.
Maserati is planning to replace its aging GranTurismo S in the form of a new Gran Turismo Sport that will make its debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show next month.
The car is essentially the coupe version of the GranTurismo Convertible Sport that was launched last year and offers the same 450 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque 4.7-litre V8. Drive is sent strictly to the rear wheels via a ZF six-speed automatic transmission or an optional sequential manual unit with the same number of gears as the automatic. Both units also come with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, though on the automatic they’re an option.
While final numbers will be confirmed closer to its Geneva debut, the Sport’s drivetrain package provides a 0-60 mph acceleration in under 5.0 seconds and a top speed in excess of 177 mph.
Differentiating the new Sport from the current GranTurismo are new, aerodynamically-enhanced bumpers, revised headlights with LED detailing and darkened tail-lamp elements. The interior cabin also receives a new pair of seats and a sports steering wheel.
While Maserati has issued no price or performance details for the GranTurismo Sport it is expected to hit UK showrooms before the end of the year.
Source: Motor Authority
Aston Martin has just unveiled the production version of its V12 Zagato which is headed for its official debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The vehicle is being built to mark the 50th anniversary of the lovely DB4 GT Zagato, first shown in 1961 but entering showrooms half a century ago.
The Zagato was previously seen as a racer at the 2011 Villa d’Este concours and at the 24-hour Nurburgring race last year. Not much has changed in transitioning the vehicle from a prototype racer to the road-going production version with Aston Martin taking the V23 Vantage running gear and redressing it in a sharp exterior created by CPP in Coventry.
Following in the tradition of the exclusive One-77, the V12 Zagato will take more than 2,000 man-hours to manufacture thanks to hand-hewn body panels, including the hood, roof and doors and in line with its exclusivity, Aston Martin will only be building 150 of them. Aston Martin has created four new colours especially for the V12 Zagato, and paint alone takes 100 hours to complete. Inside, it takes a full seven hides to cover the cabin in hand-stitched, quilted leather.
Abdullah Al Ketbi is the owner of Dubai’s Alain Class Motors and what could very well be the best supercar dealership in the world. Abdullah gave Top Gear access to this extraordinary showroom filled with the world’s most rarified supercars where a Ferrai FF is tucked against a F430 Scuderia, which is nuzzling into a Versace edition Murciélago. Turn around and you’re staring at a Reventon – Lamborghini’s most expensive road car ever – Ferrari 458 Italia, Maybach 57S and Mercedes C63 AMG Black.
Abdullah says that Alain Class Motors has “five people full-time to wash and wax as the cars get very dirty outside and the cheaper ones need cleaning two or three times a day.”
And by cheaper he, of course, means ridiculously expensive. Braving the 30 degree weather outside is a Mercedes SLS, a brace of Porsche 911s, a genuine Shelby Mustang GT 350, a triplet of Porsche Panameras, a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Hummer H1 and a Baja-spec V8 dune monster. “We also need two people full-time to park them. It is a very hard job.”
The dealership is running out of space to house these magnificant vehicles and will be moving into bigger premises. “We have five places in Dubai and Alain at the moment, but we need space. This is 4,000 square feet, the new one will be 10,000. Business is good,” comments Abdullah.
View some of the supercars found at Alain Class Motors in the gallery below:
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