Bugatti Veyron 16.4

Puntiki:This spectacular looking highly advanced vehicle has been having teething problems and has not been released as yet. It was due to be released 2 years ago, but VW is having trouble keeping the car stable over 350kph from what I hear, so it was back to the wind tunnel. When everything is sorted this is expected to be the car to elipse all of the records claimed by the mighty McLaren F1. The Bugatti has some advantages that some would feel were unfair if you compared to the McLaren F1..... It has a W16 engine, which is effectively four 4 cylinder engines placed in 2 V's and attached to one crankshaft..... It has 4 turbos, four wheel drive, sequential gearbox....
The McLaren had none of the extra's to boost it along. The McLaern may still be the greatest car ever made.... The Bugatti may just be faster, and beter looking depending on who you discuss this with.


4 turbo high torque engine 1001 hp / 1250 nm

7 speed sequential short shift 0.2 second. Duel clutch system.

W 16, 8000cc 64 valve 4 cam with magnesium conponents

four wheel drive

Designed for speeds of up to 400kph.

Old car of the week. 1970 Honda N360

Puntiki:In March 1967 the Honda N 360 arrived. It is a front-wheel-drive 2-door sedan with a wheelbase of 200 cm, and a light-alloy OHC air-cooled 2-cylinder 354 cc engine with 31 HP. The rear axle was rigid with leaf springs. These cars are cute as.... I had to rebuild one when I did a mechanical course at the then " Carrington Polytechnic " in Auckland in the mid 90's. They are durable, small, spacious inside and have lots of character.... A fun car to cruise up and down Queen Street on a Friday night, as long as three large men dont decide to pick the car up and turn it over with you inside...

2007 jaguar XK

According to CNN: Ford Motor Co.'s Jaguar division released photos today of the upcoming 2007 Jaguar XK sports car. The car closely resembles a concept version, called the Advanced Lightweight Coupe, displayed at auto shows this year.

Jaguar executives have said that the new XK would signal a new design direction for the division. The XK is a 2+2 sports car, meaning that it has small back seats suitable only for occasional use.

Like Jaguar's current XJ sedans, the new XK's body will be made from aluminum. Aluminum is lighter than steel, which improves driving performance, but it is also more expensive.

The 2007 XK will have a driver-shiftable 6-speed automatic transmission and a 300-horsepower 4.2-liter V8 engine. That is slightly more power than the current standard XK engine.

Increased use of aluminum is something that Jaguar executives have said would be a hallmark of Jaguar cars in the future. Side air vents on the 2007 XK and on the 2006 Jaguar XJ Super V8 Portfolio, a luxury sedan costing over US$100,000 that will be available next month, are made of unpainted aluminum as a way of advertising the use of the lightweight metal in the cars.

Jaguar has not released pricing information for the 2007 XK.

What do you think of it? Looks a bit Mondeo to me, but will decide when I see it in the flesh.

Dodge Ram SRT-10

Puntiki:This monster truck is certified by the Guiness book of records as the worlds fastest truck at 154.587mph. It has the Dodge Viper 500 hp v10 engine mated to a 6 speed manual transmission, and it will do the 1/4 mile faster than the BMW 645ci. A true example of American muscle.
The SRT-10 is rather impractical, but unique all the same. Fast way to get the jet ski to Omaha..... I will have a silver one please.

Engine: 8.3 Liter Viper V10
HP/torque: 500 @ 5,600 rpm / 525 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds
Top speed: 154 mph
1/4 mile: 13.6 seconds
0-100-0: 19 seconds +/-

Vehicle recommendations

If there is a unique, fast, expensive or classic vehicle you would like us to review. Leave the year make and model in the comments section and we will do what we can.
PUNTIKI

2006 Audi RS4

Puntiki:Audi’s RS4 made its world debut at Geneva, and the car marks an important change in the Volkswagen division’s sport-sedan quest: To further its high-end performance-car aims, Audi has ditched turbocharging in favor of a bigger, highly strung naturally aspirated engine. This is a move Audi insiders say will be repeated in coming years on new generation Audis. A bit like BMW is it not?

The move away from turbocharging is a big departure. The new direct-injection V-8 is ultraresponsive and addictively light-footed in the way it summons more power and whips up more torque. With 414 hp, the 2006 RS4 will accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in a stellar 4.8 seconds. The 4.2-liter unit musters its maximum brio at 7800 rpm; from there, you have another 450 rpm to play with before the limiter gently intervenes at 8250 rpm.

The brakes are borrowed from the Lamborghini Gallardo, and the Audi quattro system has been upgraded and modified for this vehicle. So it can speed off, handle and stop like a super car.... Pity about the looks though, I am sure it will grow on me.

Ford GT

Puntiki:The Ford GT began as a concept car designed in anticipation of Ford's centennial year and as part of its drive to showcase and revive its "heritage" names such as Mustang and Thunderbird. It drew heavily for inspiration on Ford's classic GT40 race cars of the 1960s, which managed to upset Mr Enzo Ferrari by taking races from his namesake.

The car has a list price of $143,545 US, but it is unlikely to find one for any less than $200,000 at this stage. Ford made just under 500 of these beasts for 2004, and the demand is high for the 2005 and 2006 models, therefore people are paying more for them than MSRP. This car is one fast yank tank..... It has a top speed of 205 mph and has the ability to beat the Ferrari F430 from 0-60 and over the 1/4 mile.... I hope Enzo isn't turning in his grave. One for me please...

Engine Type: DOHC supercharged V-8
Displacement (cu in/cc): 330/5409
Horsepower @ RPM: 550@6,500
Torque @ RPM (lb ft): 500@3,750
Horsepower Specific Output (hp/liter): 101.9
0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds
1/4 mile: 11.6 seconds ( McLaren F1= 11.1 )

Williams F1 and Cosworth announce new deal

For those of you interested in F1:



According to f1-live.com: After months of rumour and speculation, WilliamsF1 and Cosworth today announced a wide-ranging partnership agreement for the provision and development of V8 engines for WilliamsF1’s entry in the Formula One World Championship. BMW has given Frank and Patrick the snob as they are going to be based with Sauber from now on.

The partnership is not based on a traditional engine supply agreement; both WilliamsF1 and Cosworth will invest in the programme, underlining both parties’ commitment to success. Moreover, the scope of the collaboration includes not just the engine as an isolated element of a race car, but extends to a complete programme of design and development of the entire drivetrain package (spanning engine, transmission, associated electronics, software and installation architecture).

WilliamsF1 has conducted a thorough assessment of the various partnership options available for next season and has been delighted to conclude that the depth of Cosworth knowledge and expertise in V8 development clearly presents the most competitive opportunity for the team and its sponsors.

Cosworth is well advanced in the development of its Formula One V8 engine, having routinely exceeded 20,000 rpm during dyno testing since April 2005 at its Northampton headquarters. The two British companies which are separated by 36 miles, both have distinguished pedigrees in their respective spheres. Together they aim to put British excellence at the front of the Formula One grid next season. Good luck to them. Cosworth has a long history of building fast engines, so it will be very exciting to see how it pans out for them next year.

Porsche Carerra GT

Puntiki:The Carrera GT was originally conceived at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As Porsche secured its sixteenth outright victory in June 1998, the idea was proposed of a road-going sports car based exclusively on racing technology. Two years later, in the autumn of 2000, that concept began to take shape. I am glad it came to fruition....this car rocks.

As a pure encapsulation of Porsche engineering, the Carrera GT is a natural evolution based on more than 23,000 race victories. A road-going supercar built for uncompromising performance and unlimited driving pleasure, so Porsche says.

That pleasure begins as you unlock the door with a squeeze of the key remote. Step inside and you'll find an elegant composition of interior materials, including carbon fiber, leather and magnesium.( The wooden gear knob looks out of place and ugly ). Turn the key and the powerful V10 eagerly springs into life. That is where all the fun begins...

The twin banks of cylinders are arranged in a 68-degree 'V' topped with four-valve heads equipped with sodium-cooled exhaust valves. A 98 mm bore is combined with a 76 mm stroke to produce a total displacement of 5.7 liters. With a maximum power rating of 605 hp (SAE) at 8,000 rpm, the engine has an exceptional specific output of 105.5 hp (SAE) per liter. Maximum torque is 435 lb-ft at 5,750 rpm en route to a maximum engine speed of 8,400 rpm. The engine only weighs 205kg and the distrubution of weight is nearly perfect.

Pablo:

Performance on this beautiful car is what counts...

Top speed 205 mph (330 km/h)
0-60 mph 3.8 secs
0-100 kph 3.9 secs
0-124 mph 9.9 secs
Quarter mile 11.4 secs ( McLaren F1 was 11.1 )

Aston Martin Vanquish S

Puntiki:Aston Martin’s hand-built 6.0-litre V12 is renowned as one of the finest engines in the world, according to Ford spin. It is enormously powerful, smooth and it can also lay claim to being the world’s best-sounding high performance car engine. I rather like the crackle of a F575, but this car sounds great too. The engine in the Vanquish S has a maximum power of 520 bhp (388 kW) at 7000 rpm, with maximum torque of 425 lb ft (577 Nm) at 5800 rpm.

Such power delivers sterling performance. Indeed, this is the fastest-ever road going Aston Martin. Top speed is more than 200 mph (321 km/h), the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) dash is accomplished in only 4.8 seconds while 0-100 mph (160 km/h) takes just 9.8 seconds. But it is the mid-range acceleration that is truly sensational; 50-70 mph (80-112 km/h) takes only 6.5 seconds in sixth gear. Overtaking is effortless.

This automobile looks spectacular, and although Aston Martin is owned by Ford, the Vanquish is a true contender for being the car that James Bond drives. I am still a bit weary of the quality of construction, and reliability, but if you can get one with a warranty and maintanence package, buy it if you can.
Pablo:

Ferrari F430 Spider

Puntiki: Wow this car is hot. It is an amazing transformation from the rather un plesant looking F360 that came before it. With 490 Hp it has MORE power than the legendary F40 of the 80's and early 90's, and is about as fast. Good luck trying to get your hands on a new one in NZ at this time, as they are sold out for 4 years. Maybe you can get a second hand one from Singapore through Jerry Clayton? Maybe not, but either way, I could have one of these.

Pablo: Yes again. The Ferrari 430 is truly a religious experience. Having had the pleasure and good fortune of driving a couple of Ferraris in the past, I can only wonder what it would be like to have close to 500 BHP under my right foot in a car as accessible, as fluid and as lithe as the successor to the F360.

One point to note - the styling of the car is a little controversial. It's not ugly, but it's just that it doesn't seem as sexy as the F355 was. Mind you, Ferrari had to improve on the 348, given its rather americanised headlights and styling details. The 355 was a gorgeous car to behold. The F360, in my humble opinion, was impressive looking, aggressive looking, but not sexy. At least they made the car easier to live with than previous generations of those from Le Scuderie .

90 degree V8
Total displacement: 262.9cu in 4308 cc
Maximum power: 360.3 kW (490 hp) @8500 rpm
Maximum torque: 465 Nm (343 lbft) @5250 rpm


Maximum speed: 193 mph+ 305 kmh+
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) 4.1 s

2006 BMW M5

Puntiki:The absolute pinnacle in Sports Sedan motoring has a name: BMW M5. Relatively reserved in its looks, this super-sport sedan is the most sophisticated and powerful 5 Series ever – five liter capacity, 10 cylinders, 500 hp (SAE net) output, 383 lb-ft maximum torque, and engine speeds in excess of 8,000 rpm. The BMW M5 boasts the most innovative drive concept in its class, the best power-to-weight ratio, super-car handling, as well as outstanding everyday driving qualities, I cant wait to get my right foot on top of the accelerator pedal of one of these beasts. 1/4 mile in the 12's and 0-60mph in the 4's. This is the vehicle that sets the benchmark.


Pablo: Yes Puntiki, without a doubt this will be the best sports sedan for some time yet. This car is clearly an iron first wrapped in a velvet glove. BMW, while they may have cocked up the 7-Series in the face of S Class and A8, have a car that indisputably stomps on E55AMG and perhaps even the Audi RS6. I would love to see a time trial test between the Audi, the E55 and BMW. Something for Top Gear perhaps?

As for the BMW's "flame styling", I think the 5 series looks far better the 7, but not as nice as the 6, which is the BMW I most covet at the moment. Roll on the BMW M6!