2007 Caparo T1

When I first wrote about this car in April 2006 it was already an impressive performing vehicle able to from 0mph hit 60 in 2.5 seconds, continue to 150mph then brake back to 0mph all in a total time of 10 seconds. The 2007 model unveiled in Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte-Carlo, welknown for its motoring history and heritage, has completely once again redefined the breed of supercar available on todays market. The Caparo T1 is set to be launced in the summer of 07 sporting a new and more powerful engine than what was previously anticipated. The engine, an all aluminium V8 has a higher capcity of 3.5lts and a mass less than that of 200lbs with the ability to produce an output of up to 550bhp and able to maintain an ultralight kerb weight to around 1100lbs (noted to be 1/3 the mass of the standard family saloon). The weight of the Caparo T1 at 500kg makes it lighter than the Caterham and has twice the power to weight ratio of the Bugatti Veyron enforcing the cars lightweight design and aerodynamics to phenominal track performance. The car is in a total class of its own based on its class, price, safety, lightweight, fuel efficiency and overall performance.

2007 Audi Q7 V12 TDI

This SUV places Audi with the title of presenting the worlds first 12 cylinder diesel engine from a 6.0ltr V12 capable of producing 800bhp and 738lb-ft of torque.
What the Q7 TDi has accomplished is a milestone for diesel engines of the future with experience driven from their diesel powered R10 Le Mans race car.
Very small design changes have been incorporated from the standard Q7 with subtle underbody ammendments to its panels at the front and rear. The Chrome plated front grill forcing its visual appearance as an Audi, and unseen is the new and mighty braking system.

The TDI version also incorporates the already impressive techonology as in all their cars and supports the ability go from 0-60mph in 5.5seconds and reach a top speed of 155mph. The Q7 TDI also has a new sound provided by a piezo injection system to assist with not only the impressive sound but a superior performance and power.
The engine also conforms to the Euro 5 emmissions class expected to be enforced come 2010.

In addition the Q7 TDI is expected to start sales in America in 2008 showing an aggressive move on Audi's part and have already committed themselves to a Q7 Hybrid-electric valve version around the same time.

Both should make the California Governor very happy.

2007 BMW M5 by Currency Motor Cars

Marked as 'one of a kind' this little gem is a stunner. R20 tyres, $100k interior, Leather in the steering wheel to match the seats, only the finest suede and leathers have been used and customer hand stitched to boast.

It is notably a flagship M5 model with expected top speeds to be around 240mph and houses a 810bhp twin turbo V10 engine and estimated to do 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. Estimated value around USD$350,000.

2007 KTM X-Bow Concept

KTM better known for their motorcycles has now released its first engine to have 4 wheels. Much like the Ariel Atom, the X-bow includes bodywork...but not alot.
The front viser if any provides the driver much to the same sense of riding a motorbike where a helmet would be most applicable.
The engine is a turbocharged inline-4 fitted with FSI(for direct fuel injection), exhaust turbo charger and intercooler. The engine which draws 220bhp and 221lb-ft making 0-62mph in 3.9seconds

The idea of the x-bow is to create optimum driving dynamics and spent many hours in the wind tunnel with attention to the underbody where a diffuser has been attached at the rear. To increase the diffusers efficenncy the linking points to the rear suspension were raised to enable a downforce approx 200kgs when at speeds of 126mph which makes it 3x more than most other supercars.

Aston Martin & Prodrive

The car that is most synonomous with James Bond, Aston Martin, has been sold by the Ford Motor Company for NZD$1.3b to Prodrive thus placing it back into the hands of the British.

David Richards a former ralley driver and motorsport enthusiast along with financial backing from two Kuwaiti investment funds (Dar and Adeem) have taken ownership over Astin Marton after it was last sold to Ford in 1987. During its time with Ford we have seen the Vantage,Vanquish, the DB7 & DB9 the new DBS and the Rapide(still to be released). These are the flagship cars released over the past decade and have received much global interest and respect being listed by voters as the 'coolest brand' in Britain by the Superbrands organisation last year.

Aston Martin was set up in 1914 by Lionel Martin, later sold to it's more prominent owner in 1947 to David Brown (this is where the "DB" is derived from eg. DB5 which was used as the first James Bond car in the 1964 movie Goldfinger). Brown then sold up in 1972 where it dwindled until the early 80's when it was purchased by Victor Gauntlett whom then sold it to Ford in 1987 where it's spent the last 30 years. Today Aston Martin grosses 40 million pounds a year or operating profit and producing more cars than ever before with its state of the art facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

Richards whom left the WRC in 1981 formed Prodrive whom today employs staff around the world in excess of 1000 and in 1999 sold his 49% stake in the business to fund growth plans and along with his smile is absolutely pleased with his new acquisition. Prodrive also have 6 WRC titles to their name with Subaru and 5 british touring car championships with BMW, Alfa Romeo & Ford.

The growth at this point is to push the brand higher (not further...at this point) to put it along side the likes of Ferrari and Bentley. Most enthusists will say that they are already at that point.
They are continuing on the Ford initiative to push also in the more global markets opening in South Africa lastyear and in Melbourne just last week with another to open in Moscow in June 07. Also the concept 4-doorRapide is set now to go into production with production scheduled at 2000 a year over, and we still have the new Vanquish to be released where only 40 will be produced.

Aston Martin as when it was first founded, today still build each car by hand, Remarkable finishing touches and luxury only limited by imagination.

2008 Spyker C12 Zagato

This Dutch Supercar looks spectacular, however seems to carry some forward design form Ford and Maseratti as my initial eye rolls from front to rear. The nose resembles that of a Maserattie and the bonnet that of a Ford GT and the colour of an Aston Martin. Yet that is where it would seem to end as the rear is complete new and well balanced and I've taken to its design shown here

The car is an all aluminium rear wheel drive based on the C12 model powered by a 6.0ltr 12 cylinder 500bhp W12 engine from Volkswagon AG 0-62 in 3.8seconds equipped with a 6-speed manual or automatic gear box with F1 styled paddles, chronoswiss instruments and Zagato designed full leather interior and brushed aluminium panels.
Skyker have incorporated several F1 designs such as the nose, air scoop, chimneys, mirrors, rain light, fuel flap and diffuser. A typical element to the Zagato range is the double bubble panoramic roof meaning that the while the car is aluminium the roof is stainless steel with roof rails for strength in downforce and chassis alignment.

Aston Martin Celebrate the Vanquish

New and existing customers of the Flagship Vanquish S are in for two exciting developments.

The new Vanquish S Ultimate Edition like other AMs are each hand crafted at the Newport Pagnell production facility in Buckinghamshire will put 40 into production to celebrate the Vanquish and the team working at the Newport Pagnell facility. The launch expects all to be sold within weeks of release as reported by initial feedback.

Retaining all the performance capabilities and luxury as Aston Martin are reknowned for it is being billed as the fastest production model AM have ever produced with a top speed 'in excess' of 200mph.
For existing Vanquish owners the works service department are to offer a new transmission conversion showing a further example of the depth to unparralleled level of personalization they can serve. This underlines their commitment to adaption to customer requests being a new model or old.
SInce 2001 when the Vanquish was first released it was equipped with fingertip controlled F1 style paddles with impeccable gear changes in under 250 milliseconds and advanced electronics to premit close ratio 6-speed manual transmission, and the ability to be operated manually.
James Bond would be sure fire to get twice the number of 'Bond Girls' and get away from cars in its rear without the need for fancy gadgetry.

While the picture shown above is just a drawing, I discussed this with a colleague and it seems to feature similar colour and stylings to that of a killer whale/orca.
A most magestic creature of the ocean and serves well as this cars equal out of the water.

2007 Koenigsegg CCXR

When thinking about SUPERCARS, one doesn't often asssociate it being environmentally friendly. However with a move towards more eco-friendly cars the new Koenigsegg CCXR offers us new alternative's in its creation of a Bio-fuel powered design concept car. While low in its production numbers the volume of Koenigsegg vehildes out there hardly contribute much to the measurable impact on the rising green house gas effect of co2 levels however the long term strategy of Koenigsegg is that it can still make a difference and as part of their strategy will make all current and future CCX models with the ability to be converted by the factory to accept the biofuel option.
The CCXR Biofuel upgrade has been developed in-house on the factory's engine dyno by koenigsegg technicians and their research found that a move to a biofuel powered supercharged V8 engine is that the ethanol in biofuel also acts as a coolant in the combustion process of the chambers, with higher octane value. Using this method has increased the power up to 1018bhp at 7,200rpm and the torque to 740lb-ft at 6,100rpm.
Stats: 0-62mph 3.2seconds
Top Speed 250mph(400kmh)

UPDATE : 14/03/2007

Vital Statistics
Engine: Supercharged V8
Power bhp (kW) at RPM: 1018(759) / 7200
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 740(1060) / 6100
Weight: 169 × 78.6 × 44.1
Acceleration 0-62 mph s: 3.2
Top Speed mph (km/h): > 250 (400)

2007 Koenigsegg CCGT

A new race car is born based on the production of the CC range and built to comply with the ACO and FIA GT1 regulations. The engine itself is based on the CCX production engine but enlarged to a 5.0tr and had the supercharges removed.
The expection in regards to reliability is set to be "Exceptional" using the history of the CC's strength and durability as a guideline for creation and projected performance.

CC cars are notably lightweight and considerably stiff on the road. The minimum weight for a GTI race car is 1.1kkg where most struggle to meet this weight the CCGT comes in at just under 1,000kg's allowing the designers to place at there will 100kg of ballast anywhere on the car to optimise efficiency. This creates an uncompromised advantage to the CCGT in race conditions. Also heralds the light of the John Britton racing motorbikes where its lightweight and design allowed its riders to be much faster that the competition, off the line, around corners and needless to say the open stretch of road.

2007 Pagani Zonda R

The Zonda F can do a lap time of 7minutes 32 seconds around the Burburgring so it will interesting to see how the R features.
This liberated design carrys only 10% of components over from the F and all else drafted from scratch. The wheelbase has been extended 2 inches and 5 inches in overall length still keeping within racing guidelines. Even though it's build for the track it's built to have the same quality and finish as the current Pagani road cars. The new suspension forged in Avional with a new Pagani 6-speed transversal gearbox, carbon-fiber monocoque and earonautical 4-pump fuel tank are only partical in its design from drawing that only started in September 06'.
With the support of Mercedes AMG to provid the high revving engine the Zonda R's target is to have the ultimate perfomance on the race track keeping one rule, Safety.

Bodywork has been designed to create the maximum downforce where possible even at low speed corners such was the intention for a longer front bonnet and flaps, closed underbody and adjustable rear overhang and wing. The car has an in-built digitek instrument pannel to provide the driver with amount of downforce, g-forces applied to allow the driver to create the optimum levels for driving

2007 BMW M3 Concept

The M3 concept car has a V8 engine capable of producing high-rev's and already picked to be the engine of choice for this particular series. Already the current 3-series has been critically acclaimed globally and is the basis for the M3 series.
Alot of the body panel work have been recreated to suit the modern driving enthusists matching luxury and race track performance to everyday on road driving.
The most noticable change is the bulge to the bonnet now being made aluminium to save on weight with an enhanced powerdome flanked by very large air vents. The V8 engine acts like a hoover and sucks in air at a higher rate than previous engines so larger air intakes are required. The size of the buldge indicates just how large a housing the engine will need.

Please stay tuned for futher specifications as they come to light

Aston Martin

The Ford Motor company are expected to announce as early as this week their intention to sell their ownership of Aston Martin the Luxury performance car most synonomous with James Bond. Under Fords wing they have brought us the Vantage, the Vanquish and the all to beautiful DB9 and DBS.

The sale is expected to be NZD$1.27b noted by a source to the NZ Herald. Motor racing firm Prodrive working in conjunction with Egypts Naeem investment bank are at this point the front runners to buy the British hand made luxury sports brand. Other bidder named is the Doughty Hanson whom are also still in the running.

2007 Lotus 2-Eleven

**A Fiery little buzzy bee**
This supercharged Inline-4 intercooled 1796 cc engine has a maximum power output of 252 bhp at 8000 rpm and a torque figure of approximately 179 lb-ft at 7000 rpm. Match this with the extra power and torque with the VVTL-i variable cam system ensures that there is a smooth and linear surge of power from low engine speeds all the way to the maximum 8000 rpm. The Roots-type Eaton M62 supercharger (with a sealed-for-life internal mechanism meaning that it does not require the use of the engine's oil) is run from the crankshaft and has an integral bypass valve for part load operation. Four high capacity injectors and an up rated fuel pump add additional fuel under hard acceleration or high speed driving.
The car has a weight of 1477lbs keeping in line with the superlight designs of the Lotus design brand.

0-62 in 3.8 seconds AT 252bhp this little devil has a power to weight ratio similar to that of a 1960's F1 car. This car is centred at drive track enthusists