In spite of stringent new anti-pollution laws in California eagerly pursued by the governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, request for fabulous supercars does not seem to be dwindling in the Golden State, especially in Los Angeles which has one of the highest rates of luxury car ownership in the world.

This could explain Lamborghini’s decision to increase its presence in the rich American state, as it’s expecting an increase in sales in the coming years. On this basis, the new quarter for the brand will be born in the Santa Monica area.

The new centre will deal exclusively with the Northern American market and is the first outside of national borders for the company. It appears management has decided that a market which absorbs 41 percent of all Lamborghini’s sold throughout the world deserves some special attention.

After the first example of the CLS55 AMG, collaboration between Mercedes and IWC returns to create a limited sports version. This time its the turn of the SL63 AMG, which has just been renewed and equipped with the V8 6.2 at 525 hp and the new shift, Speedshift MCT.

Production will be limited to 200 units, all in the exclusive kashmir white colour and equipped with AMG’s aesthetic kit with details in carbon fibre. Carbon also dominates the internal panels, in contrast to the Tappa Brown leather, also unique to this version. The cars are equipped with Mercedes’ most permissive speed limitator, coming in at 300km/h.

Lucky customers of the Mercedes SL63 IWC Edition will also receive a precious IWC watch, but no price has yet been released.

Via | MotorAuthority.com

The first, equipped with a V8 of about 550 hp, will be based on an engine present in the Mercedes and modified by Cosworth, and which will be of smaller size and reduced weight compared to current competitors: the use of high quality, prestigious materials will be a perogative. This is together with the privilege of being assembled at the McLaren base in Woking, beside the track car and the spider version, expected for the following year.

2011 will see the debut of the P12, F1 inheritor planned with some compromised fun: a lighter weight and the V10 at more than 600 hp should be essential elements.

Via | Autocar

In case relative and superlative adjectives aren’t enough to describe the exquisite Corvette ZR1, Tadge Juechter, project manager, has an interview with Edmunds in which he summarises all its values and characteristics, and adds a some news.

First the new American coupé will be produced (starting this summer) in 2,000 units a year: a figure which, together with the price of about 100,000 USD, indicates an assumed commercial success. But not only, the ability to “conquer the track record of any world circuit” reveals itself and we wonder if the ZR 1 could be defined as the perfect car.

Juechter, for his part, continues to heap praise. “Our engineers”, he says in the interview, “have created the most efficient engine at 600 hp than the entire automobile panorama, capable of consuming less than the Z06.” This car apparently consumes 22.8 l/100 km on a city track, and 14.7 as a mixed bag. This could humiliate the Lamborghini LP640 (32.3 in the city and 21.3 mixed) and the Ferrari 599 GTB, having the same scary figures as the “Murci”.

dal canto suo, continua a pronunciare lodi sperticate. I nostri ingegneri – prosegue nell’intervista – hanno realizzato il più efficace motore da 600 cavalli dell’intero panorama automobilistico, capace addirittura di consumare meno della Z06. Quest’ultima, accreditata di 22.8 l/100 km nel ciclo cittadino e 14.7 nel misto, si potrà definire umiliata, così come la Lamborghini LP640 (32,3 in città e 21,3 nel misto) e la Ferrari 599 GTB, sulle stesse spaventose cifre della “Murci”.

Thanks to “GT-R slave”

Via | Motorauthority

Coming up to the final stages before the Paris show, occasion in which this car will probably be revealed, the defensive camouflage of the Ferrari F149 are slowing coming off: after much talk we can finally hazard some guesses.

Or better, we can breathe a sigh of relief. The proportions, a real achilles heel for the aesthetics of all coupé-cabriolet, aren’t damaged by the presence of full-bodied doors necessary to house the folding roof. The rear look seems to have been maintained and the general body shape gives a nice sense of a linear style.

The front seems to have similar aspects to the 599 Fiorano, complete with a distinctive grill necessary to cool the V8 4.7 placed at the front and equipped with direction injection.

Thanks to Abab

Via | Autoblog.com

Gone in one month….what? The stock of the GT-R that Nissan was planning on selling in a year in all of Europe. And the best part is that sakes will start only in March 2009.

A month from the opening of orders, the Japanese company has already received 1500 requests, of which 950 are just from Great Britain: in fact, whoever wants to order a GT-R now will have to wait until 2010. Before next March Nissan will organise a series of events to inform customers about the car they’ve ordered and to give them a taste of the sublime quality before owning it.

In the States things are no different: sales will start in July 2008 but production for the current year has already closed, and for 2009 only 40% of units remain.

“Gentlemen, start your thumbs” could be heard when Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Nissan unite forces to launch a promotional initiative not to be missed. The idea is that of awarding the best playing of the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue with the chance of spending 24 hours in an endurance race in Dubai on board a Nissan 350 Z racing car.

The competition is called GT Academy and includes a first online elimination round on the PlayStation Network. Participants will then most probably confront each other in a competition with the GT-R, which will be characterised by the livery you see in the photo. GT Academy will start in May and will continue for eight months.

At the end of this, the winner will attend an intensive four-month course necessary to complete the special licencing requirements. The end of these emotional 12 months will be participation in the endurance race. Obviously we’re only talking about a stint but the smell of petrol and tyres, the sound of the engines and the night-time competition will certainly be enough for an unforgettable experience for the driver.

Via | Autoblog.com

Not even two months after the Fbg par Hermès, and only about seven after the Pur Sang, Bugatti, not yet satisfied, has revealed a new variant on the Veyron: the Sang Noir is in fact the new celebrated version dedicated to reviving the Atlantique 57S of the 30’s - a “surbaissé” model (literally “lowered” and therefore sporty) of the legendary Type57 presented in 1934.

The particularities of this special series are the black opaque colour with chromo inserts, the aluminium mirrors and front grill, and the alloy wheels. Unfortunately technical specifications and production details have so far been kept in the dark.

Grazie a Reggiani per la segnalazione

Via | Motorauthority

Touring Superleggera has shown off some new official photos of the A8GCS, the new sports car based on the mechanics of the Maserati GranTurismo and queen of the recent Villa d’Este show where it was presented.

Compared to photos already seen, you can appreciate the compact lines, minimal curves and attention to the wheels, with modern Borrani styled spokes. We’re still waiting on confirmation and production details of this interesting Italian coupè, with a reduced weight of 1200 kg.

Thanks to pipino

Via | Carscoop.blogspot.com

The specs related to the Tesla Roadster destined for the European markets have been released and skimming the document there are plenty of surprises. The document, coming from the Norwegian importer, states that the little spider with the green spirit will have a capacity of more than 300 CV or 225 kw, and a red zone of 13,000 revs.

The updated model will be slightly different from the original with some aspects having been reviewed before sale in the US and Europe. The new transmission, created by Ricardo, is equipped with a single gear compared to the previous model (by Magna) with its two. The cooling system is also new and more efficient.

Returning to the numbers, the most notable are the four seconds acceleration from 0-100, the maximum speed of 200km/hr and the recharge time of four hours, with rapid recharge possible at much more brief times. The 250 cars destined for the old continent (at a price of 99,000 euro), will be available as a signature edition with new colours and numbered plates.

Optional extras are richer than a simple English lightweight (remembering that the Roadster is based on the Lotus Elise) and include heated seats, cruise control, rear LED lights, and twin airbags.

Other details can be found in the PDF file published by Autoblog.com.

Take the rear of the Viper and add to it a threatening front, and what do you get? An attractive coupé, potentially enchanting, with an immortal inheritance. An oxymoron? Definitely.

A few days from the appearance of the “cousin” Sl Black Series, Mercedes is showing it hasn’t abandoned the Slc project (or for the nostalgic the Gullwing), following some road tests with the unusual bodywork.

Unfortunately additional information regarding this racing car, developed in collaboration with HWA, contains only a few exaggerated mutterings: the engine, for example, could be a re-inforced version of the V8 6.3, or the V12 6.0 which has been much talked about recently. The only certainty is the base - measuring 2.69 metres, exactly the length of the Slr. It’s impossible to think of it only as a coincidence.

Via | World Car Fans

In reading the numbers we’re asking ourselves what its limit is, or even if it has one. Coming from the parentage of the “SV”, this is a car with a pedigree capable of stirring emotions only talking about it. According to announcements from Autocar, the photographs are the best example that Lamborghini is continuing to develop its SV of the Murcielago, destined to give birth once again to the splendour of Miura and Diablo. We had already discussed this thanks to sightings from the Nurburging in May 2007, but silence following this had made us lose hope.

The bodwork should be quite simple, allowing for a reduction in weight: thanks to carbon fibre inserts and the removal of the real wheel drive (and adieu therefore to all-wheel), and the kilos saved should be around 100. If then we add the extra 40 hp, so arriving at 680, and a rear stabilizer, the picture is very interesting: welcome back SV.

Thanks to Bugatti&91

Via | Autocar