Hot Wheels

Did you ever watch a race on TV and see a car's engine blow, and think to yourself, "Why don't you ever see that happen with a street car?" Well, add twin-turbochargers and 2005 bhp to a Lambo Gallardo, top it off at 250 mph, and you'll get your wish. Just make sure that after all of those modifications, you have some extra cash left with which to replace the engine and bodywork.

From AutoBlog:

Drake's Veyron Ain't Feelin' It

Rumor has it Drake had to write the car a four-page love letter to get it to start.




TJ with the assist.

Auto Eroticism: Jaguar C-X75 Prototype

The more I see of this car, the more I feel things get awkward in my pants. This car makes you fall in love a little more each time you set eyes on it, and looks as though it will be a big milestone in the technological race to create "green" supercars.

Park of Creativity

We're finally getting closer to the point where cars can be put on autopilot, and I can catch a quick nap on my way to work. Or get home from the bar without paying for a cab. And no more tipping a valet! I think I'm going to like the future.

Make-Ups to Wake-Ups

Mini of Mexico knows how to get a woman's attention.

Just because it's sexist, doesn't mean it's not true. From Autoblog:

Publicis, the advertising agency used by Mini in Mexico, came up with an inventive (or offensive, depending on your point of view) way of reminding female drivers "that there's a time and place for everything." And while we're not quite sure of the veracity of the statistics cited in the video below, or even the necessity of its production in general, perhaps we'll just take it as a reminder to pay attention while driving... no matter what else happens to be on our minds. Or faces, as it were.

All-Weather Machinery

Who says a supercar isn't practical in the winter?

Certainly not Rhys Millen, who flawlessly navigates a snowy Pikes Peak road known as Loveland Pass with a McLaren 12C Spider in this video. Why does he do it? Because he wants to beat Chanelle Sladics and her snowboard to the bottom, of course.


Maybe Rhys & Chanelle can double date with Pilar Lastra and me someday.

Auto Eroticism: Maserati Quattroporte

It's the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and new cars are being thrown at us almost as hard this week as Big Bang Theory has been for the last three years (no, I don't like that ridiculous show either). And next up for our viewing pleasure: the all-new Quattroporte.

From MSN.com:

Everything has been reworked and improved. The full-size sedan is larger and has considerably more interior and trunk space, but it weighs nearly 220 pounds less than the previous version, thanks to extensive use of aluminum in the chassis and body. Styling changes are evolutionary. The car retains key design elements such as the prominent front grille, three small side vents in the front fenders, and a triangular rear roof pillar.

New engines were designed entirely in-house and will be built under contract by corporate cousin Ferrari. The V8 displacement is downsized, but twin turbochargers boost output to 523 horsepower and 524 lb-ft of torque. That represents an increase of 18 percent and 39 percent, compared with the previous nonturbocharged V8. The new V8 is good for zero to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds and an astounding top speed of 191 mph. The only other Maserati to exceed that top speed is the MC12 supercar. A new twin-turbo V6 engine derived from the V8 makes 404 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. It can be paired with all-wheel drive, which is not offered with the V8. An 8-speed automatic is the only transmission available.

Now, to my eye—which, admittedly, has its flaws—this new car barely looks any different than the current Quattroporte. There's certainly been a few tweaks to the rear of the car; but, aside from that...yeah. Not seeing anything substantial. Just like Big Bang Theory.

If I'm lucky enough to be car shopping in this price range, I'd much rather go with something more stylish and more dependable, like a BMW 7-Series or a Mercedes S-class (both of which will likely cost you less, both in sticker price and mechanic bills).

Auto Eroticism: Acura NSX

Looking at this car, I had vaguely the same psychological reaction that I have seeing a glistening model in a bikini climb out of a pool in a music video.

And I'm not ashamed to say it.

From Top Gear:

The seat bolsters, grab rails and transmission tunnel seem to pounce forward, as if they’re making a break for the windscreen. But where most concept cockpits are works of fantasy with nowhere to put your cup of coffee, this one has a traditional rear-view mirror and storage compartments. You can see out quite easily. There’s an oblong screen in the middle of the dash, under which is a straightforward cluster of buttons for the gearbox, handbrake and sport modes. The steering wheel is round-ish, with three spokes. The seats are thin and beautifully sculpted. Actually, the whole thing feels very much like the inside of the McLaren 12C.

You could imagine it going on sale looking just like this, when it reaches showrooms in about two years from now. Honda’s people weren’t giving much else away, but we’ll eat our origami swans if it doesn’t have the petrol-electric powertrain and 4WD we speculated on last year. The petrol engine, mostly likely a 3.5-litre V6 with 400bhp, will be correctly placed in the middle of the car and power the rear wheels. Then there are two electric motors up front: one for each wheel, operating independently to sniff out grip and see-off understeer, plus another one in the transmission at the rear to boost engine power when asked. Together, the electric motors will most probably add about 100bhp to the powertrain, bringing the new NSX to 500bhp overall.

I wasn't always the biggest fan of the original NSX. The designed seemed too bulky, too clumsy to make you take it seriously alongside a Ferrari or Lamborghini. It was like dressing Jennifer Lopez up in mom jeans and Crocs.

The design of this generation of NSX, though, seems like it will more than make up for the previous one's flaws.

Auto Eroticism: Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive

Do you remember when the words "hybrid" or "electric-powered" were roughly the car-world equivalent to a girl telling you that her friend had a "great personality"?

In a world that is finally embracing a need to break from oil dependence, the latest trend has unquestionably been the race by carmakers to produce high-end, high-performance "green" sports cars. It's a revolution being felt everywhere, from the pinnacle of motorsport to the floors of the most prestigious auto shows.

From EVO:

Mercedes-Benz has announced that it’s planning to launch the SLS AMG Electric Drive next year, after the car’s show debut at the Paris motor show. With 730bhp and 737lb ft, Mercedes claims the electric SLS is the most powerful production car it has ever offered.

Driven by four individual electric motors, two gearboxes and a new AMG Torque Dynamics system, the SLS Electric is four-wheel-drive, and is said to do 0-62mph in 3.9secs onto a limited 155mph.

Power comes from a liquid-cooled 60kWh, 548kg lithium-ion battery. It will take 20 hours to fully charge from a standard wall socket, or just three if you opt for the fast-charge wall box.

The site also provided a quick video look at this new environmentally-conscious beast:



The SLS has long been one of my personal favorites, so news that an electric-powered version is on the way is intriguing. But, I can't say I'm all that thrilled to hear this tidbit about the sound that it will make. The current SLS snarls like a nightmarish brute when idling, and roars like it's trying to rip open the road at every pump of the throttle. To learn that this has been sacrificed in the pursuit of technology is disheartening (though understandable, given the limited sound that electric engines produce).

My boy Armo with the assist.

Auto Eroticism: McLaren P1

The boys and girls from Woking are at it again. From Motoramic:

Known as McLaren designer Frank Stephenson's first clean-sheet design for McLaren after the MP4-12C, the P1 is expected to combine the 3.8-liter V8 from the MP4-12C with some kind of hybrid system that could approach 1,000 hp total. In a statement, McLaren managing director Antony Sherriff says the P1 will be "the most exciting, most capable, most technologically advanced and most dynamically accomplished supercar ever made -- not necessarily to be the fastest in absolute top speed but to be the quickest and most rewarding series production road car on a circuit."

The early pictures are definitely enticing (the profile evokes memories of the McLaren F1), and thus far the MP4-12C has proven itself to be one of the best ultra-luxury sports cars on the market. McLaren seems determined to give folks with seven-digit bank accounts and a taste for six-digit cars something to think about next year.

Auto Eroticism: Peugeot Onyx Concept

If you're not familiar with the name Peugeot, you were probably born in the U.S. after 1990. Though they've never held a particularly strong share of the American auto market, during the 80s the French automaker's badge was another face in the crowd that greeted me on bumper-to-bumper L.A. freeways. Though they stopped exporting across the Atlantic in the 90s, Peugeot has maintained a consistent presence throughout Europe. Now, it appears, they may intend on making that presence known.

Peugeot has revealed a concept car unlike any before it: incredibly lightweight, made from recycled materials, and powered by hybrid fuel technology. From Top Gear:

It's a one-off supercar concept designed by a group of Pug designers briefed with exploring the use of unprocessed materials in new ways. So that body has been hand-finished using pure copper sheet metal, and because it's untreated, the finish will change over the course of time, giving it a new look.

The remainder of the bodywork panels are made from carbon fibre, finished in a matt black, and you can tell how pleased Peugeot is with its RCZ sportscar, as the Onyx sports a double-bubble roof in honour of it. Even the ruddy windows and the roof are made from PolyMethylMethAcrylate (PMMA) - basically, shatter-resistant plastic.

Underneath is where the Onyx gets a bit more exciting. The chassis was developed with the help of Peugeot Sport - themselves a bit handy with a bag of spanners - and is constructed from monolithic carbon, and comprises just 12 parts. It's even been built with a flat carbon fibre floor like they use in racecars, even if the Onyx has been made "suitable for the road". All in, the whole thing weighs just 1,100kg with torsional stiffness said to be ‘optimised'.

It had better be too, because bolted onto that shell is the 3.7-litre V8 hybrid HDi FAP engine used for Peugeot's Le Mans programme, here developing some 600bhp transmitted to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox. There's an 80bhp boost button incorporated inside too, utilising battery power recuperated from brake energy. Oh yeah, those brakes: 380mm discs at the front and 355mm at the back. Huge.

Inside is where it gets a bit playschool fantasy. The interior is constructed from compressed and stretched felt (obtained from boiled wool, no less), formed as a one-piece pod with no stitching or joins, and acts almost like a pod: as a whole, it contains the soundproofing, seats, roof and upper console. Your body fits into this pod like an organic whole. Very Alien-esque.

The dash is made from wood produced from recycled newspapers - with not a hacking scandal in sight - complete with digital screens and aluminium switchgear operating the engine and air-conditioning controls.

This car looks like a monster--albeit a very, very environmentally-friendly monster. If you make your millions off biofuels, this may just be the car for you.

A Car Lover's Wet Dream

Really, there's no other way to describe what you're about to watch. Motor Trend put together a lineup sexier than any you'll ever see at the Moonlight Bunny Ranch, and waved the green flag.



My boy Armo with the assist.

Auto Eroticism: Arrinera Hussarya

You're looking at Poland's first supercar.

...Well, at what Poland's first supercar will kind of look like. As the guys at Top Gear explain:

We say made, when of course, we mean, will be made, at some point soon. Probably. Because these pictures are just renderings, albeit the final computer renderings of what the finished product should look like.

But it *should* be pretty nifty, not least because a certain Mr Lee Noble sits on the management board of Arrinera Automotive, and was involved in the chassis design. You might remember his earlier work - the Noble M600 - which, as Jeremy put it, is "head alteringly quick". There's already a prototype of the Hussarya - built and tested last year for investors to gawp over - so it's more real than most rendered supercars we see on the Interwaves. Underneath sits a 6.2-litre V8 producing 650 horses, all sent to the rear wheels via a ‘Graziano' gearbox.

A relatively lithe kerbweight of just 1,300kg means the 0-62mph sprint is estimated at 3.2 seconds, 0-124mph in around 8.9 seconds, and a top speed of 211mph. The looks have been changed since its early conception, along with the cockpit design, to keep "up to date with current trends in automotive design".

Those numbers, if they hold true, are impressive. I'm inclined to toss out a joke or two about the quality and competency of Polish workmen, but I'll just save those for my homie Dupa.

My only real criticism here is the design. It's a beautiful car (again, presuming the finished product looks at least similar to this). But that's because of how closely it resembles other beautiful cars. The Hussarya looks like a McLaren MP4-12C got drunk at a foam party on Ibiza and knocked up a Lamborghini Murcielago nine months ago. And that could be a bit of a problem, at least for those looking to buy a supercar for the status that it portrays. These are the vehicles of the rich and famous, and as such are often accessories, much the same as a diamond necklace or an Armani suit. And while pulling up to the curb of a posh L.A. club in an MP4-12C will garner esteem from those in the know, doing so in a car that no one's ever heard of may not fetch the same (albeit shallow) approval.

If, however, you make your six-figure automotive purchases based on performance and novelty instead of status, then the folks at Arrinera might just have something for you. You know...if it actually makes the car.

Auto Eroticism: Lamborghini Urus

From Life + Times:

Last month Lamborghini unveiled its newest concept car – an SUV dubbed the Urus. You read that right: Lamborghini, the company whose heritage is rooted in creating some of the world’s sexiest and most powerful exotic sports cars is now making SUVs and flying them under the same banner which has housed the Aventador, Reventon and Murciélago. While the Urus will probably be the most powerful SUV on the market (thanks in part to its aerodynamic design and V-10 584HP engine) it’s also being detested by fans of the Italian automaker, as enthusiasts are saying that Lambo is diluting its brand and lowering its standards for crossover appeal.

Hardline enthusiasts and traditionalists may be upset over the move, but I applaud it. Lamborghini has one of the richest sports car backgrounds around. How would that suddenly be erased by them making one SUV line? The Urus looks good (aside from the interior; they may want to rethink the whole "Alaskan redneck camouflage" trim), and should be pretty powerful. I'm looking forward to wishing I could afford one.

Auto Eroticism: Fisker Karma

For once, buying a $100,000+ car may be fiscally responsible.

In addition to being American-made, the long-awaited Karma separates itself from its Italian, German, and British peers in the six-figure, "golddigger-radar-lock" category of automobiles by running on electricity (though it can also run on gas, depending how you toggle the settings in the cockpit). At 5300 lbs and only 400 bhp, the Karma is more tourer than sportscar (a bit of semantics that might help you justify spending $100K on a car that needs six seconds to go from 0-60 mph), but its modest performance is made much more tolerable knowing you're getting 30 to 40 miles per gallon.

From Tamara Warren and Life + Times:

The substantial 22-inch wheels seem to fit snugly to the big body. Side by side with a Maserati Quattroporte, it looked as if the Karma could have swallowed the Italian sports car. The Karma specs confirm my observations, weighing in at a hefty 5300 pounds. The 403 horsepower and 959 pound feet of torque make for respectable, if not fast and furious performance. The Karma climbs from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds in electric mode, and just under six seconds using the gasoline engine. It’s much more exciting to drive a Karma than, say a plug-in counterpart like the Nissan Leaf. But what this means is that the fuel economy is actually somewhere in the 30 to 40 mpg range for regular driving, 50 mpg on a mindful day of all electric driving. I had fun clicking a leaver between Stealth (all-electric) and Sport (gasoline power). Electric cars are by nature silent, but Fisker added in whirring sound effects that add drama to the drive experience.

The Karma is definitely pretty; but, to be honest, if this price range is realistic for me, I'd probably go with an M3 and spend the difference on gas. Though it does strike me as a perfectly good "wifey car". Maybe if Hiromi is extra good to me, I'll cop her one on her birthday. [It may also help her chances if she actually knew I existed. *cough*]

Auto Eroticism: BMW M6

The latest generation of BMW's premiere muscle car is (almost) here.

From Top Gear:

It's the second M car to get the very highly pumped 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine - first seen on the rather smashing new M5 - and therefore boasts 552bhp and 502lb ft of torque. That's more power than the Jaguar XKR-S. Power, naturally, goes to the rear wheels via a seven-speed M double clutch gearbox with launch control.

As such, BMW quotes a 0-62mph time of 4.2 seconds for the Coupe, and 4.3 seconds for the Convertible, 0-124mph in 12.6 seconds (13.1s for the drop-top) and the option of a 189mph top speed with the ‘M Driver's Package'.

Despite this herculean power and acceleration, BMW still reckons the Coupe will return 28.5mpg, though we suspect anyone achieving this hasn't really got the point of a twin-turbo V8. There's a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic roof for the coup', start-stop, and other Efficient Dynamics stuff, which brings CO2 emissions to 232g/km (239g/km for the convertible).

...Inside, there's lots of M badging, some leather, carbon fibre strips, illuminated sills and some digital assistants including lane departure warning, surround view, night vision with pedestrian recognition (do you really need a computer to tell you what a human looks like?) and Internet access. You might like to think of it as a 1,850kg, 552bhp Facebook app. Update your status to "BMW M6 is sideways".

The most interesting part of the numbers above is the 28.5 mpg estimation. That's roughly 16 mpg more than the previous M6 pulled. If that's anywhere near being accurate, I'd consider that one hell of an achievement by BMW's engineers.

The cost of all of this fantasticness? Approximately $150,000. There but by the grace of PowerBall go I.

My boy Armo with the heads-up.

Vehicle for Expression

If you're looking to add a few touches to the walls of your place, Movie Car Posters.com can help you out with some serious wall swag. Not just restricted to movies (or cars), they've taken your favorite vehicles from both the big and small screens and artistically silhouetted them against themed backdrops. The resulting posters are both fun and impressively artistic...and maybe a tad hipsterish, but that stink should wear off relatively quickly. Then you just have a cool decoration that shines in your pimped-out room.

A few of my personal favorites:

The A-Team

Transformers

Top Gun

TJ with the assist.

Auto Eroticism: Elemment Palazzo

Does this look like something you would pay $3 million for? Probably not, since it looks like it was designed as an ode to Sarah Jessica Parker. But beauty—or lack thereof—is only skin deep.

From Yahoo! News:

Austrian company Marchi Mobile designed Palazzo as part of its Elemment line of luxury vehicles that very visibly displays the trappings of wealth. You'll see in Palazzo what you never thought you'd see inside an RV. Master bedroom with an adjoining bathroom? Check. Leather interior? Check. Rainfall shower, fireplace, and 40" TVs? Check, check, check.

Impressive enough as it is, it doesn't end there — the 40' long Palazzo also has a pop-out bar replete with a skylight and underfloor heating that you can activate by pushing a single button. The bar adds 80% more room to the camper's original 430 square feet floor space. When it comes to the exterior side of things, you may or may not be glad to know (depending on how you feel about it) that the Palazzo is covered in glow-in-the-dark paint.

The Palazzo sounds perfect for a weekend roadtrip from Monaco to the Formula One grand prix in Valencia. You know, for those peasants who can't afford to own more than one house.

Auto Eroticism: Jaguar C-X16

Suddenly Britain's back in the business of making stunning cars.

Hot on the heels of recent press releases on the new Lotus Espirit and Bentley Continental GTC, Jaguar has just upped the ante. I think this is the first time a Jaguar has ever made me say, "Daaaammmnnnnnn..." This car is just gorgeous. It's a "production concept", meaning you can look for it in showrooms in the near future (likely in the fall of 2012).

From Automobile Magazine:

the C-X16 slots in beneath the XK, seats only two, but packs a serious punch. A new all-aluminum supercharged 3.0-liter V-6, rated at 380 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, lurks underhood. That engine’s paired with a hybrid system that offers a so-called “push to pass” function. Much like the KERS systems employed in Formula One racing, an electric motor — rated at 93 hp and 173 lb-ft of torque — can provide an extra boost.

Jaguar says that powertrain is just as mean as it is green: in fact, the automaker claims it can rocket the C-X16 from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, and ultimately to a top speed of 186 mph.

There are no early hints at the price tag, but given the market sector they're aiming for, I'm going to guess you'll need at least $50,000 to have one sitting in your driveway. If I had that kind of money to spend on a car, I would struggle with a decision between one of these and a BMW M3, which says A LOT.

Here are some more photos from Top Gear's website (they have even more beyond these).

Auto Eroticism: Bentley Continental GTC

Soon to be appearing in NFL player parking lots and MTV videos.

From Life + Times:

Here, Life+Times has front-of-the-line access to images of the Continental GTC convertible, showcasing a bold new design, featuring advanced production technology, a hand-crafted cabin with class-leading infotainment, and a 6.0-litre w12 engine with Flexfuel capability. Welcome to the revolutionary four-seater convertible. Enjoy the ride.