Romeo Ferraris and Fenice Milano pay tribute to Monza with limited edition Abarth 500

Like weddings in the Deep South, everything with cars is relative. For instance, we’d strain to call most cars with racing stripes running every which way “subtle.” But when the treatment comes from Fenice Milano, anything short of gold chrome is understated. See? Relative.

The Milanese design house is the same that has gilded everything from the Fiat 500C to the Rolls-Royce Ghost. But for this special edition, they’ve teamed up with Romeo Ferraris, the Italian tuning house that’s given us custom Corvettes, Land Rovers and of course… Fiat 500s. Okay, so between them there’s no lack of love for the retro hatchback, and this is the embodiment of their shared passion: the Abarth 500 Monza.

A limited-edition tribute to the legendary grand prix circuit, the Monza edition is limited to just ten examples. So what makes it so special? Well it’s got red and blue racing stripes – the track’s official colors – that do a wicked Herby the Love Bug impression, sans Lindsay Lohan (for better or worse). But while the stripes continue into the white leather interior, this isn’t just a trim package.

Romeo Ferraris stepped in to nearly double the engine’s output, upping the horsepower figure from 135 to 260. They also threw in 280mm Brembo disc brakes, 205/40-R17 Yokohama tires and a full aero kit. And in case that wasn’t enough with the special treatment, each example gets a brass plaque with the owner’s name, an edition number on the shifter and a whole mess of Monza logos all over the place. Which may seem a little over the top, but again: think relative. And while you’re mulling that over, check out the high-resolution images in the gallery below.

Report: Two new models coming from Morgan

We suppose it was only a matter of time before mighty Morgan threw its cap into the electric car realm. With everyone from Mercedes-Benz to Audi toying around with motor-powered supercars, the eclectic purveyor of long-hood wonders was bound to follow suit. According to Autocar, we can expect to see a pair of new models to emerge from Morgan in short order. The first, called the LIFEcar 2, is especially mouth watering. The svelte coupe supposedly gets its power from a diesel-electric powertrain and will pack a range of around 1,000 miles. Despite its city car name, the LIFEcar 2 will be a sports car above all else.

As for the second model, Autocar was able to drum up very few details, other than it will be more extreme with a focus on entertainment.

If you’re thinking this sounds like the standard Brit-pub rumor mongering, think again. Morgan says it will bring the LIFEcar 2 from prototype to production, and that it will weight a scant 1,700 pounds when it hits the road. Hit the jump for the press release.

Nissan Leaf nabs 2011 European Car of the Year award

At the start of November, the 41 contenders for the 2011 European Car of the Year award were trimmed down to seven finalists. Today, for the first time ever, Europe’s most coveted automotive award went to vehicle that that relies upon electrical juice flowing from its lithium-ion battery pack as its sole source of motivation. 

That battery-powered vehicle, the Nissan Leaf, marks the automaker’s first win since the Micra took home the award way back in 1993. Head juror Hakan Matson proclaims that the Leaf is “a breakthrough for electric cars” and that it “is the first electric vehicle that can match conventional cars in many respects.” Nissan chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn accepted the honor and responded with:

This award recognises the pioneering zero-emission Nissan Leaf as competitive to conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness and handling. It also reflects Nissan’s standing as an innovative and exciting brand with a clear vision of the future of transportation, which we call sustainable mobility.

The Leaf faced strong competition from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Citroën C3/DS3, Dacia Duster, Ford C-Max,Opel/Vauxhall Meriva and Volvo S60/V60. Early predictions by some of the motoring press suggested that the pair of models from Citroën or perhaps even the lone Alfa Romeo vehicle would capture the award, but that’s not how the jury of 57 automotive journalists ended up seeing it, and the electric Nissan Leaf grabbed the top spot. Last year, the Volkswagen Polo snatched the Car of the Year title away from second-place finisher, the Toyota iQ. In 2009, the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia just beat out the Ford Fiesta for the honor.

Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition to start

General Motors unveiled the 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition at the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in March, and the special edition Z06 immediately piqued our interest. In addition to The General’s free-breathing 7.0-liter V8, the Z06 Carbon gets our mouths watering with the addition of carbon fiber body panels, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and Magnetic Selective Ride Control. Those ZR1-style dark-painted wheels are pure hotness, as well.

Now, the enthusiast site Corvette Blogger is reporting that GM’s Corvette product marketing manager, Harlan Charles, spilled the beans on pricing and availability, saying that the Z06 Carbon will reportedly carry an MSRP of $90,960 when it goes on sale in the first quarter of 2011. 

Fully optioned, this special Corvette will run all the way up to $99,925. That’s a lot of money, but it’s still several thousand dollars less than the ZR1, and while the latter may be faster out on the road, the Z06 Carbon is indeed all the more exclusive.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta SEL

The Jetta has always disguised its cost controls beneath a veneer of high quality materials and tidy manners. Interiors have been like Audis in training, with suspensions so supple the world’s largest automakers dissect the bushings to learn their secrets. This long view emphasizes the recent disappointment with this new larger, U.S.-centric Jetta.

Early reports sounded the alarm; the new Jetta is shockingly cheap. That’s a positive statement regarding the $15,995 base price, down from $17,735 for the 2010 model, and Volkswagen is touting it prominently with its “Great for the price of Good” advertising tagline. While some cry foul, sales are up. For its first month on the market, the 2011 Jetta posted 12.6 percent better numbers than the old model managed for the same month a year prior.

To achieve that sub-$16,000 number, things had to go, though good stuff remains. We wanted to give der neue Jetta a chance to wow us, so we spent a week with a Jetta 2.5 SEL to find out if it’s been overwhelmed by a too-intense focus on price.

Review: 2011 Jaguar XJL

There’s a sect of motoring nihilists out there who would have us all believe there isn’t a single thing in the automotive universe that hasn’t been done before. It’s the “Simpsons did it” meme on methamphetamines, though instead of a yellow animated family, our cast is populated by the likes of Plymouth, Cord, Studebaker, Hudson and any number of other equally innovative yet forgotten brands. Think adaptive headlights are a trick piece of tech? Think again – Willys-Knight employed a third directional headlight as early as 1928 on its 70A, and Citroën made use of similar methodology on cars like the DS and SM way back when.

Few segments seem to have accepted this grim reality quite like the luxury sedan world. Automakers that once strove to create unique products now seem to be operating from the same design template. Line up the profiles of the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and the vast majority of the car-buying public would have no idea which car was which. 

Each vehicle is attractive in its own right, but we wouldn’t accuse any of them possessing the same kind of gravitas as, say, a ’38 Mercedes-Benz 770.

Bugatti Veyron vs. BMW S1000 RR – Which is fastest?

Car guys insist that their four-wheeled machines are as fun as any motorcycle. The two-wheeled, leather-clad bike folks laugh at this notion, then scream off into the twisties at 9,000 rpm. The discussion can go back and forth until both parties are blue in the face. 

Inside Line decided it would be fun to put two powerful examples, one car and one motorcycle, to the test. These aren’t just run-of-the-mill vehicles, either: In one corner is a 2010 Bugatti Veyron while in the other sits a 2010 BMW S 1000 RR. The battleground? Forest roads around Molsheim, France

The Veyron obviously has the power advantage, thanks to its quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 engine that produces 1,001 horsepower. The 190-horsepower BMW, however, has a huge weight advantage and the agile bike can get around any Citroën-shaped obstacles that it might come across.

The staff at Inside Line give the nod to the bike, for a number of valid reasons. It makes more sense in a day-to-day atmosphere, can slip through traffic, and when the luggage rack is applied it has more cargo capacity. The S 1000 RR also gains an edge when comparing maintenance costs. Changing a tire on a bike isn’t too much of a hit to the wallet, but to change the full set of rubber on the Bugatti costs $90,000. Furthermore, there are only two machines in the world capable of handling that job — one in France and another here in the US.

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport’s top speed will be 10 mph less than record

Oh what teases those Bugatti folks are. They brought the new Veyron Super Sport to Laguna Seca during classic car week here in Monterey… and did a parade lap at a pace about one-tenth of the car’s record-breaking 268-mile per hour top speed. We never expected it to take to the track in anger, but getting out of first gear would’ve been nice. Despite the slow speeds, we captured a bit of video that we think you might like.

Bugatti also announced a few details about the Super Sport that we hadn’t heard before. First, the SS will account for the final 40 Veyrons built in the car’s 300-unit run. Second, owners of the Super Sport might be saddened to learn that the car is going to be limited to just 258 miles per hour, 10 mph short of the terminal velocity it reached to set the land speed record for a production car back in early July. Bugatti was a bit tight-lipped on why, so we’re speculating it might be the tires. Actually it could be that the gas tank will now empty in 30 seconds while traveling at the car’s top speed, but who knows.

Report: Bugatti Veyron priced from $3.6M in India thanks to 110% taxation

If you live in India, your list of available supercars to purchase just grew by one very fast model. Bugatti has announced it will begin selling its Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport there. Undeterred by the nation’s 110-percent import tax, Bugatti is taking orders for the topless two-door, which will cost about 160 million rupees or $3.6 million USD. For reference, the same model would cost you about $2.24 million here in the United States or €1.6 million in places dealing with Euros. After receiving the orders, the cars will take six to eight months to be delivered

India is a blooming market for luxury goods manufacturers, and Ferrari plans to follow Bugatti by shipping over its California hardtop convertible sportscar. Rolls-Royce, Jaguar and Land Rover are already selling in India… and selling quite well, as the number of Indian millionaires continues to grow.

If you do live in India, are in fact a multi-millionaire and are on the fence as to whether a Veyron belongs in your garage, we think you should re-read our First Drive of the Grand Sport. Case closed.

New Sport Saker Rapx and Sniper

Saker Rapx and Sniper

We haven’t heard from these guys in quite some time now, but Saker, the Dutch automaker specializing on limited-run race cars, is now back with two new offerings: the Rapx and the Sniper. The two cars, unfortunately, are only available for race track purposes, which means that anybody who’d want to buy one won’t be able to bring it out to WalMart to but some groceries.

The two new Saker racers will share the same 2.0-liter Subaru engine that its predecessors have, although the two new racers will be given a sequential transmission as an optional add-on. On the flip side, the Rapx and the Sniper niper are both lighter than the aforementioned GT and Sprint, thus creating a better power-to-weight ratio.

Undoubtedly, the best part about these two cars is the ‘reasonable’ price tag attached to it – about €50,000, or $70,000. For now, though, the two race cars are going to be sold in Europe, although Saker has stated that they’re planning on having international releases soon. It may not be as powerful as other race cars in the world, but if you’re looking for a car to enjoy out on the track on a lazy Saturday afternoon without burning holes in your bank account, the Rapx or the Sniper are two perfectly good choices for you.

Best Speed From New Sport Mithsubishi: 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SE

Do you looking for a dual-clutch equipped Mitusbishi Lancer Evolution X and don’t want to shell out the $40,000? or so for the top-of-the-line MR. from this year Mitsubishi will start to offering the best thing later this year. 2011 Evo X SE packs that used the same TC-SST transmission as its 335i-challenging sibling complete with three driving modes (Normal, Sport and Super-Sport) there all of threee modes will channeling 291 horse power and 300 pound feet of torque in all wheel drive system used.

 

The specification of 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SE are a predictable blend of GSR and MR kit, including a GSR front fascia and black vents. along with an MR rear diffuser and upgraded Bilstein shocks. Inside, cloth Recaros come standard – our preferred choice compared to the MR’s leather-lined thrones.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SE

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SE

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SE

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SE

Fantasies: Sexy Car Sport Automoive New Edition

Motor Show is the place where automotive legends are revealed to the world.  From the lustiest Lamborghinis to the fastest Ferraris, the boldest BMWs to the meanest Maseratis– they first see the light of the press in Frankfurt.  To get the jump on their competition, most manufacturers show their cards before the Motor Show even kicks off.  To show you what is going to be hot at this year’s Motor Show, here are the sexiest cars that will be shown at one of the greatest auto shows on the planet.

Mercedes SLS AMG

It’s about time Mercedes renewed their passion for gullwing glory.  Mercedes will be showing off their new Mercedes SLS AMG, a gullwing roadster with all the muscle and magnificence you can pack into a two-door sports car.  The new SLS AMG has a 563HP , 6.3L V8 under its hood, getting this red rocket to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, on its way to a top end of 197mph.  While we are entirely enamored, we wish Mercedes had put just a tiny bit more muscle into this one.  Just 3 miles per hour away from a genuine supercar?  Come on!

Brabus SV12 R BiTurbo 750 Mercedes S Class

This list would not be complete without Germany’s greatest tuner.  Brabus will be introducing its latest Mercedes upgrade, the Brabus SV12 R BiTurbo 750 Mercedes S Class.  It’s hard to imagine, but this tuned up Mercedes squeezes a full 750 horsepower out of the S Class, giving this legitimate supercar a top end of 211 mph.  If you’ve got the money to pick up an S Class, why not save just a bit more to let Brabus do its dirty work?  It’s like the difference between masturbation and sex…

Audi E-Tron Electric Car Concept

Audi couldn’t leave well enough alone, not being satisfied to simply release a bad ass convertible R8.  Nope.  They had to up the sexy stakes with an R8-inspired electric car concept called the Audi E-Tron.  While little is known about the E-Tron just yet, these images leaked out early this week leading up to the motor show.  Will we see this one in the flesh ?  We hope so, we’re dying to hear all the dirty details…

BMW Efficient Dynamics Concept

Sadly, this BMW beauty is only a concept.  While it’ll be seen in skin , the BMW Efficient Dynamics Concept should be a lot closer to production.  Why?  It’s the greatest merging of green and performance we’ve seen out of an established automaker yet.  The Efficient Dynamics Concept is powered by three units: a 1.5L three-cylinder turbodiesel engine and two electric motors, one per axle.  Together, these systems output 356hp and a fuel efficiency pushing 62.6 mpg.  While this BMW may not have much of a competitive edge over a Fisker Karma or a Tesla Roadster, it is a welcome addition to the world of plug-in hybrids.

Peugeot RCZ

For those who prefer futurism and efficiency, well, now-ish, the new Peugeot RCZ is actually coming to a Peugeot dearly near you.  If you’re lucky enough to actually have a dealer near you, this Peugeot promises 43 mpg and up to 200HP out of a 1.6L turbocharged engine similar to the Audi TT.  Additionally, you can expect to see the RCZ within the price range of the mid-to-upper class, as this one has the looks of the supercar– and the engine of a fuel efficient import.