Archive for the 'Premium Automotive' Category

Jay Leno recently unveiled his secret project at the SEMA auto show. All we know about this super car so far is that it’s built on a Corvette Chassis and powered by a Honeywell LT-101. This green supercar has been named “Ecojet” by Jay Leno. I doubt that Jay’s supercar will ever go into production but it sure looks sleak! I’ll update this post as soon as I have more info!

When I hear the word “Porsche” I think small, sporty, and impractical, but very fun and very fast. However, after the Cayenne SUV and now the Porsche Panamera it looks like those “small” and “impractical” notions are changing.
The new 4 door Porsche Panamera will be fierce competition for the Maserati Quattroporte the Aston Martin Rapide and CLS55 AMG. The Porsche Panamera is going to be a front-engine, rear-wheel drive, four-seater and will look similar to the spy shot below).

I usually like Porsche styling but to be honest, I am not sure if I like the Panamera. The front looks great but from the rear view mirror back it?s Read the rest of this entry »

Pure and simple… but simply insane! The Ariel Atom is a true enthusiast’s racecar. Ariel is designed by Ariel Motor Company of Great Britain and although it only costs between $40,000 and $75,000 it will give you the performance you would expect from a $1,000,000 super exotic sports car. So… if you are a true racing enthusiast and you don’t have $1,000,000 to blo on a supercar but you can afford more than a 250cc shifter cart than you might look into getting an Ariel Atom.

No AC, no stereo, no leather seats, and best of all, no unnecessary weight! In fact, the Ariel Atom has a power to weight ratio that rivals most super cars. Take for example the McLaren F1 supercar that has a power to weight ratio of 4.01 to 1, the Bugatti Veyron which has a power to weight ratio or 4.35 to 1, and the Ferrari Enzo which has a power to weight ratio of .56 to 1. Compare that to the Arial atom which has a power to weight ratio of 4.10 to 1! This beautifully simple (and affordable yet rare) racecar is capable of 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds (that’s 1 full second faster than the Porsche Carrera GT, and .7 seconds faster than the Ferrari Enzo!
So… we know its fast, but how does it handle? Well, in one word “perfectly.” In fact if you watch the video below you will see just how amazing the Ariel Atom handles on the racetrack. In fact, even when matched up against a street bike the Ariel Atom posts better lap times.
Perhaps my favorite thing about the Ariel Atom is that you can buy it as a kit car for under $40,000, build it yourself and even make it street legal! Better yet the Ariel is powered by a reliable and fuel efficient supercharged Civic Type R motor.

For more information about the Ariel Atom check out the howstuffworkscom write-up on the Ariel Atom.

250cc Shifter Kart specs and info: Don’t be fooled… at first glance these little monsters might bear some resemblance to the 5hp go-cart you had growing up but the similarities stop there. These 250cc shifter karts can hit 60mph in 3 seconds flat and whip around a full size race track at speeds in exess of 125 mph. In fact, these 250cc Shifter carts have been clocked at the old A1 ring in Austria going over 180mph! Also… don’t worry about slowing down much in the corners because these shifter karts can hold 3.0 lateral g’s of cornering and braking force!

If your looking for an insane adrenalyn rush but dont quite have the cash for that Formula 1 racecar you always wanted than you might think about getting into Kart Racing. Shifter carts have a power to weight ratio close to an F1 and the closest thing to getting behind the wheel of a formula 1 race car. In fact… 250 Karting has been the starting point of a few of the current Formula 1 drivers racing careers. To get a sense of just how fast these 250cc shifter karts are watch the video below! Read the rest of this entry »

Are you someone who has a need for speed and craves the adrenaline rush that you can only get from a Formula 1 racecar? If so, I have found the perfect compliment! It’s the super exciting and intensely thrilling Renault F1 Team collection chess set. Now you can be reminded of your love for high speed Formula 1 racing action while you play an excruciatingly slow game of chess.
This chess set from the Renault F1 Team Collection is made from parts of F1 cars. The board is made of carbon fiber, while the chess pieces are made from parts of the wings, cockpit and suspension, and the materials used include titanium, sterling silver, aircraft grade aluminum, and leather.

This Renault F1 Team Collection chess set retails for about $50,000 dollars. The entire Renault F1 Team Collection lineup actually includes a number of other products, all made from parts of the Renault F1 racecar. Some other items include a coat rack, a table lamp, a vase… and much more. You can check out the F1 team collection for yourself. As expensive as these items are, they are definitely unique and beautifully designed. I am hoping that if I go ahead and purchase the entire collection I might be able to piece together my very own Formula 1 racecar!

Check out the exclusive BRABUS Sport Program for the Mercedes McLaren SLR!

The Brabus tweaked Mercedes McClaren SLR lets owners of the top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz models further individualize their vehicles. I recently did a post about the 2007 Mercedes SLR but and I can’t even imagine how fast the 2007 SLR will be after getting a few Brabus upgrades.

BRABUS equips the SLR with a special self-locking differential. Its 40 percent locking rate further optimizes the super sports car’s traction and thus further improves acceleration.

In BRABUS Racing version with performance-improving fuel cooling, custom camshafts and an open racing exhausts system maximum power output of the supercharged V8 engine increases to 660 hp at 6,500 rpm. One downer is that the exhaust system is not certified for use on public roads. The Brabus SLR now jolts to 62pmh in just 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of up to 340 km/h (If you convert that to MPH it equils = REALLY FREEKIN FAST).

For further improved directional stability at high speeds the BRABUS designers developed a new spoiler for the front air dam. The exposed-carbon aerodynamic-enhancement part reduces lift on the front axle. The rear diffuser is also made from exposed carbon.

The conversion to the BRABUS 20-inch tire/wheel combination gives the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren even more dynamic handling prowess.

BRABUS also adds new sporty and exclusive highlights in the interior. The company-own upholstery shop created a BRABUS interior from an exclusive black and red combination of leather and Alcantara, perfectly crafted down to the last detail. The waffle-design stitching of the SLR leather floor is especially elaborate and it alone uses 7,800 meters of the finest thread.

For easier entering and exiting BRABUS manufactured a custom BRABUS sport steering wheel with an ergonomically shaped rim that is flat on the bottom. For manual shifting of the SLR’s automatic transmission the BRABUS steering wheel features buttons integrated into the spokes.

The BRABUS interior designers developed precise-fit applications for dashboard, center console and door panels, all made from exposed carbon. They extend the BRABUS exterior carbon look into the interior.

The Hennessey Dodge Viper Venom 1000 claimed the title of ?world?s fastest and most powerful limited-edition street car?. The ?Hennessy Venom 1000? makes 1000 horsepower (to the wheels) at 5000 rpm and 1100 lb-ft torque at 3800 rpm! So? just how quick is it? Well Hennessey claims that on ?ET Street? tires the car can do 0-60 in 2.25 seconds, does the quarter mile in under 10 seconds, and has a top speed of 255 mph! I found a video of a Hennessey Viper Venom competing in Motor Trend’s “Worlds fastest limited edition street car” This unbelievable acceleration was the main factor that let the Hennessey Venom 1000 win Road & Track’s Standing Mile contest at 25.6 seconds, .3 seconds faster than the Saleen S7 Twin Turbo!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Hennessey, they modify Dodge and GM cars to make them as extreme as possible. Take the Hennessey Viper Venom 1000 for example. They take the base model 500 hp Viper, completely reworks the engine, and add two ball bearing Garrett twin turbos to make The Venom 1000 one of the only Read the rest of this entry »

I just came across a great exotic car forum and wanted to share it. I was looking through all the cool exotic car pictures and different topics and figured everyone that reads the premium automotive section of my blog would probably appreciate this forum as well. This exotic car forum (called ExotiXboard.com) is a great place for all those car nuts who have a passion for exotics.

The forum has only been online for about a year but it seems to be getting very popular with close to 2,500 members. Forum topics cover all aspects of owning and/or appreciating exotic cars. I have been hooked for the last couple hours, looking at pictures, videos, and info. The site is very well designed and super easy to navigate. It’s broken down into Asian Exotics, American Exotics, and European Exotics. Other forum topics include tuning and mods, exotic car care, events and gatherings, and a “Member’s Garages” section for members to show off their exotic cars (I’m hoping to have one to show off soon) Lastly, there is a photography section with some beautiful exotic car pictures that make great exotic car wallpaper for your desktop.

Anyway, If you own an exotic car or have an appreciation for premium sports cars and luxury automobiles check Read the rest of this entry »

I thought the Mercedes Mclaren SLR
was already fast enough, but apparently not. The new 2007 Mercedes Mclaren SLR will be new and improved. The SLR will produce about 25 more horsepower and be even lighter than its predecessor. Below are some pictures of a prototype Mercedes McLaren SLR spotted on a mountain road in Spain. The spy photos show the new SLR undergoing testing on public roads prior to its planned unveiling at the Paris motor show in September.

The updates to the new Mercedes SLR are said to include a power increase for its supercharged V8 from 626 to 650 hp, an updated interior, 19-inch wheels, a firmer suspension, a new and improved braking system (hard to believe) and increased weight savings. A New blue exterior may also be available with tan interior.

It also appears that the new Mercedes SLR will have some reworked body features that will distinguish it from the existing model. As you can see in the pictures below the 2007 SLR’s subtle styling changes are noticeable around the front and rear ends. All changes are aimed at improving high-speed stability and creating more efficient underbody airflow.

The 2007 Mercedes SLR will be faster than the already ridiculous previous year SLR (that does a 3.8 second 0-60 and hits speeds of over 200 MPH..) According to Germany?s “Auto Motor und Sport” it is reported that the new 2007 Mercedes SLR will hit 62mph in just 3.6 seconds!!!!

Mclaren will only be building Read the rest of this entry »

Do you ever worry for your safetly while your driver escorts you to the grocery store? you might want to consider investing in a fully armored Maybach 62. This super luxury armored sedan was created by RIJCK. This armored “Maybach 62″ is a true masterpiece with only the best materials in terms of safety and ballistic reliability used. The car features B6 armoring which is considered sufficient for the car to have a mine explode underneath it and the gas tank and tires are self healing.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Rijck, they are a company that has established a considerable reputation for itself within the rather competitive field of armoured luxury vehicles. Rijck is one of only two manufacturers worldwide that armours the acclaimed Maybach limousine up to level B6 CEN.

RIJCK is a company with comprehensive skills in the fields of R&D, design, engineering, craftsmanship and technology. They are able to offer individual customers the opportunity to order armoured limousines, SUVs and luxury sedans that are designed to meet their own exclusive requirements of luxury and comfort, as well as the most stringent security specifications. Clients include heads of states, royal families, high ranking officials and aid agencies.

This armored Maybach 62 is manufactured to the highist standards of ballistic protection and security, while at the same time maintaining superior levels of luxury and comfort.

they have a team of the most experienced and renowned automotive protection engineers. These engineers have outfited the Maybach 62 and incorporated the RIJCK Safety Cell with ballistic level B6.

Here are just a few of the hightlights: