Four-wheel-drive not mental enough for you?
Mercedes-Benz has the answer.
Not content with the off-road ability of its already mental G63 AMG, Merc has broken out the welder and bolted in another axle.
Basically Mercedes has simply extended the G63’s wheelbase and attached a pickup bed.
The car, which was originally developed for the Australian military, retains its huge, direct-injected, 5.5-litre V8 which produces 405kW.
That’s enough power to move the four-tonne 6×6 from 0-100km/h in less than seven seconds, with top speed predicted at 160km/h.
Just two examples of the 6×6 exist, with Mercedes evaluating whether to put it into production.
Expect prices to be in excess of $300,000.
Love the romance and style of the iconic E-Type, but hate its age and unreliability?
Good news!
A new, modern variant of the E-Type will go into production, it has been announced.
Sadly, it won’t be an ‘official’ Jaguar E-Type, but will rather be produced by boutique manufacturer Lyonheart.
First shown to the world as a concept known as the ‘Growler’, Lyonheart has gained sufficient interest to put the model into production.
Such has been the response, Lyonheart will built 250 of the new cars, not 50 as originally planned.
The brand will also build a convertible version of the car, called the Lyonheart K.
Both cars will feature hand-crafted aluminium bodywork and be powered by a Cosworth tuned 5.0-litre V8.
No word yet where Lyonheart will source the engine, but it’s likely it will be based on the unit that powers the Jaguar F-Type V8 S and XKR-S.
Performance figures are projected at 428kW, with both models tipped to hit 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds.
The car will also run on beautifully-crafted 20-inch wire wheels.
Sounds perfect right?
The style of an E-Type with none of the drawbacks.
Except the price that is.
Early talk suggests the Lyonheart will cost $450,000.
Ouch.
Details of Audi’s LeMans racer for the road are beginning to emerge.
The Supercar, understood to be labelled the R10, will be feature a diesel-electric powertrain producing around 447kW and 998Nm.
Reports are also hinting at an all-new carbonfibre monocoque and LeMans winning R18 racing car styling queues.
So advanced is the project, we could even see the R10 in concept form as early as this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
The R10 will likely use a race-tuned 3.0-litre V6 diesel coupled with two electric motors on the front axle.
As expected it will be fitted with Audi’s iconic Quattro all-wheel-drive system.
The car is strongly tipped to make it into production, with Audi confirming its desire to produce the concept to Wheels at this year’s Detroit Motor Show.
Remember that horrific supercar crash in Japan two years ago? The one that destroyed more than $4 million worth of Ferraris?
Well after years of investigating, Japanese police could be about to lay charges.
Authorities have revealed speed was a primary cause of the accident, which saw eight exotic Ferraris, three Mercedes-Benzs and a Lamborghini totalled after the lead driver, aged 61, lost control of his car.
A Toyota Prius driving in the opposite direction was also involved in the incident.
In total 10 drivers, aged 38-61, will be charged on suspicion of breaking traffic laws.
The automotive equivalent of a lost Picasso – a 1954 Formula 1 car driven to victory by Juan Manuel Fangio – has been found buried at the back of a shed.
Believed lost for over three decades, the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 will be up for auction at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.
It’s expected to fetch more than $7.3 million.
Fangio piloted this silver arrow, designated chassis 00006/54, to victory at the Swiss Grand Prix by over a minute.
It’s also a winner at the fearsome Nurburgring.
Powered by a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre straight-eight, the W196 was the car to introduce fuel injection, fully-independent suspension and tubular-space frame construction into Formula 1.
Mercedes-Benz is tipped to be a leading contender to purchase the car, with the brand reportedly keen to add it to its already extensive collection of rare racers.
Audi has pumped up the volume and performance of its flagship R8 supercar, with a new ‘Plus’ version of the top-spec V10 variant, and Audi UK has produced a sensational video of the new car wailing its way to maximum rpm on the dynamometer.
Available as a coupe only, the 5.2-litre R8 V10 Plus produces 404kW/540Nm; five percent more power and two percent more torque than the ‘standard’ car, thanks to a revised ECU tune. It’s claimed to storm from 0-100km/h in 3.5sec and on to a top speed of 317km/h.
Featuring new LED headlights, a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, and extensive use of carbonfibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) the Plus is trimmed by 50kg. Add CFRP shell race seats, unique 19 inch alloy rims, as well as a new bumper at the front and diffuser design at the rear, and you have a stunning $404K machine.
OCCASIONALLY the backstory is more intriguing than the subject itself. Welcome, then, to the fall and rise of the Pulsar, dormant after seven long years of the spectacularly unsuccessful C11-series Tiida.
The latter came along because previous Pulsars had long struggled in Europe against the Golf and co, forcing Nissan to pitch – and finally strike gold with – the Dualis/Qashqai crossover instead.
But discontinuing Pulsar spelled trouble for the Australian arm. Apparently the behind-the-scenes battle against releasing the too-small Tiida with its oddball looks and silly name. But Japan insisted. And buyers avoided it in droves.
Now here’s where the plot thickens: Nissan reckons Aussies still revere the Pulsar badge, so it now adorns two different (and bigger) beasts – the fussy and formal four-door sedan, codenamed B17, featured here and on sale now, and the shapelier five-door hatch, known internally as the C12 (coming in July). Both are built in Thailand.
With its mini-Maxima styling, the Sedan is designed mainly for Chinese and US tastes, and hails from the old Sunny/Sentra line.
Click HERE for full review.
Billionaires with big bucks to spend on a car are usually looking at brands like Bugatti, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, but they can now add a new name – Holden – to their gilt-edged shopping lists with a rare Monaro being offered up today on eBay for $1 million.
Queensland resident, Paul Rammers, a man best described as optimistic, is selling his hand-built Holden Monaro HRT 427, one of only two ever produced. The other is permanently housed in the Holden Museum in Melbourne and cannot be driven, so his car is truly a one-off.
Still, one has to wonder at his chances of a sale, having stated he will not sell it for less than $1m. Potential buyers can place a bid or buy it now for the asking price of $1,000,000. The bidding period ends on 28 March.
The most expensive item ever sold on eBay in Australia is actually a car, back in 2006, when the last Holden Monaro ever made went for a relatively cut-price $187,600, with all proceeds going to Leukemia charities.
After a brief liaison with Honda’s next generation NSX sports car in Marvel’s 2012 superhero film ‘The Avengers’, ultra-geek Tony stark is back in the Audi saddle, steering an Audi R8 e-tron electric sports prototype in ‘Iron Man 3.’
Audi claims the R8 e-tron accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 4.6sec, boasts a top speed of 250 km/h, and produces zero emissions. A combination sure to align with Stark’s clean energy obsession.
Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack provides enough storage to power the car’s twin electric motors for a mid-speed running range of approximately 215 kilometres.
Australian release for Marvel’s Iron Man 3 is set for April 24.
Mercedes-Benz has confirmed pricing and specifications of the three high performance AMG models set to hit Australia later this year.
Leading the charge is news Merc’s all-new, pint-sized A45 AMG will cost $74,900 – five thousand less than originally thought.
Also taking a price cut is the new E63 AMG, with buyers tipped to save $8000, yet get even more bang for their buck.
Just one E63 variant will be available, with Australia to receive the flagship S model for $249,000.
The S model boosts maximum power to 430kW from the E63’s 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 and also includes the optional Performance Pack as standard.
Completing the line-up is the 373kW C63 AMG Edition 507.
Filling the hole between the standard C63 and its race-tuned Black Series brother, the Edition 507 will start at $169,407.
Fairfax reports Mercedes is already holding 100 deposits for the A45 AMG.
