Beetle owners can be an eccentric bunch. If you’re not convinced then take a look at this gallery of some of the most outrageous, creative and just downright weird customisations of the humble Volkswagen bug.
Inside you’ll find Beetles of the aquatic, floral, reptilian and monster truck varieties, as well as many more including this Beetle-inspired restaurant.
What will they think of next?
A revised version of the Ferrari California is set to debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, boasting an extra 22kW from its 4.3-litre V8 and a 30kg reduction in weight. An optional new Handling Speciale package promises sharper dynamics, too.
That 22kW increase means Ferrari’s front-engined rear-wheel drive GT with the folding hardtop roof now produces 330kW. Torque also rises 20Nm to 504Nm, while the California’s weight loss is achieved through the increasingly advanced use of aluminium in its construction.
Performance off the line is only marginally improved, with the California’s 0-100km/h time cut by a tenth of a second to 3.8 seconds, but the reduced kerb weight will surely improve the California’s already impressive agility.
However, in order to aid its quest to deliver “a more dynamic, yet not overly extreme, driving experience” the Prancing Horse has also developed an optional Handling Speciale package for the California.
This includes stiffer springs and Magnetorheological shock absorbers; filled with a magnetic fluid these are controlled by a new Ferrari ECU that’s now 50% quicker than before, and use an electromagnet to alter the damping force.
Ferrari claims that this improves the body control during hard driving, without entirely sacrificing the ride comfort. A new steering box offers a 10% faster steering ratio, too, sharpening the handling still further.
Despite its increased focus on performance, the California still promises to offer comprehensive long-legged grand touring ability thanks to impressive levels of equipment and a 78-litre fuel tank.
In fact, in conjunction with Ferrari’s HELE (High Emotion Low Emissions) – featuring start-stop technology and a multitude of electrical components that draw less power from the engine, therefore improving efficiency – the Italian manufacturer claims a theoretical 8.6 l/100km on an extra-urban run.
Alongside the engineering revisions, Ferrari is also offering a more extensive choice of colours – including two-tone paint finishes – on the California, as well as its continuing seven-year maintenance package. On a 330kW supercar, that’s pretty impressive.
Ferrari is yet to release any pricing information for the updated California, but expect more details at the car’s debut at Geneva 2012 in March.
The legend returns: this is the brand-new 2012 Audi RS4 Avant. Launching at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the new RS4 estate is powered by a 330kW 4.2-litre V8 and goes 0-100km/h in just 4.7 seconds.
The previous generation Audi RS4 is widely regarded as one of the best super saloons ever, easily going toe-to-toe with the BMW M3 and the Mercedes C63 AMG. We’re hoping the new one will prove a proper return to form for Audi, after the slightly lacklustre RS5.
Rolling on 19-inch lightweight alloy wheels as standard (20s are optional) and packing a modern interpretation of the squared-off wheel arches of quattro legend, the RS4 certainly looks the part.
Check the chiselled bumpers, the front splitter, the honeycomb grille and the matte aluminium detailing. Substantial LED daytime running lights enclose “xenon plus” headlamps and are complemented by LED taillights at the rear, where you’ll also find the traditional pair of RS oval tailpipes.
Like every RS Audi the RS4 has quattro four-wheel drive, complete with lightweight “crown-gear” centre differential that can send up to 70% of that 450hp to the front wheels and as much as 85% to the rear.
Drifting champion Ken Gushi was filming a commercial for US car company Scion to promote its FR-S (known as the Toyota 86 here), when he expectedly crossed paths with a deer.
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to the film crew – they were shooting in a national park after all – but no one could have predicted the outcome of a mere millisecond escape for the deer.
Taking no credit for his driving ability, Gushi praised the Scion’s handling and brakes for helping him avoid disaster.
Scion obviously pays well for your services.
Mazda has released more preview images of the Takeri Concept ahead of its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The Takeri is expected to foreshadow the upcoming revamped Mazda6, set for release in 2013.
Called a “crystallization of the new ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ design theme” by the manufacturer, the Takeri concept also features Mazda’s new Skyactiv Technology including a 2.2 litre SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engine, i-stop idling stop system and i-ELOOP regenerative braking system.
The Takeri’s exterior styling apparently draws inspiration from the animal kingdom, with the overhanging front bumper evoking “a cheetah’s shoulder as it uses its front paws to grip the ground and quickly change direction” according to Mazda.
The Geneva Motor Show begins March 6.
The European winter has provided us with no shortage of videos featuring cars doing mental things in snow. And today is no different.
During the weekend’s WRC in Sweden, Citroen driver Thierry Neuville looked set to meet a tree-shaped speed barrier after coming at a snow-covered corner a little too quickly. But through some sort of race-driver wizardry that we’ll never comprehend, Neuville managed to wrestle the car back on course after its back-end disappeared down a ditch.
Bet he’s thankful for the car’s four-wheel-drive system.
Many have been complaining about Europe’s recent cold snap, but car enthusiasts seem to be having the time of their lives. So when the infamous Nurburgring received a white blanket, there was only one thing to do: go racing!
The track’s chief instructor, Andy Gulden, decided the best vehicle for the job was a full on Formula racer and as you can see, he was right.
Gulden isn’t bothered by the lack of grip due to the snow – he completely lets rip and gives us a different look at the track known as Green Hell.
BMW has revealed the new 2012 M6 – the hottest version of the 6 Series – in both coupe and convertible form. Using the same 418kW 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 as the BMW M5, it rushes from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds.
Visually, the new BMW M6 has been beefed up to both hone the aerodynamics and also ensure the twin turbos are fed with enough fresh air. It is much more muscular than the standard 6 Series.
The 418kW BMW M TwinPower Turbo engine has its two turbos mounted within the vee of the engine, for near-instant throttle response. It has direct fuel injection, Valvetronic variable valve timing and Double VANOS variable camshaft control. It can rev to 7,200rpm – ‘unusually high for a turbocharged engine’ says BMW.
BMW will sell an M6 Convertible alongside the coupe from launch. Despite being heavier, it is barely any slower: the top speed is identical and 0-100km/h takes just 0.1 seconds more.
BMW’s EfficientDynamics programme sees the new M6 feature engine stop-start, brake energy regeneration and active aerodynamics. The twin-turbo V8 is also inherently more fuel-efficient than the old 5.0-litre V10.
Audi has pumped up its performance TT RS variant for 2012 with the launch of a more powerful TT RS Plus variant. With the promise of more power, more speed and more dynamics, the TT RS Plus will debut at the Geneva Motor Show and go on sale later in 2012.
The ‘Plus’ part of the Audi TT RS Plus comes from a 15kW power boost. The 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine now produces 269kW, with 20Nm more pulling power too. It’s the most powerful production TT there has ever been.
The extra power boost means the standard TT RS Plus coupe hits 100km/h from rest in 4.3 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the current TT RS. When fitted with the optional seven-speed S tronic gearbox, this is cut further, to just 4.1 seconds.
Quattro four-wheel drive is standard on the TT RS Plus, which means it can cleanly put all that power down on the road.
On S tronic models, Audi fits launch control as standard. Initiated by pressing a button, the car will tweak all systems to help you shoot away from a standstill as quickly as possible – making the 0-100km/h times easily achievable.
Aston Martin has revealed the production-ready V12 Zagato that will appear in showrooms later in 2012. The new Aston Martin V12 Zagato becomes Aston Martin’s new range-topping car and is a modern day descendent of the original 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato.
Aston Martin will ensure the new V12 Zagato is equally special by strictly limiting production numbers and hand-building it in the same dedicated area as the outgoing One-77 supercar. The styling of the V12 Zagato, overseen by Aston Martin design director Marek Reichman, is unique. It both pays homage to the old DB4GT Zagato, but also shows a modern twist.
Key features include the trademark double bubble roof, distinctive side glass shape and a rear window that has a curved surface to continue the lines of the roof. All brightwork is finished in black and all the exposed carbonfibre outside has a symmetrical weave. The front grille is made from a unique 3D mesh, creating a standout ‘Z’ effect in tribute to the iconic Zagato ‘Z’ logo. Inside, the Seven Bridge of Weir leather has been hand-stitched with an eyecatching red weave: this detail extends even to the door panels and roof.
Based on the Vantage V12, power output of the V12 Zagato’s engine has not been revealed but it is expected to retain the standard 6.0-litre car’s 380kW output. This will help it accelerate to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds and reach a top speed of around 305km/h. How many V12 Zagato will be made? Well, rarity comes as standard: Aston Martin says just 150 will be built in total. This isn’t quite as rare as the original DB4GT Zagato, though – just 20 of those were built.
