Super Sport Car Evolution: August 2011

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

TopSpeed Daily Update

Top Gear giving birth to a Dutch version?
BMW 7-Series
Subaru XV
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 HPE1000 by Hennessey
Audi Urban E-Tron Concept
Infiniti FX
BMW 3-Series Touring
Anne Hathaway aka Catwoman will be riding the Bat-Pod
Spy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Successor gets its Insides Checked
Video: Subaru breaks Mt. Washington Hillclimb record

Top Gear giving birth to a Dutch version?

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT

We knew Top Gear was popular, but we didn’t know that they were this popular as international versions of the hit UK show have been sprouting up like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s offspring.

Word has already spread that China and South Korea will be getting their own versions of the show to add to a line-up that already includes the original UK show and other adaptations in the US, Australia, Russia, and Turkey. Now it looks like the show is getting ready to set up shop in another European country: the Netherlands.

According to reports, Dutch company, Sanoma Media, and media tycoon, John del Mol, are collaborating in releasing a Dutch version of Top Gear. The two figureheads in this endeavor are no strangers to the world of automobiles as the former is the publisher of the country’s biggest local car magazine, Autoweek, while the latter owns a local TV channel - Veronica - that broadcasts both Top Gear UK and Top Gear Australia.

In an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Carter Duong, the interim channel manager for Veronica, commented that the timing is perfect to have a local Top Gear show on their network. "We think a wide audience will enjoy it," he said. "It will be a weekly car magazine in the broadest sense. Think of auto testing, traffic information, the latest models and automotive developments."

This is great news for our friends over at the Netherlands. Apparently, two Top Gear shows aren’t enough, and if everything goes according to plan, they might get to enjoy their very own version of Top Gear.

Top Gear giving birth to a Dutch version? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 16:00 EST.

BMW 7-Series

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT

The current generation BMW 7-Series was only launched a couple of years ago, but with Mercedes tackling their S-Class with modifications improving fuel efficiency, as well as design, BMW had limited time to freshen up the competition. The facelifted BMW 7-Series will find it way to the market in 2013, ready to meet the new S-Class straight on with most of it changes found under the hood.

The modified luxury sedan will benefit from BMW’s current engine lineup, meaning a 350 HP twin-turbocharged engine for the 740i and a 450 HP 4.4-liter V8 petrol engine for the 750i version. As of right now, there’s been no mention of changes for the 760i, but rumors are circulating stating that version will be dropped when the time comes.

Along with the engine modifications, the exterior and the interior will receive a series of updates, including new LED accents, restyled front and back bumpers, and a new spoiler.

The facelift BMW 7-Series will be making its world debut at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show in April, with a North American debut following at the New York Auto Show.

gallery: 2009 BMW 7-Series

BMW 7-Series originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 15:00 EST.

Subaru XV

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 07:00 AM PDT

Subaru is making a quick turnaround with its XV Concept car by offering up a production model in the same year. The concept was revealed at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show and, on September 13, 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the production XV (known as the Impreza Outback on the US market) will be showing its face. According to the company, the new XV "defines a new generation of Subaru crossover vehicles."

"The concept was favorably received globally thanks to its distinctive and trendy design which blend a crossover-like commanding silhouette and an urban friendly image into one harmonious and elegant package."

The concept car was powered by a 2.0-liter four cylinder horizontally-opposed DOHC engine with an output of 150 hp at 6,000 rpm and 146 lb-ft at 4,200 rpm, so expect to see this same engine in the production version. Next to it, Subaru will also be offering the latest Symmetrical AWD (All-Wheel Drive) system.

More details will be revealed at the car’s official launch in September.

gallery: 2011 Subaru XV Concept

Subaru XV originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 14:00 EST.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 HPE1000 by Hennessey

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Hennessey has done it again, so much so that they’ve become the Fed Ex of the auto tuning world: when you want it, they’ll bring it.

With a market that has slowly began craving for high-performance sports cars, the American tuning company continues to churn out remarkable performance upgrades and their latest offering for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is no exception to that. Should we be surprised by this? For all their products and upgrades, the only thing we’re surprised at is that they haven’t done more than they have. That’s how awesome these guys from Hennessey are.

This upgrade for the Corvette Z06 perfectly illustrates that point. They’re not so much about the flair of aesthetics, although they’ve been known on occasion to offer some fancy dress-ups. For the most part, these guys are all about performance and when you factor in this newest project, you’ll begin to understand why Hennessey is widely respected in the tuning world.

More details on the 2011 Corvette Z06 HPE1000 after the jump.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 HPE1000 by Hennessey originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 13:00 EST.

Audi Urban E-Tron Concept

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 05:00 AM PDT

A few days ago, a mysterious Audi prototype was spotted in Berlin decked in camouflage, leading to the proverbial question as to what kind of car it was. Fortunately, the mystery didn’t last long.

The German automaker has released the first sketches of its new Urban E-Tron Concept that will be gracing us with its presence at the coming Frankfurt Motor Show. It’s a little hard to piece together what the disguised version looked like a few days ago, but thanks to these sketches, we now we have a pretty good idea on what to expect.

The whole concept is designed to look the part of a sleek and futuristic city car that’s built on a 1+1 set-up. According to Audi, the car is built using a central carbon fiber monococque with a canopy that slides horizontally, allowing both the driver and the passenger to enter the car. As for the cockpit and its aforementioned 1+1 set-up, Audi constructed the former using carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, a material that was designed to integrate the undercarriage of both seats. Speaking of the seats and the odd configuration, the driver will be seated on the front left side with the passenger seated in the back on the opposite side. Another striking feature of the Urban E-Tron Concept, which pretty much highlights its eccentric physical make-up, is a set of huge 21" wheels.

Audi has yet to release more details about the car, including performance figures, but it did say that the car will be powered by two E-Tron electric motors that take their energy from a lithium-ion battery.

Lack of details notwithstanding, we’ll find out all we need to know about the car when the Frankfurt Motor Show opens its doors in less than a month’s time.

Audi Urban E-Tron Concept originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 12:00 EST.

Infiniti FX

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 04:00 AM PDT

The Infiniti FX is the Nissan-owned company’s mid-size luxury crossover SUV. It was released back in 2003, along with its main competitors, the Porsche Cayenne and Volvo XC90. Its first generation lasted six years on the market before it was revamped and given another chance at increasing sales for the Japanese automaker.

The second generation Infiniti FX was launched on the market in 2009, and despite the fact that it has had a less than stellar performance, its sales are still stable and have lead Infiniti in their expansion to new markets all over the world. For the 2012 model year, the FX has been revised with subtle styling changes inspired by the Essence Concept and has received an extra version in the "Limited Edition" for the FX35 AWD.

Hit the jump to read more about the 2009-2012 Infiniti FX.

Infiniti FX originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 11:00 EST.

BMW 3-Series Touring

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 03:00 AM PDT

The sixth generation BMW 3-Series (F30) is getting closer to its official debut and, as a result, the prototypes we’ve caught testing have started to lose some of their camouflage. The new 3-Series Touring is expected to make its world debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show with sales on the US market following shortly thereafter.

The full line of 3-Series Touring models will include sedan, station wagon, coupe, convertible,and M3 versions. The new generation won’t just be bringing a new design language, but it will also host a new family of aluminum four-cylinder gasoline engines ranging from 135 to 245 HP.

The exterior design of the new 3-Series Touring will bring a fresher appearance with a front end inspired by the latest 5- and 7-Series models, plus the company’s latest kidney grille. The interior will offer more luxury and will lose the center hump that houses the current model’s optional navigation system.

As for the engine line-up, depending on the market, expect to see a full line of both diesel and petrol engines, with the addition of a new generation of modular, four-cylinder engines. These new engines will be able to deliver between 140 HP to 230 HP, with a 2.0 engine going up to 300 HP. Whether or not BMW has opted to drop the six-cylinder engines in favor of the new four cylinders is a question still left unanswered. Fuel economy is still the name of the game for most automakers, so this is a good possibility. In fact, the next 3-Series will also be coming in a hybrid version that will add two electric motors for a 20% improvement in fuel consumption.

gallery: 2009 BMW 3-Series

BMW 3-Series Touring originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 10:00 EST.

Anne Hathaway aka Catwoman will be riding the Bat-Pod

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 02:00 AM PDT

The next Dark Knight film, "The Dark Knight Rises," will star Anne Hathaway as the Catwoman. Okay, maybe she is not the best actress to play a badass woman-turned-feline, but she still looks pretty hot and this is illustrated in the new Warner Bros image released featuring Catwoman riding a fascinating looking Bat-Pod motorcycle.

The Bat-pod debuted for the first time back in the 2008 movie, The Dark Knight. Since then, the motorcycle has been updated to have a meaner look and better technology. The bike will be followed by an all-new "green" Batmobile constructed from carbon fiber and designed by Gordon Murray.

Along with the new Batmobile and Batpod, the Lamborghini Aventador will also make an appearance in the movie, driven by Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne).

The movie has an estimated budget of $250 million and is currently filming in Bucharest, Romania. The official debut will be made in July 2012.

Anne Hathaway aka Catwoman will be riding the Bat-Pod originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 09:00 EST.

Spy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Successor gets its Insides Checked

Posted: 10 Aug 2011 01:30 AM PDT

Ferrari’s future plans were just recently revealed and in the midst of the vehicles they have scheduled is the much anticipated successor to the 599 GTB. The car, codenamed F152, will make its world debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, but our spy photographers were able to grab a few snapshots of the vehicle while it underwent some testing.

The test mule is being hidden under a 599 GTO body, while Ferrari tests the chassis and powertrain of the 599 GTB’s successor. The F152 will be powered by a modified version of the great 6.3 liter V12 with direct injection and will probably only be combined with rear-wheel-drive. Power is expected to climb close to 700 HP, if not more, and will connect to the rear wheels via the new seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

When the body does get put into place, the F152 will make intense use of aluminum and carbon fiber making it a true sports car.

gallery: 2013 Ferrari 599 Replacement

Spy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Successor gets its Insides Checked originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 10 August 2011 08:30 EST.

Video: Subaru breaks Mt. Washington Hillclimb record

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 01:00 PM PDT

Racing teams and automakers alike are always striving to prove their strength and dazzle us with the impressive technology used in their vehicles. Many times, they succeed in doing so when they manage to break some records. There is, and will always be, a war in terms of record-breaking and this week, Subaru Rally Team USA is stepping ahead of the pack with a speedy trek up the famed Mt. Washington Hillclimb.

On Sunday, July 26, 2011, Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins took to the famous course with a SportsCar-prepped Subaru WRX STi rally car equipped with BFGoodrich RC01 Rally tires. With this beast, Higgins managed to finish the hill climb in only 6 minutes and 11.54 seconds - that’s about 30 seconds faster than Frank Sprongl’s previous record from 1998. Higgins also beat the unofficial record of 6:20.47 set by Travis Pastrana last year.