Leob & Citröen Win Monte Carlo Rally
Loeb, and his Monegasque co-driver, Daniel Elena, dominated the Monte
Taking his fifth victory at the Monte Carlo Rally, Sebastien Loeb has become the race's most successful driver. Throughout this string of success he has raced for Citroen and the most recent edition was taken with the C4 WRC.
Only four companies have officially entered at the top level of WRC and Subaru is still using last year's Impreza WRC2007. If their WRC Concept is any indication, than we expect to see their next generation debut sometime mid-season.
New to the series is Suzuki who earned their first point as a series contender. Their SX4 WRC follows many successful Junior WRC campaigns.
To feature all that the 2008 Monte offered, we have prepared a small gallery which showcases each of the four major teams.
Tuningnews: Gemballa, G-Power, Mugen & Edo
Gemballa's new GTR-800 faster than a Mirage?
Of all the Porsche tuners, Gemballa is the most outrageous and their latest car is no exception. The Avalanche GTR 800 EVO-R is a 850 bhp monster that goes as fast as it looks. Substantially widened, upgraded and detailed, it's hard to see the 911 that it started out life as.
If you prefer something more restrained, G-Power has a solution. They claim to have the world's most powerful and street legal BMW. Called the Hurricane, it's a twin supercharged M5 that produces somewhere near 730 bhp. Being larger that the Gemballa, G-Power deal with enormous strains on aerodynamics, tires, suspension and brakes which are all upgraded accordingly.
Distancing ourselves from extreme tuning, we have Edo Competition's R8. Its main draw is new a bodykit and exhaust. Included with our feature is a side-by-side comparison video that shows how mean the R8 can sound.
We finish with the Mugen Civic Type RR Experimental Spec. That's a long name, but one the car deserves when you appreciate the detail Mugen have put into the car.
New SL, Exige Sprint, Lexus ISF Racer
Like the CLS and SLK, the SL gets a new look for '08
With Detroit and Barrett behind us, we can now look forward to a year of shows and surprises. Both the Geneva and New York auto shows will have plenty of supercar debuts and one of them will host showcase this new Mercedes-Benz.
Earlier today, images were released of the next SL class. Making the standard model look like an upgraded AMG, the face lifted SL is more aggressive and similar to its CL cousin.
Next we have a Lexus IS-F Racing Concept which was unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon. It was meant to broaden the brand's appeal, but doesn't look like it's suited for anything besides DTM. Also at the show was the Lancer Ralliart which debuted at Detroit.
Lotus love to make special editions, almost more than anyone else, and they celebrate 40 years of the Elan Sprint with the Exige Sprint. Only 40 will be made, and they are fully equipped.
We finish with Spyker who have only released a single video of their newest car. In it is a LWB verison of their Spyder which will appeal to people that considered the first edition as overly cramped. It will be at Geneva and so will the M3 Convertible which uses the 330's fully retractable hard top.
Barrett-Jackson's Top Sales
1.6 Million for a Concept Car? We say well bought
With Barrett-Jackson now complete, we can review its performance as the premier muscle car gig. Since pricing these American classics can be problematic and B-J is the best at bringing in top dollar, it's worth taking a close look at the results.
At the very top of the pyramid was the Corvette Rondine prototype by Pininfarina which pulled in 1.6 million. We featured this car six months ago and its providence as a unique Paris show car is reflected in this price. Just the fact that Pininfarina kept it in their collection until now shows how important it was to them.
At the million mark, bidders could have chosen between a Duesenberg Model J and the very first production ZR1. Two other serial #1s were offered: the first 2008 Shelby 500KR fetched $605,000 and a '08 Dodge Challenger sold for $400,000--15 days ahead of its Chicago Auto Show debut. At least the Shelby owner got some unique options such as a glass roof for the extra cash.
At the event, Carol Shelby is always huge. He was on hand to sell a number of cars including his personal 1969 GT500. It sold for $675,000-about $450 000 above a similar spec 500GT. At nearly the same price, an original 427 Cobra looked like a much better buy.
Even though we would like to see more big ticket cars at B-J, the amount fetched for the #1 Challenger, Corvette and 500KR is impressive.
Detroit Wrap-Up, Top Ten
Furai is our top pick from Detroit
After the third day, our NAIAS is over and its gallery coverage is complete.
Included are several Chinese manufacturers which took refuge in the basement. One of these defiantly drove their new hybrid around the hall. It was the first cobo 'test drive' and even went through a live press conference.
For three days, the manufacturers put on impressive show: three presidential candidates did a walk through, ALMS went E85, Toby Keith said he had seven F150s and Bryan Adams sung an ode to the Audi TTS.
To wrap up all that is Detroit 2008, we present a huge gallery from Richard Owen and Julien Constans. Additionally, here is a list of the top ten debuting supercars:
1. Mazda Furai
2. Audi R8 V12 TDI
3. Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
4. Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept
5. Maybach 62 S Landaulet Study
6. Ferrari F430 Biofuel
7. Cadillac CTS-V
8. Dodge Zeo Concept
9. Mitsubishi Concept-RA
10. Fisker Karma
Detroit Day 2
Chrysler Release a Trio of Concepts to an impressive crowd
Day two of the Detroit Auto Show provided almost the same level of impressive debuts as the first. The schedule started with Cadillac who released two versions of the CTS: a two-door concept coupe and the 550 bhp CTS-V.
The next impressive conference came from Chrysler who debuted three concept cars to represent the design ethics of Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep. Even though none were production worthy, they flaunted envro-friendliness and matched their respective brands well.
Fisker took the wraps off their 'premium hybrid sports sedan' which is now called Karma. It uses four door coupe styling like the Panamera with a Q-Drive system that electronically propels the rear wheels.
Also on display was Toyota's A-BAT Concept which debuted earlier at an exclusive hotel party. Ferrari explained the ethanol-powered, 'F430 Bio Fuel' which increases power by 10 bhp and fuel economy by 5%. With Day Two done, our growing gallery has reached almost 400 images.
Detroit Day 1
Mercedes unveil SUVs to the press hoard
Day 1 of the NAIAS is over and many of the signature releases are finished. This includes two of the most anticipated supercars: Mazda's Furai and the Audi R8 V12. Both are in today's feature gallery from Detroit.
Early in the morning, the Mazda Furai was available to everyone. It easily trumped the newly-facelifted RX8 which shared the same feature stand. Up close, the small details on the Furai were as exceptional as the overall shape. The Courage racing chassis it was built upon even got a bespoke interior and engine bay.
Audi confirmed that the R8 V12 TDI was indeed the first diesel supercar. Besides the engine, an unusual touch was a roof mounted duct that fed the engine fresh air through two ornamental tubes.
Big surprise of the day went to Lexus who brought out a vibrant cherry red LF-A Roadster. Most of the other manufacturers focused on trucks and eco-friendly SUVs. Be sure to check back for constant updates.
NAIAS Preview: V12 Audi R8, 550 bhp Cadillac CTS
500 bhp R8 is no Boulevard Cruiser.
Supercar debuts aren't typical at Detroit, but Audi have taken their opportunity at the NAIAS to debut the R8 everyone's always wanted--well almost.
For the show they have prepared a concept version of the R8 with their Diesel V12 engine shoehorned in the rear bay. This is the first oil-burning supercar to appear and one of the few that can boast 28 mpg.
If Ford and Chrysler don't up the ante, we bet GM might take the top honors at Detroit. Their recently released LS9 which powers the Corvette ZR1 is all aces, but now they have put it in a Cadillac.
Thanks to supercharged power, the second generation CTS-V is now a 550 bhp monster. With the Corvette, this CTS, and a pre-production version of the Volt Concept, GM will stack up quite well against the other two Detroit giants.
Race-Winning Flyer, Autosport UK, Concept SUVs go Green
Great Race Day 57- Flyer reaches Valdez, Alaska
One car which will be highly celebrated in 2008 is this Thomas Flyer. It won the only around-the-world race in 1908 by traveling 22,000 miles over 169 days. This was an incredible test of man and machine during a time when many people hadn't even seen an automobile.
The winning Thomas Flyer will be a highlight at the upcoming Amelia Island Concours to commemorate the race's centennial year. It will also support a modern version of the Great Race which will be held later this year.
The UK's Autosport International Show will bring us plenty of racing performance on the 20th. Aston Martin have announced their V8 Vantage GT2 contender and Radical have used the occasion to release their SR8 Supersport.
More prototype SUVs are scheduled for release. Both the Cadillac Provoq Fuel Cell Concept and Ford Explorer America Concept will try to make SUVs greener with their efficient drive trains.
Furai Unleashed, Inspirations from Tokyo + More
Is it faster than an Enzo?
We begin 2008 with our most anticipated supercar. Some complete photos of Mazda's Furai have been released and we can't wait for more thorough details when it gets an official debut at Detroit.
It seems like much of the Mercedes line is getting a styling overhaul soon and the first to surface is the 2009 SLK. We feature the 55 AMG model which tops the range.
Next we have two JDM tuners that will unveil at the 2008 Tokyo Autosport Salon. Both the Mugen and Modulo versions of the Inspire are based off what America knows as the Accord. Hopefully more cars will surface from this aftermarket show.
We finish with Toyota's A-BAT. It's another Detroit-bound concept and has a rear cargo bed that extends right into the cockpit.
