Sam Abuelsamid
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Ferrari Builds a One Off P540 Superfast Aperta For a Very Special Client
Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta - click above for high res image gallery
Throughout its sixty-two year history, Ferrari has always been willing to give special treatment to certain customers. What does it take to be considered such a special customer? First off you must have an exceptionally fat checkbook. That much is a given since large wads of cash at just the entry point even for a standard Ferrari. However, if you are a long-time customer that has bought numerous examples over the years, the mechanical chefs at Maranello are willing to produce dishes not found on the menu. Over the years the Sultan of Brunei has purchased a array of Ferraris found nowhere else in nature.
Another such special customer is Edward Walson whose father John invented cable TV. Walson was infatuated with a previous custom Ferrari built for the 1968 Fellini film, Toby Dammit. The Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta is based on the chassis of a 599 GTB Fiorano and took 14 months to complete. The P540 is completely road legal and is powered by a 612 hp 6.0-liter V12 engine. Extensive use of carbon fiber allowed the Special Projects engineers to keep weight gain down to only 44 pounds in spite of having to strengthen the open top car. No mention is made of cost, but if you have to ask ...
[Source: Ferrari]
Review: 2010 Audi S4 sedan, Fast and Practical
2010 Audi S4 - click above for high res image gallery
Among the big 3 German premium carmakers, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz each has its own in-house department dedicated solely to creating faster, better handling versions of their parent's mainstream cars. Of course none of those three automakers would actually want their everyday products referred to as mainstream since that would neutralize the cache that allows them to charge a premium tariff. That however is a story for another day.
BMW has its M Division, Mercedes-Benz has AMG and Audi has Quattro GmbH. Quattro of course draws its name from the all-wheel-drive system that has been a staple of Audis since the early 1980s. The Quattro group based in Neckarsulm, Germany creates two levels improved Audis which are distinguished by the model names, these being S and RS. The pinnacle of Audi performance is defined by models like the RS6, TT-RS and of course the mighty R8. Many of these models are not offered here in the US market. However, we do get all of the S models such as the TT-S that we drove recently, the S5 coupe and the latest addition, the S4 sedan. Follow the jump to read about our time with the latest S4.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Review: 2009 Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10, An Everyday Supercar
2009 Audi R8 V10 - click above for high res image gallery
Not so many years ago, driving a exotic supercar while clearly demonstrating the owner's financial wherewithal to own such a vehicle was not always such a pleasant experience. Such cars were typically built by small financially shaky companies that didn't have the resources necessary to properly develop the vehicles to be reliable and robust. The interiors were often poorly built and outfitted and were afflicted by assorted mechanical and electrical glitches.
Then in 1990 things suddenly changed when Honda rolled out the NSX. Instantly people realized that there was no reason why a high performance, mid-engine exotic sports car couldn't be just as a reliable and hospitable as an Accord. By the end of the 1990s exotic car builders like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin had all come under the wing of major automakers like Fiat, Volkswagen Group and Ford and the engineers began tapping into the parents resources to improve their cars.
Lamborghini in particular took advantage of its relationship with Audi to help develop the Gallardo, the best selling Lambo ever. Audi in turn decided to reverse the process with a supercar of its own to celebrate its decade long dominance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and used the Gallardo as the jumping off point for the R8. We recently got to spend some quality time with the fastest R8, the 5.2 FSI V10 and you can read about it after the jump.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Review: 2009 Audi TT-S, Fast and Good Looking but Not Quite a Sports Car
2009 Audi TT-S Coupe - click above for a high res image gallery
When Audi introduced the first generation TT a decade ago, it was largely a case of style over substance. The diminutive coupe and convertible were based on the platform of the Volkswagen Group's compacts which include the Golf and the Audi A3. The original had a clean, spare look that recalled an inverted bowl. While Audi promoted the TT as a sports car, it didn't really drive like one in part because it was rather heavy for its size.
A couple of years ago, Audi brought forth an all-new TT that retained the basic shape of the original while incorporating some of the latest Audi design language. Of course like most new generations of cars, it got bigger than the first model although Audi engineers managed to make the car lighter. The new TT is generally considered to be a much better driver's car than the original. But is it a true sports car? We recently had the opportunity to spend a week with the top of the line TT-S coupe to find out, so read on to for our assessment.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Review: 2009 BMW 335d, Performance and Fuel Economy
2009 BMW 335d - click above for a high res image gallery
Over the last two years BMW has started making a major push for its new EfficientDynamics technology in Europe and more recently in North America. The premise is that the company that has long promoted itself as the "Ultimate Driving Machine" can retain all the qualities that made it so ultimate while drastically cutting fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Europe, BMW offers a suite of technologies like automatic start-stop for engines, brake energy regeneration and smaller four cylinder engines. The most important near term technology however is diesel engines.
Late in 2008, BMW launched its first two new clean diesel vehicles here in the United States, the X5 xDrive35d SUV and the 335d sedan. We recently had a chance to spend a week with the 335d to determine if it truly can provide the driving experience that customers expect of a BMW with better fuel efficiency. Read on to find out if the automaker succeeded.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Officially, official: 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost [w/VIDEO]
Rolls-Royce Ghost - click above for a high res image gallery
The new Rolls-Royce Ghost serves to demonstrate that everything is relative. While the Ghost is less large and massive then the Phantom, at 17.7 feet long it is by no means small. In spite a slightly smaller displacement at 6.6-liters, the Ghost's all-new V12 engine takes advantage of the latest technology that it afforded to it by being part of the BMW family to produce far more power than the Phantom. Two turbochargers and direct fuel injection allow the new engine to produce 563 hp and 575 lb-ft of torque.
A look inside tells that unlike the Phantom this is a car meant to appeal as much to the driver as the rear seat passengers. The more supportive front seats and thicker rimmed steering wheel imply a driver might actually want to take advantage of the 4.7 second 0-60 acceleration.
But this is of course a Rolls so rear seat occupants are still coddled in a lounge style seat with power closing coach doors. Within the doors themselves, the Ghost retains the umbrellas found in the Phantom so that no one ever has to get wet. The Ghost is expected to be priced between €200,000 and €300,000 before taxes when it goes on sale.
The full press release is after the jump.
[Source: Rolls-Royce]
Review: 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Platinum Edition
2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Platinum Edition - click above for a high res image gallery
Since General Motors debuted its two mode hybrid system two years ago on the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon it has gradually been expanding availability to other examples of its GMT900 full size truck family. One of the newest examples is also by far the most luxurious and most expensive version yet. In fact the Cadillac Escalade hybrid Platinum Edition is the second priciest hybrid available today after the Lexus LS600h.
The base Escalade hybrid is built on the same platform and powertrain bits as its more pedestrian siblings. However, Cadillac has outfitted its version with appearance and equipment that customers of the "wreath and crest" brand expect. For the new Platinum, Cadillac has taken the Escalade several steps beyond that. We were able to spend a week with the big platinum on the South Carolina coast recently and you can find out if it lives up to expectations after the jump.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Bentley Introduces the all-new 2011 Mulsanne
2011 Bentley Mulsanne -- Click above for a high-res image gallery
It's not often that Bentley introduces an all-new model, especially for its flagship line. Today the Pebble Beach Concours de'Elegance, CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen unveiled the all-new Mulsanne. Named for the legendary straightaway at Le Mans, It's a fitting appellation for the top of the line Bentley. Bentleys won the 24 hour endurance classic four times in a row between 1927 and 1930 ensuring Bentley's reputation for high speed touring for the remainder of century into this century.
The Mulsanne is 11 inches longer than the Flying Spur sedan and gets an all new platform. So far Bentley is only saying that the Mulsanne will use a V8 engine, the same configuration as the outgoing Arnage. Aside from that other details will have to wait until the car is shown again next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Mulsanne goes on sale about a year from now at a price yet to be revealed, although if you have to ask...
[Source: Bentley]
Review: 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible
2009 MINI Cooper Convertible - click above for a high res image gallery
In these troubling economic times, the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible could be viewed in a couple of different ways. Loaded up with lots of goodies, it could be seen as an entry point into the world of luxury open-top motoring. Alternatively, when times are tough it could be seen as a way to be more financially responsible without giving up all of the amenities you might have come to expect. Either way, the MINI is designed to put a smile on the face of those who drive one.
If your brand is going to be called MINI, you would certainly expect the products to have diminutive dimensions. BMW's British outpost is dedicated to building cars sized commensurate with the brand's name. This August marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of iconic original and while MINIs today are much larger than the originals, they are still among the smallest cars on the road. The second generation of the modern MINI convertible debuted in January at the Detroit Auto Show and went on sale in the spring. We had the opportunity to spend a week in a trimmed out MINI. Read on to find out if it inspires smiles or frowns.
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
New Rolls-Royce Ghost Gets 563 hp turbo V12, sub-5 second 0-60!
As we get closer to the Frankfurt Motor Show debut of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost, the automaker is gradually teasing us with more and more information. Today, the folks at Rolls have revealed that the Ghost will definitely be the strong-silent type, thanks to a very powerful new V12 engine. The silent part of course is expected of any Rolls-Royce, hence model names like Ghost and Phantom.
What we don't typically expect is acceleration from 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds. Motivating a big luxury machine like the Ghost in that manner takes 563 hp which in this case is generated by a new 6.6-liter V12 with twin turbocharging. This engine is derived from the unit in the new BMW 760Li but will be uniqe to Rolls-Royce. The top speed of the Ghost is electronically governed to 155 mph, but with that much power on tap, it could surely go significantly faster. The Rolls-Royce press release is after the jump.
[Source: Rolls-Royce]
Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
