Car News

Here's the INDIAN FLAG CAR. The Indian Formula One Racing team Force India, while yet to get of the bottom of the pile, came close to winning their first F1 points in Shanghai last week. The team sports the Indian flag as its team colors and has attracted sponsorship from Indian companies Kingfisher, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries and Kanyan Capital. Force India was formed after Indian businessmen Vijay Mallya and Michiel Mol bought the Spyker F1 team for US$115 million. The team races its own designed cars, powered by Mercedes-Benz, and was able to rise from 18th to as high as sixth with just 5 laps to go.

With Delhi being added to the Grand Prix circuit in 2011, Force India are learning and may well be a team to reckon with by the time the Delhi Grand Prix arrives. The team has just signed a five year agreement with Mercedes for engines, and a partisan Indian crowd in Delhi may make a large impact at the event.

The participation in, and rise to prominence of an Indian team in F1 is in marked contrast to China, which despite having hosted the F1 in Shanghai for the past few years, does not field a competing team. This is somewhat surprising, given that both China and India are poised to be the world’s largest auto markets in the next two to three years, with more vehicles having been sold last year in China than in the United States for the first time.The Chinese logic for hosting the event, but not participating, seems a little skewed. The Chinese government pays Formula One about US$50million each year to host the Shanghai event, yet the country has not followed that up with a competing presence, cars or drivers, in the rest of the series. The prices to attend the Shanghai event also seem bizarre if China wants to use it to promote its auto industry.

Shanghai wages averaging at about US$500 a month, that’s equivalent to the price of the cheapest ticket on offer for the Shanghai F1. You would need to charge US$4,000 to attend the Indianapolis 500 in the United States to achieve a similar disparity. So while Force India prepares the world for Indian cars and trucks Tata having already acquired global brands Jaguar and Land Rover, and about to launch Tata as a brand name in Europe and the United States through the Nano and its trucking division – the Chinese are just not getting on board. It’s a curious state of affairs, especially since F1 have apparently re-signed with Shanghai to host the event for another seven years. US$50 million seems a lot to pay for a one off annual event that the local Chinese cannot generally afford to attend, in which no Chinese team participates, in a 17 race series which is broadcast globally and attracts hundreds of millions of viewers.

Force India meanwhile are pushing forward at the top end the concept of Indian vehicles as reliable, and developing India as a manufacturing brand in auto that will assist its national auto manufacturers integrate into and penetrate international markets.

Perhaps the second best-known Batmobile after George Barris' iconic 1966 Lincoln Futura conversion from the Batman TV series is the Anton Furst Batmobile from Tim Burton's 1989 Batman and 1992 Batman Returns films. We found a rather convincing replica of that car for sale on eBay.



Not only is this example of the 1990s Batmobile nice-looking, it's also street legal at least in the State of Ohio where the seller is based. The Bat-winged replica was built by a company named "Putsch Racing" and it makes use of a tube frame chassis with a Corvette drive-train and an independent suspension.



It comes equipped with a canopy that opens and is fitted with various gizmos including retractable machine guns that fire blanks. Hit the jump for more photos and videos of the car in motion.

The ABTY Seat Leon is a dynamic, sporty vehicle and a real head-turner. That makes it a great challenge for us here at Abt to demonstrate what we mean by high quality customizing", says Hans-Jurgen Abt about his stylists' and engineers' philosophy when they worked on the Seat premiere. Engine, exhaust, bodywork, suspension, wheels, accessories, and interior - the Abt specialists' typical signature can be seen in all components of the agile 4WD.Classical customizing begins with an increase in engine performance. For the Abt Leon the engine experts at Abt were not prepared to compromise. Instead of the standard 132 kW (180 hp) they gave the all-wheel-drive Leon a boost to 191 kW (260 hp), generated by an Abt turbo-charger. The exhaust manifold, the silencer, and the charge-air cooler display the logo of the world famous customizer from Bavaria.The Abt brakes kit with steel-braided brake linings, for reduced fading and an improved response of the brake pedal, round up the customizing of suspension and transmission.The racing professional from the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) himself fine-tuned the Leon with a height adjustable sport suspension. It can be lowered by up to 50 millimetres, with the rebound and response of the shock absorbers able to be adjusted to suit individual driving styles.

The Cadillac Cien was a concept car created by Cadillac and unveiled at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show. The Cadillac Cien had a 7.5 L V12 Northstar XV12 engine, which produced 750 hp. This experimental engine featured direct injection and Displacement on Demand, which allowed the engine to run on only six cylinders under light load. The Cien was designed at General Motors' Advanced Design Studio in England. The Cien's low, sleek style was inspired by the F-22 Raptor.

The car was featured prominently in the 2005 film, The Island, directed by Michael Bay. It was also in Gran Turismo 4, Project Gotham Racing 3, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition and in Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix.

The ABT Audi allroad quattro is very air suspension car. Choices for power units of the allroad quattro are between a 2.7-litre bi-turbo V6 with 184 kW (250 hp) or a 2.5-litre V6 TDI with 132 kW (180 hp). However, for the Abt Sportsline team - who are used to handling the 450 hp racing cars contesting the DTM (German Touring Car Masters) - this is simply not enough. With an optimized electronic engine management the engineers now push the TDI-engine up to 154 kW (210 hp), the bi-turbo-version is increased up to 213 kW (290 hp) or even 265 kW (360 hp) and 510 Newtonmetres. The permanent all-wheel-drive optimally transfers the power in every situation and on all terrain. The clearance between the body and ground can be adjusted to four levels - from 208 to 142 millimetres - simply by pushing a button in the cockpit. With stunning sports wheels from the House of Abt Sportsline, the car's appearance is striking. For the allroad quattro, the 7,5 x 17 inch A23, the 8,5 x 18 inch A25 single-piece cast sports rims and the two-piece A26 are available - also delivered, of course, as a complete wheel fitted with appropriate tyres.

The KTM X-Bow is not merely a milestone in the KTM brand's more than 50-year history, it's also a new citation in the small, but elite segment of radical, lightweight sports cars. This exceptional position is the result of the concept: for their first car, KTM employs the finest materials, high-tech and the know-how of respected development partners such as Audi and Dallara.The result is a street-homologated sports car with racing technology, like an avantgarde, carbon fibre monocoque.Thanks to the basic version's light weight and the 177 kW (240 hp) Audi TFSI engine, the performance values of the KTM X-Bow outstrip those of super-sport cars with more than twice the power: with a deadweight of approx. 700 kilos, the KTM X-Bow accelerates to 100 kph in just 3.9 seconds.The KTM X-Bow's long-stroking, four-valve engine delivers a powerful performance: 310 newton-metres of torque peaks at a level between 2200 and 4000 rpm. The peak performance of 177 kW (240 hp) is achieved at 6000 rpm. Even more powerful engine variations in the 300-horsepower range are planned at a later date.The X-Bow's powerful braking system consists of 305 mm discs at the front and 262 mm discs at the rear.The interaction of the vehicle's light weight, ideal balance, low centre of gravity and a 17-/18-inch tyre mix results in spectacular braking performance: when the brakes are warm, the KTM X-Bow needs only 33.1 metres to decelerate from 100 kph to a standstill.

The Abt TT sport is lowered by app. 40 millimetres compared to the standard model. The Abt sports team from Bavaria put a lot of racing knowledge into the new top model: a sport suspension with stronger anti-roll bars, sports brakes, a safety bar made of polished aluminium, and a single windscreen wiper are borrowed from the motorsport scene. A four-pipe exhaust system made of stainless steel with metal catalytic converters not only improves the appearance of the rear, but contributes to the fascinating sound of the Abt engine.

221 kW (300 horsepower at 6,400 revs) is the result of an optimised electronic engine management, supported by a modified exhaust manifold, turbo-charger, intercooler, and injection system. Contributing to the power-plus is modified air-ducting. Maximum torque of 400 Nm is reached at 2,800 rpm.ContiSportContact tyres, 235/35-19 (front) and 275/30-19 (rear) ensure optimal road holding.

Two well-known Abt highlights played a role in the concept of the TT-limited wide-body: the TT-Sport and the TT-limited.Thus, the successful company from Kempten demonstrates the state-of-the-art in TT-tuning.The professional racing driver opted for Abt wheels of the type A27 (9 x 19 inches at the front, 9.5 x 19 inches at the rear). ContiSportContact tyres with 235/35 size have been mounted on the front wheels, 275/30 tyres on the rear wheels.Aerodynamics, suspension and the impressive sport braking system - all of this serves for controlling the fireworks, that the Abt-technicians are lighting underneath the bonnet. 228 kW (310 hp) are the result of a power boost, that turns the standard 165 kW (225 hp) strong engine into a racing machine. An Abt turbocharger with intercooler and exhaust system allow the standard power plant to breathe freely. A top speed of approx. 254 kph and an acceleration from 0-100 kph in approx. 5.6 seconds speak for themselves. The car shown at the IAA is a right-hand-driven version for the British market. Also in the UK, Abt Sportsline has many fans. The fascinating TT-limited wide body will surely excite them.

The new model is a synthesis of style, creative flair, passion and cutting-edge technology, characteristics for which Italy as a nation is well-known. For this reason Ferrari chose to add the name of its homeland to the traditional figure representing the displacement and number of cylinders. The Ferrari 458 Italia is a completely new car from every point of view: engine, design, aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and ergonomics, just to name a few. A two-seater berlinetta, the Ferrari 458 Italia, as is now traditional for all Ferrari’s road-going cars, benefits hugely from the company’s Formula 1 experience. This is particularly evident in the speed and precision with which the car responds to driver inputs and in the attention focused on reducing internal friction in the engine for lower fuel consumption than the F430, despite the fact that both overall displacement and power have increased. However, Ferrari’s track experience makes its presence felt in the 458 Italia not only in terms of pure technological transfer but also on a more emotional level, because of the strong emphasis on creating an almost symbiotic relationship between driver and car. The 458 Italia features an innovative driving environment with a new kind of steering wheel and dashboard that is the direct result of racing practice. The Ferrari 458 Italia has a compact, aerodynamic shape, underscoring the concepts of simplicity, efficiency and lightness that inspired the project. As with every Ferrari, the car’s styling has been very heavily influenced by the requirements for aerodynamic efficiency, as can be seen from the downforce of 140 kg at 200km/h generated by the new model. The front features a single opening for the front grille and side air intakes, with aerodynamic sections and profiles designed to direct air to the coolant radiators and the new flat underbody. The nose also sports small aeroelastic winglets which generate downforce and, as speed rises, deform to reduce the section of the radiator inlets and cut drag. The new 4499 cc V8 is the first Ferrari direct injection engine to be mid-rear mounted. It has a very low piston compression height typical of racing engines which contributed to achieving its compression ratio of 12.5:1. Equipped with the traditional flat-plane crankshaft, the engine delivers 570 CV at 9000 rpm and, with an outstanding power output of 127 CV/litre, sets a new benchmark not only for the whole Ferrari range and the history of company, but also for the entire market segment. Maximum torque is 540 Nm at 6000 rpm, over 80 per cent of which is available from 3250 rpm. Specific torque is a record 120 Nm/litre. The engineers have developed specific, sportier gear ratios to match the power and torque curves of the new V8, guaranteeing high torque even at lower engine speeds and allowing the car to reach its maximum speed in top gear.The Ferrari 458 Italia produces just 320 g/km of CO2 and fuel consumption is 13.7 l/100 km (combined cycle), the best in the entire segment. The Ferrari 458 Italia has a dry weight of 1380 kg with a power-to-weight ratio of 2.42 kg/CV. Weight distribution is also optimal with 58 per cent over the rear axle. The result of the engineers’ endeavours can be summed up in to two simple statistics which together perfectly encapsulate the Ferrari 458 Italia’s exceptional performance: 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 3.4 seconds and a maximum speed in excess of 325 km/h. The brakes also feature a prefill function whereby the pistons in the callipers move the pads into contact with the discs on lift off to minimise delay in the brakes being applied. This combined with the ABS has cut the 100-0 km/h braking distance to a mere 32.5 metres.

The HSV sports car 20 Years Of Clubsport will be equipped with the company's performance suspension, 20 inch Pentagon wheels in Millennium silver and leather seats as standard. The HSV sports car 20 Years Of Clubsport will also wear a unique decal on the rear window showing a modern iteration of the original VN CS ClubSport badge.





2010 HSV Sport Cars HSV 20 Years Of Clubsport Limited Edition

“With this level of value add at no additional cost we anticipate the 100 vehicles will move very quickly and good luck to the person who manages to grab No.1 in the model build,” said General Manager of Sales, Darren Bowler. “City Motors HSV in Perth recorded the highest HSV sports car vehicle sales in 2009 and have been rewarded with the privilege of retailing the No. 1 vehicle to the lucky HSV buyer.”

The The HSV Sports Cars 20 Years Of Clubsport also comes with LED daytime running lights, and various other styling accents.

The HSV 20 Years Of Clubsport price starts at $66,690 AUD for the manual version and at $68,690 AUD for the automatic and only 100 units will ever be available. The first unit of the HSV sports car 20 Years Of Clubsport will probably be the most valuable one. The sales of the new limited edition model will start this month.







Holden Special Vehicle - HSV sports car Press Release:

Australia’s high performance car manufacturer, Holden Special Vehicles, has launched a limited edition model to help celebrate 20 years of its most successful and enduring nameplate – the ClubSport.

The ClubSport brand first appeared as a permanent fixture within the HSV sports car range back in June of 1990 as a VN HSV ClubSport. Featuring a 5.0 liter engine boasting 180kW and 400Nm only 410 VN series ClubSports were built. The model has evolved today to become the highest selling vehicle in the HSV sports cars line-up.

General Manager of Marketing and Communications, Tim Jackson, said this milestone was worthy of celebration for the company. ”If we step back 20 years to 1990, this really was a watershed year for the HSV sports car brand. Not only did we introduce our first ClubSport model in June but 1990 also represented our first Bathurst, victory with the Holden Racing Team, who are also celebrating 20 years of success this year."



”The ClubSport has such great history and meaning within our business, and it has always been our purists vehicle - bringing track focused performance and handling to a road vehicle,” Tim Jackson said.



For that reason HSV has taken a ‘back-to-basics’ approach with the 20 years of Clubsport model producing a feature packed high performance vehicle for the true HSV collector. The 20 Years of ClubSport model will receive as standard HSV’s performance suspension, 20 inch Pentagon wheels in Millennium silver and leather seats for no additional cost.



It will be identifiable by a unique decal on the rear window, which the HSV enthusiast will recognise as a modern iteration of the original VN “CS ClubSport” badge, to commemorate the anniversary of the model.



General Manager of Sales, Darren Bowler, said he expected the car to be well received within the HSV Dealer network and amongst HSV’s strong customer base. “With this level of value add at no additional cost we anticipate the 100 vehicles will move very quickly and good luck to the person who manages to grab No.1 in the model build.





“City Motors HSV in Perth recorded the highest HSV vehicle sales in 2009 and have been rewarded with the privilege of retailing the No. 1 vehicle to the lucky HSV buyer,” Darren Bowler said.



The 100 limited edition 20 Years of ClubSport models will start appearing in HSV Dealers show rooms across Australia from late June. The vehicle will come with an RRP of $66,690 for manual and $68,690 for automatic.

The Audi  A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro is the latest diesel powered car from Audi. From the engine displacement of just 1,968 cc, the 1.5 tonne Audi A3 TDI clubsport Quattro outputs 224 HP and completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in little under 7 seconds with a maximum speed of 240 km/h. The A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro has awesome interior with sexy gear gaiter. Audi, the inventor of TDI, blazes a trail in the field of engine manufacture. The two-liter TDI unit under the bonnet of the Audi A3 TDI clubsport quattro delivers 165 kW (224 hp) and musters up 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) of torque – the sort of pulling power normally associated with a sports car. The show car races from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 6.6 seconds and attains a top speed of 240 km/h (149.13 mph). Exterior components such as the large DTM-look rear spoiler and the bolt-on wheel arch extensions give the car a dynamic air, while the racing bucket seats and open gear lever gate in aluminum form the highlights of the interior. The show car is a true high-tech sports car. The drive power is directed to the 20-inch wheels via a six-speed transmission and the quattro all-wheel-drive system. At the front wheels, stopping power is provided by six-piston brake calipers and ceramic discs.

The Citroën DS3 R3 has benefitted from the extensive expertise acquired by Citroën Racing through its involvement in the World Rally Championship.Under the bonnet lies a four-cylinder 1.6-litre THP (high pressure turbo) engine, which has been developed using the PSA production engine. Specific racing parts (air box, camshaft, pistons, connecting rods, exhaust and turbo systems, electronic unit, etc.) have been deployed to boost the car's power to 210bhp.The 1.6-litre THP (high pressure turbo) engine is very closely related to the production model used throughout the PSA Group. Fitted with a regulation-compliant 29mm turbo flange, it develops 210bhp of power and generates a torque of 350Nm (with commercially available fuel). This second value improves traction and delivers excellent versatility at all engine speeds.All of the drivers agreed that the car was easy to drive and highlighted three strengths: the torque of the 1.6-litre engine, the semi-automatic gearbox and the suspension.

The extra special Mercedes Benz SLS AMG will make its race track debut in 2011. The Car features clean design and breathtaking form of the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG. The 2011 Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 race car boasts a new front skirt with enlarged air intakes. The wide opening beneath the characteristic radiator grill bearing the large Mercedes star and the wing shaped horizontal fins supplies air to the engine oil cooler and brake discs. The same function is served by the two intakes below the vertical bi-xenon headlamps. Downforce on the front axle is provided courtesy of four externally mounted side flics, as well as a carbon front splitter; it runs directly into the smooth underbody panel. The hood features a central opening for the extraction of heat from the engine, while side openings in the front fenders facilitate air flow through the wheel arches. The fenders have been widened front and rear to accommodate the large racing tires with a breadth of 78.3 inches, the GT3 bodyshell is a good 2 inches wider than the series production Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The new sills feature openings for cooling the rear brakes, with the smooth underbody visible along the underside of the sills. The 31.7 gallon fuel tank is located centrally behind the driver. The AMG 6.3 liter V8 engine is virtually identical to that of the series production vehicle. Due to its low weight, the acceleration figures for the GT3  3.7 seconds for the sprint from 0 to 60 mph. Depending on gear ratio, the top speed is more than 186 mph. The AMG 6.3 liter V8 engine uses dry sump lubrication in the racing vehicle, too. All four corners feature brake discs in motorsport-tested composite technology. Gray cast iron axial and radial floating discs are fixed to an aluminum hat via stainless steel composite elements. This sophisticated technology enables perfect heat dissipation and thus reliable stability. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 is also equipped with precisely calculated cooling channels openings in the front skirt and ahead of the rear wheels direct cool airflow over the brake discs. All four brake discs are ventilated, slotted and drilled. Six pot fixed calipers on the front axle and four pot fixed calipers at the rear, with the AMG logo in white, provide plenty of brake pad surface. An anti-lock brake system with special race track settings is fitted as standard. A steering wheel with a diameter of 13 inches facilitates perfect vehicle control. On opening the gullwing doors, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 displays a functional interior with a distinctly race car feel.

A tuning genius with an apparent love of videogames (or at least racing games) has tricked out his latest ride with a Need For Speed Carbon motif that’s straight out of the game. Spanish tuner Ivan Gonzalez spent 110,000 Euros (about $175,000) and 7 months of his time to build this custom machine. His next project is going to be a 2005 Dodge Charger that he wants to boost up with 800 horsepower.

Citroën DS3 Racing is a special edition with a 100% sporting pedigree.The exclusive Citroën DS3 Racing will be limited to just 1000 production units.With integrated carbon-trimmed components and specialist motorsports equipment, Citroën DS3 Racing's tuned and turbo-charged 1.6-litre THP 150 engine develops 200hp - a power increase of almost 30% over the standard unit - with a torque increase of 15% from 240Nm to 275Nm.The Citroën DS3  front wheels get 4-piston racing callipers and special disc-brakes - with drilled discs at the rear.The new Citroën DS3 Racing edition inherits Citroën Racing's expertise in motorsport design to provide advanced technological and stylistic sporting prowess.Based on the existing DSport powered by the THP 150, production Citroën DS3 Racing editions will be finished in a special workshop and fitted with a parts kit developed according to Citroën Racing specifications.

The Bugatti Veyron Centenaire is a very expensive and good looking car in the world .The Type 35 Grand Prix was by far the most successful racing model. The unmistakable radiator grille and eight-spoke aluminium wheels of the Type 35 have become defining features of the Bugatti automobile. In its day, the Grand Prix was also well ahead of its time in terms of engineering ingenuity.The Grand Prix's brake drums were integrally fitted into its lightweight aluminium wheels. Unfastening the central wheel nut allowed the wheel to be easily removed within a matter of seconds and the brake to be exposed. This was a crucial advantage at the pit stop.Supposedly called the Centenaire edition, reports suggest the special Veyron an increased power rating – word on the street has always been that the Veyron's quad-turbo W16 was always capable of more than the already astronomic 1000 horsepower rating it got – up to some 1350 horses, good enough to boost the top end up to 420 km/h (261 miles-per-hour) from the current benchmark of 400 km/h (253 mph). Special paint schemes and trim pieces will surely be part of the mix as well, but hitting the Willard Scott mark may prove enough to warrant a more substantial birthday gift if the rumors are to be believed.

The Bugatti Galibier's design masters the challenge of uniting sportiness with the comfort and elegance of a modern four-door saloon. The basic architecture picks up on the torpedo-like character of the Type 35, which was already revived in the Bugatti Veyron, and reinterprets it.The Bugatti Galibier i16-cylinder,8-litre engine with twostage supercharging and features 64 valves, generating 1001 horsepower at 6000 rpm.The Bugatti Galibier engine special is that it was developed as a flex-fuel engine and can optional be run on ethanol. Four-wheel drive, specially developed ceramic brakes and a new suspension design enable the agile, always-sure handling of a saloon of this size. The engine draws on its 8-litre displacement to deliver a maximum torque of 1250 Newton-metres between 2200 and 5500 rpm. Apply the brakes at speeds above 200 km/h, and the rear wing acts as an airbrake, positioning itself at an angle of 113 degrees in less than 0.4 seconds, augmenting the Bugatti Veyron's already impressive stopping power. The airbrake increases negative lift at the rear of the car to 300 kg, enhancing the braking torque on the rear axle. At 400 km/h, emergency braking will bring the sports car to a complete halt in less than 10 seconds.This striking and unparalleled harmony between luxury and sportiness is complemented by alloy-coloured details in the form of the chromed Bugatti grill and door-mirrors, as well as polished wheel surfaces and roof-rails. All-black front lights, air intakes, filler caps and door-handles naturally heighten the stunning effect of the racing-blue brake callipers.

The Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir is a special edition, created for the true automotive connoisseur.Similar to its thoroughbred predecessor, the Type 57S Atlantic, the Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir exposes a raptor-like DNA that is reflected throughout the entire model history of the marque..The Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir is a special edition, created for the true automotive connoisseur.The 16-cylinder "W" configuration engine is fed by four turbochargers and features 64 valves, generating 1001 horsepower at 6000 rpm. The engine draws on its 8-litre displacement to deliver a maximum torque of 1250 Newton-metres between 2200 and 5500 rpm. Apply the brakes at speeds above 200 km/h, and the rear wing acts as an airbrake, positioning itself at an angle of 113 degrees in less than 0.4 seconds, augmenting the Bugatti Veyron's already impressive stopping power. The airbrake increases negative lift at the rear of the car to 300 kg, enhancing the braking torque on the rear axle. At 400 km/h, emergency braking will bring the sports car to a complete halt in less than 10 seconds.This striking and unparalleled harmony between luxury and sportiness is complemented by alloy-coloured details in the form of the chromed Bugatti grill and door-mirrors, as well as polished wheel surfaces and roof-rails. All-black front lights, air intakes, filler caps and door-handles naturally heighten the stunning effect of the racing-blue brake callipers.

The Wartburg car had a more powerful version of the 3 cylinder 2-stroke engine driving the front wheels and a completely new body. Exports to West Germany started in 1958, and by the early 60s the car was exported to many countries in the world, including the US. The 311 model was manufactured in a number of variations, such as pick-up, station wagon, and a 2-seater roadster. Many Wartburgs are still used as rally racing cars. The engine was enlarged to 992 cc in 1962 and a completely new body was manufactured after 1966. Also in 1966 the gearbox gained synchromesh on all speeds. The new car, the 353 was based on a Polish-built Warszawa 210 and remained in production for decades with minor modifications. The two-stroke engine was replaced by a 1300 cc four stroke Volkswagen engine in 1988. The sports car Melkus RS 1000 used a mid-mounted 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine from the Wartburg 353.

While we certainly cannot say the Zonda F lacks performance figures, driving around the Nürburgring in 7:32 and achieving lateral G forces of almost 1.5 G, it is however a road car, easy to drive, intuitive and setting the benchmark for comfort, safety and lightweight. In September 2006 the first drawings were ready, but it was crucial to have the support of Mercedes-AMG for a high revving engine with a power output of 750hp, dry sump, light and with a low centre of gravity.The wheelbase has grown by 47mm, the overall length by 394 mm and the track is increased by 50mm.This self-supporting engine with 750 hp at 8000 rpm and 710 Nm of torque carries a lightweight carbon fibre highperformance intake system, a racing multiple disc sintered clutch and Formula 1 style exhaust system, hydroformed in Inconel 625 and ceramic coated for optimal heat dissipation.



The 5.0-liter engine also will continue to be highlighted in the Mustang Boss 302R running in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race series.Available in only two models originally, the 1964 ½ as it was dubbed, came as either a coupe or a convertible. Both of these models showcased a lengthened hood, a shortened rear deck, chrome grille with a running horse, full wheel covers and chrome wrap-around bumpers. A characteristic standard on the Mustang for years was the three taillights on both sides.  Three-speed automatic was optional, while four-speed manual transmissions were standard behind all engines.The 2.8-liter V6 and the 5.0-liter V8 were both deleted from the line, while the only six available was the pathetic 3.3-liter straight six.