Category: Car News

New Rezvani Beast boosted to 700bhp

California-based Rezvani will produce a mere five examples of its astonishing new ‘Beast X’, the featherweight supercar capable of 0-60mph in a blistering 2.5 seconds.

Built on an Ariel Atom chassis and weighing just 839Kg, the Beast X outputs 700bhp against the standard model’s 500bhp.  It features an abundance of performance, styling and carbon fibre body upgrades, including 10-way adjustable Bilstein dampers, new brakes, anti-roll bars and 19-inch wheels.

The 2.4-litre, four cylinder Honda K24 engine incorporates a pair of Borg Warner high performance turbochargers, as well as new forged pistons, valves and strengthened internals.  The rear-wheel drive supercar comes with a six-speed manual gearbox (sequential auto is optional) and a limited slip differential.  Styling-wise, the Beast X receives new wings, a revised front and rear fascia and dual carbon fibre wings to improve handling.

Pricing is expected to be around £215,000. 

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McLaren 675 LT Spider spotted

Spy images of the McLaren 675 LT Spider confirm the convertible has been given the go ahead.  The new model will join McLaren’s ‘Super Series’ in 2016.   

The 675 LT Spider will receive a hard-top folding roof, as seen on other McLaren convertibles.  It will come with the same 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine, delivering an impressive 666bhp and 526lb ft of torque.  In keeping with McLaren’s standard practice, the convertible will match its Coupe counterpart almost perfectly in performance, so can be expected to deliver the 675LT’s top speed of 205mph and 0-62mph in around 2.9 seconds.

The convertible will feature the same lightweight, carbon fibre parts as the Coupe, with the reshaped front bumper and ‘Long tail’ remaining the same. 

UK pricing is expected to be around £280,000.

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Creating a buzz: Aston Martin confirm all-electric Rapide

Aston Martin have confirmed plans to produce an all-electric version of their iconic Rapide luxury saloon.  The zero emissions Rapide will be available in the four door model, with four wheel drive, 1000bhp and all the luxurious benefits of an Aston Martin.

Aston Martin’s CEO, Andy Palmer, believes that producing their first battery-powered car is a necessity, stating that the new model will deliver the same performance as the V12, just without the noise.  The invertor will be fitted in the boot, with batteries running down the spine of the car into the bonnet.  The company is hoping to offset some of their overall CO2 emissions, allowing them to keep their V12s in their sports cars.

The silent luxury saloon is expected to have a range of well over 200 miles, and will be priced around £200K.  Aston Martin anticipate high demand, particularly in the US and Chinese markets, and plan to release the new car around 2017.

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The intelligent new Mercedes E-Class

Mercedes is set to introduce its seventh generation E-Class, the car-maker’s most popular model, with over 13 million sales globally.  The new E-Class will undergo a sleek reinvention to fall in line aesthetically with the more fluid look of the S Class and C Class saloons.

The four models in the new E-Class range will be released consecutively, starting with the Saloon, followed by the Estate, Two-door Coupe and finally the Convertible.  It is expected that efficient hybrid options will be available, as well as the top of the range E63 AMG, with a new 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 engine.

The new E-Class will feature the very latest technology and safety systems, including remote parking and the ability to automatically increase or decrease speed by reading speed limit signs.  The autonomous driving mode will allow the car to guide itself round motorway bends, using an interactive and intelligent web of cameras, sensors, radars and Car-to-X Communication.

The car will be able to detect hazards automatically, and if the driver fails to react, will adjust the car’s position accordingly in emergency situations.  A Digital Car Key will also be available, allowing the driver’s smartphone to work as the main key to lock and unlock the car, even if the phone has no battery.

The new E-Class range will be introduced from 2016, with pricing information expected shortly.

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Unique Ferrari Thomassima II selling for £5.8m

Designed and built by Tom Meade in the 1960s, this beautiful Ferrari Thomassima II has come up for sale on Ebay with a starting price of £5.8m.

Tom Meade worked with Ferrari and Maserati engineers in Italy, creating one-off specialist cars, and this example is the last available Thomassima (meaning ‘the maximum from Thomas’).  Thomassima I was lost in 1966 in a flood in Florence and Thomassima III is on display in Maranello.

Inspired by Ferrari’s Daytona-winning 330 P3/4, Thomassima II’s flambouyant curves were shaped using marine plywood buck.  The car has a rear-mounted 3.0-litre Ferrari V12 engine – the same as the 250 GT – coupled to a tubular spaceframe chassis.

Although the car was not officially manufactured by Ferrari, Tom Meade’s designs are highly sought after.  Born in California, the renowned designer made a name for himself in Italy in the 1960s after devoting his career to building one-off, artisan-crafted Ferraris.

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McLaren 570S: The new baby of the family

McLaren’s new Sports Series launches with the release of the 570S, to be followed next year by the 540C.  The Sports Series has been introduced to fill the gap beneath the Super and Ultimate Series, creating a more accessible range of cars that McLaren hopes will more than double its total output to over 4000 units per year.

Priced at £143,250, the 570S is set to compete directly with the Porsche 911 Turbo S and the Audi R8 V10+.  Equipped with the same 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 used throughout the McLaren range, the 570S is rated at 562bhp, delivering 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 204mph.  The car is fitted with the familiar 7-speed twin clutch gearbox, giving it the usual McLaren torque and rear wheel control. 

Three different driving modes are available – Normal, Sport or Track – offering comfortable cruising to ramped-up, precision driving.  McLaren are pitching the 570S as more of an everyday sports car, with a host of cabin improvements, including entertainment screens, more storage and a plush interior finish.

These additional features haven’t compromised the driving experience however.  The 570S features lightweight carbon fibre construction, aerodynamic bodywork and a complex ProActive Chassis Control system, making the first of the Sports Series McLarens an alert and rewarding drive.

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BMW reveal 2016 X2 coupe-SUV

BMW has revealed its new X2 coupe-SUV, as it seeks to grow its presence in the lucrative sports SUV market.

The X2 will be one of the sportier, edgier models in BMW’s new SUV range, and is expected to come with a choice of front wheel or xDrive 4-wheel drive.  Engine options will include a 192bhp 2.0-litre petrol unit and 2.0-litre diesels in 150bhp, 188bhp and 231bhp varients.  A hybrid plug-in option is also expected for those looking for a more environmentally-friendly SUV.  Rumours of an M spec X2 are circulating, which would boost power output to 355bhp through a 3.0 litre turbocharged straight-six engine.

BMW’s images reveal that the new X2 SUV will be wider and sportier looking, with a more fluid and rounded exterior and consistent BMW styling, including the distinctive BMW grille and swept back headlights with LED daytime running lights.

The X2 will be released in 2017, with the X1 Sport Cross and the 7-seat X7 set to follow in 2018. 

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