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Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Convertibles, Sports/GTs, BMW

We were highly impressed with G-Power’s M5 Hurricane. After all, it’s twin-supercharged V10 produced nearly 50% more power than stock and it had a top speed of 211 mph, which G-Power claims to be faster than any other street legal Bimmer. With the BMW M6 packing the same 5.0-liter V10, it was only a matter of time before it received the same treatment. Behold the G-Power M6 Hurricane! While the twin blowers are set for lower boost, only 6 psi compared to the M5’s 10 psi, the M6 still produces a healthy 635 bhp @ 7300 rpm and 469 lb-ft torque @ 6300 rpm. This is good for a 4.5 second sprint to 60 mph and a top speed of nearly 200 mph. Not one to forget that appearance matters, G-Power also provides a new front and rear fascia, rocker panels, and carbon fiber rear diffuser along with 21-inch wheels that make room for a 15-inch brake system up front. M6 owners can drop off their car at G-Power’s German headquarters or can order a fully assembled car starting at a mere 183,000 Euros. Full details can be found in the press release after the jump.

Convertibles, Sports/GTs, Paris Motor Show, Ferrari

The gang in Maranello is continuing to dribble out more imagery of the new Ferrari California roadster, now with the car now making its first appearance with its hard top up. This blue GT can be seen in the gallery below with the top up, down and halfway in between. Thankfully, in spite of the 2+ designation (whatever that means) the car still maintains two-seater proportions, so it doesn’t have a ridiculously long rear deck. There has been plenty of discussion in the comments about the virtues of the California’s design details, but the overall proportions are definitely classic GT the folding hard top manages not to screw that up.

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo recently had his first crack at driving the new car at the company’s Fiorano test track and unsurprisingly came away feeling quite effusive about the newcomer. In the bosses words, “The California is, like all of our models, the epitome of cutting-edge innovation.” The new hard top can apparently change state in a mere 14 seconds. Hopefully it will also prove to be more reliable than some other such examples. It’s going to be a long summer of teasing from Ferrari before the California makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. In the meantime, Ferrari’s latest press release is after the jump.

[Source: Ferrari]

Concept Cars, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Etc., Supercars, Ferrari

Ferrari Concept 2008 by Sefsdesign

We realize that not everyone will agree with us on this one — passions seem to run highest over the cars that the fewest number of people will drive — but if the Ferrari California looked like this concept, we’d put down a deposit right now. Once someone else gave us the money to do so.

Sure, from the A-pillar forward is pure Maserati, and there’s no way a front intake like that could or should make it onto a Ferrari. Still, it’s a good looking front end, and we don’t mind design elements going up as well as down. Besides, a couple of keystrokes can get a proper Ferrari nose in place.

But from the A-pillar to the rear… those are the kind of aggressive, subtle lines we like in our Ferraris. Which is not to say we don’t like the California — we just like this a little better… A coupe, please. That color.
[Source: Sefsdesign]

Saleen’s all new concept vehicle, the S5S Raptor made its world debut today on the floor of New York City’s Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center. The S5S Raptor unveiling comes amidst several other Saleen announcements including a partnership with Dan Gurney, Rockstar Games and the integration of several first time seen ASC products, featured on two existing Saleen vehicles.

We are extremely proud of the Raptor. It is the car that enthusiasts are waiting for America to produce and Saleen is just the company to answer that call, said Paul Wilbur, Saleen President and CEO.

The S5S Raptor represents the first ground up vehicle to be conceived by the new Saleen management team and the most extensive demonstration of the combined capabilities of Saleen engineering and the ASC creative team.

The Raptor is just a glimpse of things to come from Saleen, says Chief Technical Officer, Chris Theodore. Our company is unique in that we have the experience and knowledge behind some of the most exciting performance
vehicles built over the past 20 years. Beyond the S7 Supercar, our team members have been involved in the Viper, Prowler, Ford GT, and the products of Chrysler SRT and Ford’s SVT performance groups. These lessons learned are evident in the Raptor concept and we will continue to build upon them as the company evolves.

The Raptor is a two seat mid-engine super car that competes in size and style with core offerings from the most notable of Italian exotic car makes, but with a segment leading 650hp and 630 lb-ft of torque provided by a Saleen 5.0L Supercharged Engine - the source of the S5S designation. Unlike its competitors, the Raptor is designed to digest cellulosic ethanol. This is the same ethanol formula, states Wilbur, that is the official fuel of the 2008 American Le Mans Race Series and the IRL. The higher octane rating of E85 results in more power. It is a combination that will send the Raptor screaming to 60 mph in a g-force generating 3.2 seconds. With ethanol power, the car is both mean and clean!

Saleen’s use of cellulosic ethanol is right for us for two reasons:

It maintains consistency with our racing heritage, as many of the racing formats (IRL, American Lemans, etc) are now adopting ethanol as the racing fuel of choice.

It also helps our environment through cleaner tailpipe emissions as well as reducing America’s dependency on foreign oil.

While Saleen is a small, specialty vehicle maker, we share in the responsibility to do what we can to support our environment, without compromising on our brand values.

Compromise does not enter into the conversation at all. The Raptor’s hand-built 5.0L cubic inch engine with its patented twin-screw supercharger delivers its 650 horses at 6300 rpm and hits max torque at just 4400 RPM. This power sits on call beneath the knob of a close ratio 6-speed manual, or optional paddle shifting sequential gearbox. It’s a combination that send Raptor’s rigid aluminum chassis screaming to a top speed of over 200 mph.

As power is nothing without control, the double wishbone suspension and rack-and-pinion steering of the S5S is augmented by ABS traction control and stability control systems. The brake system features 15-inch (381 mm) front rotors with 6-piston calipers, and 13-inch (308 mm) rear rotors with dual piston calipers for maximum stopping power. Road holding traction is provided by the 275/35 ZR20 and 315/35/ZR20 Pirelli Rosso tires that wrap the 20?? forged aluminum front and rear wheels respectively. The unique black-diamond and carbon fiber finish on the wheels make them as stunning as they are strong.

We spent a great deal of time on the design of the Raptor, says Marques McCammon, General Manager of Saleen Automotive. The vehicle’s bold shoulders are reflective of an aggressive American attitude, reminiscent of Can- Am race car styling cues, but delivered with modern sophistication. If you see a little Chaparral or McLaren design influence in this car, you are right.

The aesthetics for the Raptor were developed by ASC Creative Services, America’s largest independent automotive design firm. This vehicle was an aggressively compressed program that combined the traditional methods of three-dimensional clay sculpting with sophisticated digital modeling tools, said Steve Nowicki, ASC Creative Services Director. The vehicle is distinctive in a way that I think the world is going to love. The primary designer on this program was Dave Byron, a CCS graduate and passionate member of ASC’s Design team.

Raptor’s unique sun flair yellow paint accentuates the cars beautiful body forms. The interior of the car can be illuminated by the sun or the city lights through the solar-tented scenic roof that covers the cockpit. Detailing is transformed from mere aluminum on the vehicles wheels and exhaust by their black-diamond powder coat finish.

In all the S5S Raptor is a work of art aimed to take your breath away, said McCammon. It is aggressive and sexy at the same time.

According to Saleen executives, the S5S Raptor could enter the market in as little as two years, and should it go forward, it would carry a base price of approximately $185,000 MSRP.
 

Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Geneva Motor Show, Supercars, Audi

Autoweek and Fourtitude were able to enjoy some seat time in the Audi R8 V12 TDI LeMans concept before its official unveiling in Geneva last week. Their drive was short (about an hour with a 50 mph speed limit imposed by Audi’s boffins), but their time at the airport adjacent to Sebring International Raceway has made an impression.

The crimson beast we saw in Geneva was the same concept that was displayed in Detroit, simply sporting a new paint job, but spending quality time with the R8 V12 TDI revealed a few interesting tidbits about the concept. First, the firewall behind the driver and passenger had to be extended by some six-inches to accommodate the oilburner and although claimed torque output is somewhere in the 737 lb.-ft. range, the few journos asked to take part only got to experience 442 lb.-ft. of twist - a good thing considering that the transmission mated to the engine is an A4 case with modified internals.

While the performance was impressive, the short gearing and shorter redline (not disclosed) seemed to make all that grunt superfluous in first and second, but Audi is expecting the R8 V12 TDI to return around 24 mpg and meet the 2014 Euro 6 emissions standards if, and when, it goes on sale.

While the Autoweek piece only provided the “50/50″ quote in the title, the Fourtitude article is far more entertaining and informative — well worth a read.

[Sources: Autoweek, Fourtitude]