Since the time of the Automobile it went from being a wealthy privilege status symbol to a mainstream source of transportation to do away with the horse and train. It's indepandance helped more folks develop more options and opportunities for themselves and their families however once the car became affordable to the middle class it was only a matter of time when a young buff would want to modify his car and the birth of the aftermarket industry was born.
From the early 1940's to the late 50's was the hotrodding generation were young guys mostly in their late teens to early 30's would often take something like a 57 chevy, a 40's ford roadster and either put a larger engine, supercharge it and even turbo. Cool crazy flat black paint jobs with red and white wheels were often the look to achieve. Flat head V8's and iron blocks set many land speed records during these years and were very successful in motor sports in European racing in which caused world famous car designer "Carroll Shelby" to stand up and take notice.
The 1960's brought us the Muscle car age with the appearance of the Pontiac GTO and Ford Mustang of 1964. Followed by the appearance of the Chevelle in 65, Chevy Nova, Camaro/Firebird, Challanger along with many other soon set the standard of the automotive generation from the early 60's to the late 70's. American muscle was growing very strong at that time with different type's V8's offered in these road warriors that offered performance that are even impressive by today's standard's. Sadly with the oil crisis of 1976 and the later economical issues the muscle car tread ended and the baby boomers by then were fresh out of college typically with a mortgage, a wedding date with a child on the way which meant it was time for more economical cars.
However during the 1980's and 90's we saw the appearance of the sportscar generation starting with the famous 1984 Corvette which thought to be the most advanced car on the road and could even rival the performance of the Lamborghini Countach which also was later proven false. Cars like the Dodge Daytona Turbo, Toyota Supra, and the later Dodge Viper of the 90's soon became the cars to own. Many wanted exotic cars like the Countach, Testarossa and Esprit however during those day's it was tough and very diffcult to attain a Supercar so the best alternative was to spend $45,000 and have a 3000GT VR4 with identical performance to match a Porsche 911 Turbo. As the 1990's progressed so did the aftermarket indistry along with the street racing scene and soon many of these cars started seeing dealership sold tuner cars such as the Corvette Callaway Supernatural, the Mustang Saleen or the Dodge Viper Hennessey Venom. Although very expensive most were very fast more than capable of catching their 200 thousand dollar european counterparts.
With the aftermarket indusitry beginning to grow like never before and kids as young as high scholars buying and modifying honda's it was only a matter of time before the next automotive tread began with the street tuner scene. Mostly consisting of high school to college age many of these kids will take their first car and modify them with turbo's, superchargers, body kits and wild paint jobs. Very similar to the Hotrodding day's from the 1940's however instead of using power from a V8 engine most of them are using 4 cylinder motor's backed by Turbo chargers or Nitrous injection. With the 2001 movie "The Fast and the furious" and the Playstation 1 video game "Gran Turismo 2" we saw the tuner market explode in the early 2000's making the Toyota Supra and Nissan Skyline not only instant modern classics but they very car to own and modify today.
In 2011 it's been over 10 years since the import tuner market has taken off and has had influence even over American made cars like the Chevy Cobalt SS. It continues to grow strong today however like the Muscle car age we yet face another oil crisis that threatens our hobby and with "CAFE" laws in force after 2012 it will make it harder for cars that produce big horsepower to pass admissions or even be street legal.
What does the future Automotive tread and Supercar industry face beyond 2012?
Fuel Economy is going to be the key to survivability here. Emissions would be the secondary issue as they must be low however making any Tuner car, Muscle car or Supercar "Eco Friendly" is simply cutting its balls off. We can't imagine a "Go green Ferrari" or even a Go green Nissan GTR however with cars like the Tesla Roadster being electric and offering performance that rivals almost any gas powered supercar we could only guess thats were the future of tuning will be along with Supercars.
The up and coming "Generation Green" must continue to be the same basic tread since the early 1940's and offer something to it's consumer that has never been offered by previous generation in order to catch our interests for the future and I'm not talking about pimped out smart cars with lambo doors or a $70,000 Aston Martin Cygnet & Colette.
One thing's for sure It will not be easy to innovate a new tread with were things are headed I suppose we could design a fuel cell chassis and build interchangeable body panels to were we can simply design our own cars at the dealership showroom but that won't happen. The bottom line is we have been brought up to think a certain way about our hot rods and supercars and by breaking a tradition may very well put the car hobby back in the closet for a couple of years during this technological transition. When it becomes mainstream in the near future we can only guess that the same way current old school muscle car enthusiasts that view Import cars will soon be Import guys will often look down upon these go green cars.
I hope to look back on this in 15 years from now and see if my wild guess becomes a reality. Stay tuned folks the truth is coming in the near future.
VF1Skullangel with Acceleration Media
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Bugatti End's production of the veyron.
GOODBYE AND GOOD RIDDANCE!
The Veyron comes to an end finally as Bugatti begins on building its new 2+2 coupe which plans on having the same blistering performance as a Veyron.
From the time the Veyron was conivced back in the earily 2000's as a "V-16" Supercar to dominate the Mclaren F1 and the Lamborghini Diablo I knew it would become a classic someday however it will never be in the same level as the big MAC.
Sure it was the car to take the record away from the F1 and CCR in the first place then regain its title of being the fastest street legal car once again from the SSC Aero BUT it will never get the same respect as the Mclaren F1. Had Bugatti invested in a racing program and took this car out to lemans and showed the rest of the world this car is worth the million dollar price and it won it's class perhaps it may have been as respectable. However the Veyron will never gain the respect because of its asking price and lack of hertiage. It's not any different than a Rolls Royce except it's a sporty version of a luxury car but do you really need a 16 cylinder engine with 4 turboes? Not really. Today with 1000+horsepower Vipers, Supra's and even Lamborghini's are now getting into the game of tuning were the performance is very attainable for almost anyone.
Styling is poor. It reminds me of a Beetle of roids. At a million dollars they could have at the very least included some cool swing up doors or something but no they are the exact same conventional doors found on a little 12 thousand dollar Hyundai Accent or any car at that. What your really buying this car is for the engineering masterpeace found behind seats. Sure it may hold the top speed record of being the fastest car to date but I can promise you that will be broken sooner than later.
The Bottom line
The Veyron is a giant june bug and like june bugs that come out during a season this will only be a popular supercar for it's generation. Car's the Mclaren F1 and even the Porsche 911 can brag for many generations about how many race's they've been in and won, not to mention have made history manytimes before. On the other hand the Veyron gets to be a proud part of the Dan Marino Club.
Were's your superbowl victory? but in this case were's your racing hertiage?
VF1Skullangel with acceleration Media.
The Veyron comes to an end finally as Bugatti begins on building its new 2+2 coupe which plans on having the same blistering performance as a Veyron.
From the time the Veyron was conivced back in the earily 2000's as a "V-16" Supercar to dominate the Mclaren F1 and the Lamborghini Diablo I knew it would become a classic someday however it will never be in the same level as the big MAC.
Sure it was the car to take the record away from the F1 and CCR in the first place then regain its title of being the fastest street legal car once again from the SSC Aero BUT it will never get the same respect as the Mclaren F1. Had Bugatti invested in a racing program and took this car out to lemans and showed the rest of the world this car is worth the million dollar price and it won it's class perhaps it may have been as respectable. However the Veyron will never gain the respect because of its asking price and lack of hertiage. It's not any different than a Rolls Royce except it's a sporty version of a luxury car but do you really need a 16 cylinder engine with 4 turboes? Not really. Today with 1000+horsepower Vipers, Supra's and even Lamborghini's are now getting into the game of tuning were the performance is very attainable for almost anyone.
Styling is poor. It reminds me of a Beetle of roids. At a million dollars they could have at the very least included some cool swing up doors or something but no they are the exact same conventional doors found on a little 12 thousand dollar Hyundai Accent or any car at that. What your really buying this car is for the engineering masterpeace found behind seats. Sure it may hold the top speed record of being the fastest car to date but I can promise you that will be broken sooner than later.
The Bottom line
The Veyron is a giant june bug and like june bugs that come out during a season this will only be a popular supercar for it's generation. Car's the Mclaren F1 and even the Porsche 911 can brag for many generations about how many race's they've been in and won, not to mention have made history manytimes before. On the other hand the Veyron gets to be a proud part of the Dan Marino Club.
Were's your superbowl victory? but in this case were's your racing hertiage?
VF1Skullangel with acceleration Media.
The 458 is the best Ferrari to date.
Ferrari began looking to replace it's F430 Supercar back in 2009 and what they came up with has been unbelievable! The F458 is without a doubt the best looking ferrari in my opinion since the 355. I haven't been this excited about a Ferrari since the 1990's. They really have lost their ways trying to keep up with the best of Lamborghini's Diablo, then the F/A-22 like Murcielago in the 2000's and a Gallardo which was almost certain to put the prancing horse in second place to the raging bull. Now it appears they have taken a completely different approach.
It's powered by a 4.5 V8 engine making just over 570horsepower and backed by a 7 speed transmission pushing its overall top speed beyond 200mph.
Ferrari did not stop there were they have already invested and built a GT3 version and also have a Challenge model on the way. We can only expect a roadster model to be built next although it wouldn't hurt Ferrari to consider a targa model instead. Either way it currently puts them ahead of everyone else in the secondary supercar class such as the Mclaren 412MP4C, The Replacement Lamborghini Gallardo and porsches 911. For sure this car is going to be a winner in this new generation of supercars.
We can only expect if this is what Ferrari's secondary Supercar looks and performs like today which currently blow's our minds away at acceleration media what does the Enzo replacement have in store for us? Only time will tell but I speculate this will be a future classic!
VF1Skullangel with Acceleration media.
It's powered by a 4.5 V8 engine making just over 570horsepower and backed by a 7 speed transmission pushing its overall top speed beyond 200mph.
Ferrari did not stop there were they have already invested and built a GT3 version and also have a Challenge model on the way. We can only expect a roadster model to be built next although it wouldn't hurt Ferrari to consider a targa model instead. Either way it currently puts them ahead of everyone else in the secondary supercar class such as the Mclaren 412MP4C, The Replacement Lamborghini Gallardo and porsches 911. For sure this car is going to be a winner in this new generation of supercars.
We can only expect if this is what Ferrari's secondary Supercar looks and performs like today which currently blow's our minds away at acceleration media what does the Enzo replacement have in store for us? Only time will tell but I speculate this will be a future classic!
VF1Skullangel with Acceleration media.
Mercedes Benz SLS AMG The SLR Replacement.
When we typically think of a company like Lexus, Caddillac or Mercedes Benz we can't but think Luxury and Quality. It can't be quite called a Supercar right? Wrong! Over the years companies like Mercedes have been building Masterpeace engines for companies like Isdera, Pagani and even chrsyler's ME412 concept that rivals the Mclaren's Top Speed record of 242mph.
Previously Mclaren and Mercedes benz created the SLR which was retro styled after the 1950's SL500 Gullwing. The SLR proved to be worthy challenger to anything on the road like the Murcielago and Carrera GT with it's 5.4 Supercharged V8 putting out 617 horsepower well within Enzo range. With a much faster plus plus version known as the 722 edition which brought the numbers up from 617 to almost 630 horsepower and the zero to sixty time of 3.2 Seconds. It was the first major front engined supercar from Mercedes since the SL500 gullwing.
In 2010 it was discontinued however Mercedes was not done with their front engine supercar dominating against Ferrari's 599 and Chevy's Corvette Z06 or the Dodge Viper ACR. They needed a newer and more improved model that was going to take them well into the next generation of Supercars in which that Ferrari, GM and Chrysler all have next generation models on the way also.
Mercedes benz delivered a newer more improved model called the SLS. It's now powered by a 6.2 liter V8 making out 575horses. Now we at acceleration media do not believe for one bit that horsepower alone wins races and with it tipping the scales at just 3,600 pounds it should have an advantage over the new Aston Martin DB9 V12 or the Ferrari 599 Replacement. The SLS AMG is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds, and can reach an electronically limited top speed of 197 mph (317 km/h) and smash through the in under 12 seconds at over 125 mph. We don't know for sure how it will hold it's own against the Corvette C7 or the return of the Dodge Viper in 2013 for now we can only speculate on it's overall design which we liked a lot with the gullwing doors and retro styling.
There are plans of a GT3 model for FIA racing, a Roadster, and even an E-cell version for enviroment friendly use. We can expect a 722 follow on model to be more competitive as time passes on and the next generation of supercars settles in but for now this is a car not to be taken lightly at any track meet or show. Anyone driving a new Nissan GTR or Corvette ZR1 may have their work cut out for them against this.
VF1Skullangel with Acceleration media.
Previously Mclaren and Mercedes benz created the SLR which was retro styled after the 1950's SL500 Gullwing. The SLR proved to be worthy challenger to anything on the road like the Murcielago and Carrera GT with it's 5.4 Supercharged V8 putting out 617 horsepower well within Enzo range. With a much faster plus plus version known as the 722 edition which brought the numbers up from 617 to almost 630 horsepower and the zero to sixty time of 3.2 Seconds. It was the first major front engined supercar from Mercedes since the SL500 gullwing.
In 2010 it was discontinued however Mercedes was not done with their front engine supercar dominating against Ferrari's 599 and Chevy's Corvette Z06 or the Dodge Viper ACR. They needed a newer and more improved model that was going to take them well into the next generation of Supercars in which that Ferrari, GM and Chrysler all have next generation models on the way also.
Mercedes benz delivered a newer more improved model called the SLS. It's now powered by a 6.2 liter V8 making out 575horses. Now we at acceleration media do not believe for one bit that horsepower alone wins races and with it tipping the scales at just 3,600 pounds it should have an advantage over the new Aston Martin DB9 V12 or the Ferrari 599 Replacement. The SLS AMG is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds, and can reach an electronically limited top speed of 197 mph (317 km/h) and smash through the in under 12 seconds at over 125 mph. We don't know for sure how it will hold it's own against the Corvette C7 or the return of the Dodge Viper in 2013 for now we can only speculate on it's overall design which we liked a lot with the gullwing doors and retro styling.
There are plans of a GT3 model for FIA racing, a Roadster, and even an E-cell version for enviroment friendly use. We can expect a 722 follow on model to be more competitive as time passes on and the next generation of supercars settles in but for now this is a car not to be taken lightly at any track meet or show. Anyone driving a new Nissan GTR or Corvette ZR1 may have their work cut out for them against this.
VF1Skullangel with Acceleration media.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Lamborghini Diablo. A Modern day classic.
In 1987 Lamborghini began designing it's replacement for it's legendary Countach which at the time was an icon being in production for quite sometime it was time for a fresh next generation Supercar. With Ferrari working on the F-40 promising to surpass the Countach in both looks, exclusivity and most important Lamborghini needed a Replacement supercar more than capable of delivering signature looks, unbeatable performance and styling. With the help of Lee Iacocca, Chrysler, and Marcello Gandini in 1990 the Lamborghini Diablo was born.
The First generation was a rear wheel drive platform and essentially reused the same engine found in the Countach 25th model but reworked to produce 486 horse power rather than 450 horsepower found in the previous generation. In 1991 Lamborghini had taken the top speed record away from the Ferrari F40's 201mph with a 202mph offical record. The record was held for over a year before the introduction of the Bugatti EB110 Super Sport at 213mph and Jaguar XJ220 at 220mph and the Mclaren F1 and it's blistering top speed of 242mph.
In early 1992 Lamborghini began developing an All wheel drive model of the Lamborghini Diablo which in 1993 became the VT which made use of a viscous center differential. This provided the new nomenclature for the car (VT stands for viscous traction). The new drive train could direct up to 25% of the torque to the front wheels to aid traction during rear wheel slip, thus significantly improving the handling characteristics of the car.
Shortly after the introduction of the Diablo VT was the company's 30th anniversary which they celebrated big with a much improved Diablo 30th SE model and 30th SE Jota. Both were much improved over the standard Diablo with improved handling, brakes gearing while the SE Jota's engine was tuned to over 530 horsepower making it a 215mph road warrior banned from the United States at that time. It was designed with competiting against the Ferrari F50 and Mclaren F1, Even the Dodge Viper. It's rumored that 28 SE Jota's were built but nobody knows for sure while the number of base SE models were about 150. Most of them came in a unique Lamborghini purple color while others were converted to red, black and even yellow.
In 1995 Lamborghini released yet another variant of it's Diablo Super car known as the SV or super veloce model which lacked the all wheel drive system found in the VT model.
The power was increased to 510 horsepower and had much improve aero dynamics including a rear hatch similar to that found in the Diablo SE Jota of 1994. An adjustable rear wing was an option and the "SV" Decals on the sides of the car were also optional. A small limited production run of 20 cars known as the Moterey edition was also available at that time mostly for the united states market.
Shortly afterwords Lamborghini had also launched a Roadster version of their Diablo supercar with a removable carbon fiber roof were it can be stored above the engine bay. Honestly it should have been called the Diablo Targa and not the Diablo Roadster as it was similar to the NSX-T and Corvette C5 with their removable hard tops.
In 1999 Lamborghini also began developing it's second generation VT model which had a much improved face lift, the engine was tuned to a higher out put while the exterior of the car no longer had pop up headlights. The Diablo SV, Roadster also received this same treatment.
Later that year Lamborghini had developed a follow on special edition Supercar which would later become the Diablo GT which was delivered from the Diablo GTR race car. It was the fastest Lamborghini ever produced which over 585 horsepower from it's reworked 5.7 liter V-12 to now 6.0 liters. The Suspension, brakes and gearing were all tuned making it far superior to anything else on the road at that time minus the Mclaren F1. It was a $300,000 supercar only avaliable in the European market. Today however some have imported them to different country's including the United State's, Japan and Korea and retailing for nearly three times as much the original asking price. Only 80 of them were ever built and sold.
As the time of YK2 passed it was time for Lamborghini to start thinking about the future and a replacement for it's Diablo Supercar. They went out with a Bang in 2000 with the introduction of the 6.0 VT and 6.0 SE both were redesigned after Audi took over the company and now the 6.0 liter V12 engine became standard now. With a reworked body, suspension, brakes and interior and a price tag of $250,000 the Diablo VT was again the most dominat supercar of 2001 besting the Ferrari 575, Porsche's 911 Turbo and the Dodge Viper ACR. Production of the Lamborghini Diablo ended in early 2001 and began development of the Lamborghini Murcielago which was a totally new and improved supercar using all of the modern technologies found in Ferrari such as the Paddle shifter system, a new much improved All Wheel Drive System was also introduced and a new 6.2 Liter V12 making the Murcielago far ahead of anything else as of 2002.
Today the Lamborghini Diablo is considered a classic by Acceleration Media standards. Had the Mclaren F1 not existed the legend of the Countach may have carried over to the Diablo and would have made it the most dominant supercar of the 1990's however we can say it placed a solid second place behind the F1 supercar for it's much intended success being it was the only production Lamborghini at the time and having greater success than most companies that offered multiple cars. Lamborghini had plans of releasing the "Cala" a smaller V-10 version to compete with the Ferrari F355, Porsche 996 and the Dodge Viper RT-10 and Corvette C5 and that sadly never happened.
We can't discount the fact it had difficult competitors but today we look back and we can say this car delivered. It can hold it's own against almost anything even in today's standards it's still faster than most modern day Corvette's, Viper's, even most tuner cars will have a tough time racing against one. With prices beginning to drop below 100 grand for a used early 90's Diablo 2WD model we can expect this to become one hell of a bang for the buck deal. The Downside however to owning a Diablo is the maintenance and insurance costing telephone numbers. But for those who can afford them now they will still have a supercar today that is capable of running good numbers at any track meet and will under cut the price of most modern day supercars and sportscars. If anyone would have owned these cars brand new at the time It must have felt great being king of the road.
VF1Skullangel with Acceleration Media.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
European exotic supremacy THREATENED
European exotic cars have been known to be the fastest, the better built and the most exotic looking sport scars to ever hit the market and that's because of the quality and engineering that goes into these super cars is what keeps them on top of the line since the late 1960's
However for the first time the reign of European exotic car supremacy is in jeopardy. Over the past several decade's countries like the United States and Japan have both followed the technological advances and the engineering aspect of these Super cars especially during the years of the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari Testarosaa. The overwhelming success of the Mclaren F1 at lemans highlighted the inherent inabilities of rival super cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette and the Toyota Supra. Since then there has been a global revolution to modernize the super car. At the heart of this threat is the transmission. Both the united states and Japan have developed state of the art transmissions giving super cars like the Nissan GTR the ability to perform as precise as the mighty bugatti veyron.
Other area's include weight reduction which results in better power to weight ratio. You can see this in the numbers found on the Corvette ZR1 and Dodge Viper ACR being able to maintain speeds with such super cars like the Pagani Zonda at the nuringberg ring surpassing the legacy super car likes of the Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche. Today they are being out matched by the lesser more expensive super cars built by GM, Dodge and Ford. America is at the forefront of advanced with their Corvette, Viper and Ford GT replacement. Japan also is developing with a follow on Nissan GTR, Lexus LFA and a possible return of the Toyota Supra. With a bang for the buck goal and over time they will continue to over take as the technology improves and the aftermarket builds Tuner specials.
In top speed they have always held the higher ground with 200+ MPH today that has all changed. The united state's begun developing super cars capable of higher top speeds than even today's Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.
Mclaren F1 (242mph)
Bugatti Veyron(268mph)
Hennessey Venom GT (270+mph)
Shelby Super Cars Ultimate Aero II (275+Mph)
Vector WX8 Twin Turbo (300mphEst)
with the aftermarket producing follow on performance upgrades we have seen cars like a Twin Turbo Ford GT run as high as 268 mph at the Texas standing mile with goals to try and run beyond 300mph. They are out pacing them in the top speed specification and can directly challenge any record one might hold.
America, China and Japan's next generation super cars are on the horizon. America's will be like's of the Hennessey Venom GT, the Freedom X designs "Have Blue" and China now acquiring Spyker motor's that will likely under cut price's of the Lamborghini Aventador. Future clients will be purchasing very advanced super cars with near Bugatti Veyron capabilities in quantities rivaling Ferrari F458 estimates.
Bringing it all together European exotics have challenges across the board. When taken in total the new and improved American and Japanese super cars can produce an inpenatrible box at any race track around the globe that the legacy super cars cannot enter thus denying them full supremacy. Without supremacy they will lose the most important edge they hold in modern racing heritage today. These challenges will only grow as qualitative and quantitative edge continues to end.
Remember there is no prize for second best.
Jay Lopez with Acceleration Media.
However for the first time the reign of European exotic car supremacy is in jeopardy. Over the past several decade's countries like the United States and Japan have both followed the technological advances and the engineering aspect of these Super cars especially during the years of the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari Testarosaa. The overwhelming success of the Mclaren F1 at lemans highlighted the inherent inabilities of rival super cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette and the Toyota Supra. Since then there has been a global revolution to modernize the super car. At the heart of this threat is the transmission. Both the united states and Japan have developed state of the art transmissions giving super cars like the Nissan GTR the ability to perform as precise as the mighty bugatti veyron.
Other area's include weight reduction which results in better power to weight ratio. You can see this in the numbers found on the Corvette ZR1 and Dodge Viper ACR being able to maintain speeds with such super cars like the Pagani Zonda at the nuringberg ring surpassing the legacy super car likes of the Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche. Today they are being out matched by the lesser more expensive super cars built by GM, Dodge and Ford. America is at the forefront of advanced with their Corvette, Viper and Ford GT replacement. Japan also is developing with a follow on Nissan GTR, Lexus LFA and a possible return of the Toyota Supra. With a bang for the buck goal and over time they will continue to over take as the technology improves and the aftermarket builds Tuner specials.
In top speed they have always held the higher ground with 200+ MPH today that has all changed. The united state's begun developing super cars capable of higher top speeds than even today's Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.
Mclaren F1 (242mph)
Bugatti Veyron(268mph)
Hennessey Venom GT (270+mph)
Shelby Super Cars Ultimate Aero II (275+Mph)
Vector WX8 Twin Turbo (300mphEst)
with the aftermarket producing follow on performance upgrades we have seen cars like a Twin Turbo Ford GT run as high as 268 mph at the Texas standing mile with goals to try and run beyond 300mph. They are out pacing them in the top speed specification and can directly challenge any record one might hold.
America, China and Japan's next generation super cars are on the horizon. America's will be like's of the Hennessey Venom GT, the Freedom X designs "Have Blue" and China now acquiring Spyker motor's that will likely under cut price's of the Lamborghini Aventador. Future clients will be purchasing very advanced super cars with near Bugatti Veyron capabilities in quantities rivaling Ferrari F458 estimates.
Bringing it all together European exotics have challenges across the board. When taken in total the new and improved American and Japanese super cars can produce an inpenatrible box at any race track around the globe that the legacy super cars cannot enter thus denying them full supremacy. Without supremacy they will lose the most important edge they hold in modern racing heritage today. These challenges will only grow as qualitative and quantitative edge continues to end.
Remember there is no prize for second best.
Jay Lopez with Acceleration Media.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Mclaren's MP4-12C to take on the big boy's.
The Facts
Mclaren began working on a new generation of Supercars to follow up on the successful Mclaren F1 road car of the 1990's and they did just that with the brand New MP4-12C. It's set to take on the Ferrari F458 Italia and the Lamborghini Gallardo's replacement due out sometime next summer. It will also take on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and likely the Corvette C7 and Dodge Viper, Lotus Esprit when they both make a return to the supercar market.
The MP4-12C has a more conventional lay out from the previous 3 seater design found in the legendary F1 and for the first time Mclaren has designed it's very own engine the M838 T which is based on the Nissan VRH35 found in the R390 Race car that makes it a 3.8 liter V8 Twin Turbo which redlines at 8500 RPM however torque will be around 2000RPM.
It produces 592 horsepower and 266 ft·lbf of torque Not bad considering it weighs 2,866 lbs, Pretty much what a Pontiac Fiero GT with a V8 conversion would weigh.
it's going to use a 7 speed gear box to keep pace with the new generation of Supercars which all seem to be going with the 7 speed fad. We don't know for sure what they will perform like.
Mclaren is currently developing a lighter GT3 race car with a detuned 500hp engine which we are only guessing will rev at higher RPM's allowing it to be a better performer. There's also talks of a first ever Mclaren Spyder model allowing the roof to be removable which will be due sometime out next year.
We can only guess there will be a high performance model to tackle the future F458 Challenge racer, Lamborghini SL, Porsche 911's replacement GT3, Corvette's Z06 and the Dodge Viper's ACR all special models and we can also only guess what Lotus has plans for their Esprit V8 if they are going to do a high performance model as well.
The Bottom Line
I love the Mclaren MP4-12C because it will give those who never got the chance to buy a Mclaren F1 new back in the early 1990's an opportunity to own a part of Mclaren's history. For sure it will not be a Ferrari F458 or a Lamborghini(XXX) But most likely it will be the best secondary class of supercars out there. I predict it will exceed the performance of some of the more expensive cars such as the Aventador, The replacment for the 599 and quite a few others. It will also put those "Bang for the buck" supercars such as the Corvette Z06, Nissan GTR and Dodge Viper in their places where they belong and with Mclaren working on a replacement for their F-1 Roadcar it's only a matter of time before Bugatti will lose the title of being king of the hill and return's it back to Mclaren.
But I can't give them 100% credit after all they are developing their own engines, chassis and now they are slowly getting back into the world of motor racing so we can expect there will be challenges to over come.
Overall Mclaren in general is the company I'm keeping my eye on besides Lotus to come back and become big players. Then again I'm expecting that they will come back and dominate. I'm not so sure about Lotus.
VF1Skullangel with Acceleration Media.
Mclaren began working on a new generation of Supercars to follow up on the successful Mclaren F1 road car of the 1990's and they did just that with the brand New MP4-12C. It's set to take on the Ferrari F458 Italia and the Lamborghini Gallardo's replacement due out sometime next summer. It will also take on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and likely the Corvette C7 and Dodge Viper, Lotus Esprit when they both make a return to the supercar market.
The MP4-12C has a more conventional lay out from the previous 3 seater design found in the legendary F1 and for the first time Mclaren has designed it's very own engine the M838 T which is based on the Nissan VRH35 found in the R390 Race car that makes it a 3.8 liter V8 Twin Turbo which redlines at 8500 RPM however torque will be around 2000RPM.
It produces 592 horsepower and 266 ft·lbf of torque Not bad considering it weighs 2,866 lbs, Pretty much what a Pontiac Fiero GT with a V8 conversion would weigh.
it's going to use a 7 speed gear box to keep pace with the new generation of Supercars which all seem to be going with the 7 speed fad. We don't know for sure what they will perform like.
Mclaren is currently developing a lighter GT3 race car with a detuned 500hp engine which we are only guessing will rev at higher RPM's allowing it to be a better performer. There's also talks of a first ever Mclaren Spyder model allowing the roof to be removable which will be due sometime out next year.
We can only guess there will be a high performance model to tackle the future F458 Challenge racer, Lamborghini SL, Porsche 911's replacement GT3, Corvette's Z06 and the Dodge Viper's ACR all special models and we can also only guess what Lotus has plans for their Esprit V8 if they are going to do a high performance model as well.
The Bottom Line
I love the Mclaren MP4-12C because it will give those who never got the chance to buy a Mclaren F1 new back in the early 1990's an opportunity to own a part of Mclaren's history. For sure it will not be a Ferrari F458 or a Lamborghini(XXX) But most likely it will be the best secondary class of supercars out there. I predict it will exceed the performance of some of the more expensive cars such as the Aventador, The replacment for the 599 and quite a few others. It will also put those "Bang for the buck" supercars such as the Corvette Z06, Nissan GTR and Dodge Viper in their places where they belong and with Mclaren working on a replacement for their F-1 Roadcar it's only a matter of time before Bugatti will lose the title of being king of the hill and return's it back to Mclaren.
But I can't give them 100% credit after all they are developing their own engines, chassis and now they are slowly getting back into the world of motor racing so we can expect there will be challenges to over come.
Overall Mclaren in general is the company I'm keeping my eye on besides Lotus to come back and become big players. Then again I'm expecting that they will come back and dominate. I'm not so sure about Lotus.
VF1Skullangel with Acceleration Media.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Pagani Huayra. Modern day Isdera Commendatore 112i?
The facts
Pagani just released it's replacement for the Zonda dubbed "Huayra" which is a mid engined bi turbo supercar to take on the next generation of Supercars such as the Lamborghini Aventador, Bugatti Veyron, Hennessey Venom GT and even the Ferrari XXX due next year to replace the Enzo.
This new Supercar from Pagani continues its tradition using a Mercedes-AMG V12 engine backed by a 7 speed transmission sequential cross. AMT robotic system with driving programs. The total weight will be some were in the neighborhood of 3000lbs even! with 44% up front and 56% weight distribution making this car well balanced compared with most supercars of today it will make for an impressive machine at the track, strip or even out on a road course.
The Bottom line
I love this car and so far it's become my favorite new aged Supercar with it's Isdera styling going back to the classic supercar routes of gullwing doors and retaining the signature Pagani interior and design. The only major downside to this car is price. At over a million dollars each you can't expect to not see many of these in it's life time out on the roads. Most people who will be owning them will most likely keep them in a safe tamed environment. But for those who plan on seeing what it can do I'm going to make the prediction now that it's going to surpass the Lamborghini Aventadator in performance and be right up there with the best from Koenigsegg, Mclaren and Bugatti. It may even offer a great challenge to Ferrari's enzo replacement due out next year. Only time will tell if this car is going to become the best of 2011-2021 generation of supercars but I look forward to seeing it's design evolve and the car to become better with time. Pagani took their time with this one and they recycled the right stuff and brought in even better idea's to make this car almost perfect.
VF1Skullangel
Pagani just released it's replacement for the Zonda dubbed "Huayra" which is a mid engined bi turbo supercar to take on the next generation of Supercars such as the Lamborghini Aventador, Bugatti Veyron, Hennessey Venom GT and even the Ferrari XXX due next year to replace the Enzo.
This new Supercar from Pagani continues its tradition using a Mercedes-AMG V12 engine backed by a 7 speed transmission sequential cross. AMT robotic system with driving programs. The total weight will be some were in the neighborhood of 3000lbs even! with 44% up front and 56% weight distribution making this car well balanced compared with most supercars of today it will make for an impressive machine at the track, strip or even out on a road course.
The Bottom line
I love this car and so far it's become my favorite new aged Supercar with it's Isdera styling going back to the classic supercar routes of gullwing doors and retaining the signature Pagani interior and design. The only major downside to this car is price. At over a million dollars each you can't expect to not see many of these in it's life time out on the roads. Most people who will be owning them will most likely keep them in a safe tamed environment. But for those who plan on seeing what it can do I'm going to make the prediction now that it's going to surpass the Lamborghini Aventadator in performance and be right up there with the best from Koenigsegg, Mclaren and Bugatti. It may even offer a great challenge to Ferrari's enzo replacement due out next year. Only time will tell if this car is going to become the best of 2011-2021 generation of supercars but I look forward to seeing it's design evolve and the car to become better with time. Pagani took their time with this one and they recycled the right stuff and brought in even better idea's to make this car almost perfect.
VF1Skullangel
Affordable Exotics? Yes you can.
Many people who are car enthusiasts have always dreamed of owning cars from the likes of Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche however the cost of buying, insuring and maintaining one is what keeps them a dream for most people. However we at Acceleration Media believe there's some great alternatives ranging from Kitcars/Replica's to rare affordable sportscars such as the lotus esprit turbo. What we mean by exotic cars is those that grab your attention, this does not mean a Corvette Z06. Sure it's a good performer but it's not an exotic car by any means because its a Corvette. Your likely to see one tomorrow on the way to work. We want cars that you won't see on a daily basis. I could easily list the 2003 Cobra on this list but it will not make the final cut just because its a Mustang. The boxster is more exotic than both because it's made by a company that build's exotics and Porsche built the boxster for that sole reason.
While looking into an exotic sportscar just keep in mind there's going to be many factors to consider such as the high cost of insurance, Maintaince will also be expensive and rather complicated since you can't walk into Autozone and ask for a wheel barring for your Dodge Viper as you would with a V6 Mustang.
However owning a sportcar has its advatanges, every drive you go out on will be a blast. In some cases such as a Viper RT-10 has optional Targa top for open air driving. You can take it to the track for road racing or drag something you can't do in a 4 door camary. There's other advantages to owning a car with better performance than the normal passenger vehicle.
Please consider this as a disclaimer if you do not like attention do not consider an exotic sportscar because when you pull into a gas station to load up you will have people surrounding you bombarding you with questions and while your driving down the road your going to have many Riceburner's trying to race you. But if you embrace these issues than it's not a problem but I would also like to add on my following advice on buying an exotic car.
-Buy a Daily driver. Make sure it gets the job done very well and you have a car that you can commute because even though you can commute in a Lotus Elise it's a very cramped ride and god forbid you get into an accident it can be ugly. Insurance and gas, maintaince will sky rocket. They aren't designed for reliability so it's better to buy a dependable vehicle to go to work, buy the gocercies and pay the bills.
-Get a place of your own. I'm talking a place with a garage, if you live in an apartment complex don't bother. People will try and steal your car and with all the attention it gets as is it will only be a matter of time before someone does. Get a garage and store there while not in use over a cover. Also invest in a security system for your property because even then car thieves are stupid and will still try to steal your beloved exotic. Also get a low jack, Alarm and GPS tracking device. It may not guarantee it won't be stolen but it will discourage them from attempting to.
-Set a budget. If your in a relationship with a girlfriend or a wife I would suggest sitting down with them before you even think about it unless you plan on getting divorced soon. Affordable Exotic cars and even kits are still very expensive and can eat away most people's budget's if they don't know what they are doing. My advice is network with people, see what you can do yourself and how much others will charge to do the work for you. This a car you can't take to jiffy lube and get serviced unless you don't care about your car. It's going to need special car and special mechanics to work on it to get the job done right.
-Buy tools. Lots of them! Tools can make life easy and simple, even if you set aside a $1,000 and go to harbor freight and start out with a nice tool box then load up with various tools and power tools it can make all the difference in the world not to mention save you a lot of money on labor.
When you've done this then your ready to start searching. Be sure to do your homework on whatever it is you want to buy. I've set a budget for those who are skeptical that you can't buy anything for no less than six figures. If your an elitist I highly suggest you stop reading now because you won't find a numbers matching classic or a modern day exotic here. This is for the guys who aren't looking for a new 2010 Camaro SS or an older boring Ferrari 308. These are for those who want a nice "Simplified" Exotic sportscar without spending huge amounts of money. Here's some small reviews to give you an example of what I'm talking about.
-Kitcar's/Replica's
The world of kitcars has come along way since the days of the VW based Sterling's and Fiero based Testarossa's. Today we have kitcars such as the Factory Five GTM were all you need to provide is a Corvette donor car of your choice to the "Simple" DNA Ferrari F-430 Replica's based on the Mercury Cougar. They do require a bit of skill, time and money but if someone perseveres they can have a six figure supercar for less than the price of a new Ford Mustang 5.0
The Downside the owning a Replica is it's not real. There's lot of cool things out there in life that's replicated. NFL jersey's, Star War's light saber's and yes those things hanging off Pam Anderson's chest.....
-Second generation Toyota MR2 Turbo
These cars were manufactured from 91-96 in large numbers and sold through out the united states and the world. They have amazing support from the Aftermarket industry which ranges from Turbo kits to even V6 swaps. Now with support coming from the kitcar industry you can turn your MR2 into a Ferrari Replica and perhaps build it be much faster than an original 355.
The downside to the MR2 is finding parts and they are quite complicated to work on which can become expensive.
Finding one in good condition can start as little as $2500 however prices can reach above $5000 for a low miles car.
-Pontiac Fiero GT
GM offered the pontiac fiero as a practial economical sportscar for users to drive daily however it had many issues from catching fire to reliability issues to headlight's popping up for no reason while out on the highway. After 4 years of production GM had plans of building another generation of Fiero to use a qad 4 engine from the olds front wheel drive car as well as the 3.4 engine found in the grand prix GT of 1989. When the prototype was made it was lighter, cheaper and faster than the 1989 Corvette. GM feared this car would top the corvette a period of time. Keep in mind GM also planned a Buick Grand National powered Fiero using the same 3.8 Turbo V6 found in the 1989 Turbo TransAm. Sadly GM killed such a great sportscar but the legend has lived on throughout the years.
The kitcar industry came through with many body kits of Lamborghini's, Ferrari's and now we are starting to see some designs like the Vendetta roadster all based on the Fiero chassis. Further more the aftermarket support comes from V8 swap's like a small block LS motor from the late model camaro to a northstar V8 even the 3800 Supercharged engine from the Grand Prix GTP.
Many people have taken on swaps of their own making the Fiero a good ideal project car for someone looking into an affordable exotics. You will have options going either the cheap route or the more expensive route. However they aren't so much a "Starter" if someone is looking to do an all out Lamborghini Replica doing an 11 inch stretch with an LS1 with a G6 transaxle. But if someone is looking to do a simple 3.4 swap and maybe a PISA body kit the Fiero is a decent option to take into consideration.
You can start your dream car build for as little as $500 dollars.
- 3000GT/Dodge Stealth
These cars might as well should be considered exotic sportscars themselves due to the fact they have reliablity issues to difficulies servicing them. They are complete headaches however if someone perseveres through the hard times repairing the car time and time again and understands how they are engineered they can do engine swaps to turbo kits for simple terms. There's a non-turbo front wheel model to the all wheel drive twin turbo 300hp verisons of these cars. Body kits are widely avaliable to make them look "Exotic" as you wish. The biggest challenge with these cars is finding one in decent shape that isn't beat to badly then finding a good source for parts. Most people who buy them normally abuse them until they can't run or they typically have high mileage.
I once looked at one and it had over 320 thousand miles on it! So finding one in good shape your looking at roughly 7-10 grand depending on how good the condition it is. But if your a DYI'er you can find them all over the place on Craigslist cheap as in $1000 OBO.
- ACURA NSX
Back in 1990 Honda launched it's challenge to the Ferrari 348 and bested it without a sweat. Today the NSX's performance has held the test of Time even today its still a fair performer even against some modern day cars like the 2010 Camaro SS. The best part is most of the early model NSX's can be found on the used car market for as little as 10 grand. They are very practical, you can even do your very own oil change if you wish, you can drive this car daily if the weather is good enough. There's lots of support from the Aftermarket industry from the famous Widebody kits to the Superchargers to even Turbo chargers. If someone wanted to they can even build an NSXR model out of a base model 1991 NSX. You can fit the later model front end on an early one just like a 4th generation Camaro going from LT1 to LS1 front end.
The only major downside I see to owning the NSX is you won't be able to make big horsepower like a Supra or Viper. I've never heard of a 1000hp NSX. As with any car it's going to be complicated and expensive but compared with something like a Ferrari 355 it's not a bad choice if you have $30,000 dollars to spend and your looking for something a bit more exotic than the typical Honda S2000 not to mention out perform it at the next track meet.
-Dodge Viper 93-02
Dodge released it's Dodge Viper back in 1992 a year after the NSX and Lamborghini Diablo hit the market as an affordable modern day Cobra. It came with a 400horsepower V-10 engine making it far ahead of the 240hp L98 Corvette at that time or the 215horsepower Mustang GT. At the time they were released at a price tag of $40,000 pretty much like that of a current Corvette GS. However as Viper became more refined from the cloth top to an offical hard top model with roll up windows and a high performance GTS and ACR models rose the price to over $85,000-96,000 dollars back in 1998.
The Viper has great performance even from today's standard's from 400-485hp it hangs with europe's finest Ferrari's, Porsche's and even stood up to the Lamborghini Diablo. It's chopper head V-10 engine is highly tunable one could easily get over 1000hp. Some guys have managed that on pump gas and put up great numbers. With exotic looks and styling this car is truly a great value starting as little as $20,000 in the used car market. Not to mention most owner's babied these cars so repairs will be virtually not an issue. You can pretty much buy it new.
- MKIV Toyota Supra
In the late 1980's Toyota was looking for it's replacement for the MKIII Supra and they answered with a radical GT 2+2 coupe. Its design was outstanding from anything else at that time with it's giant F-40 style wing to it's Su-27 style nose to the jet fighter cockpit. It's 2JZ Turbo model delivered over 320hp however it's performance could rival The Ferrari Testarossa at any track day. With Traction control option it made it faster than the base LT1 Corvette. At a starting price of $45,000 the Supra was an amazing buy for it's day but with Supercars hitting beyond 200mph at the time the Supra really wasn't an option for most performance enthusiasts throughout the 1990's. It wasn't until the Supra's 2JZ engine found it's way into the hands of tuners in 1997 being offered a 450hp Basic Performance upgrade package from HKS performance costing only $1600 that people began to see the potential of what it can do.
Today the Supra is an icon. Many people have bought them with all intentions of building a race car. With great support from the aftermarket industry ranging from suspension packages to Turbo systems these cars have been built with a new life to take on new blood. Today someone can spend $65,000 Dollars and compete with some exotic's costing beyond $125,000 dollars! some owners have gone great lengths of tuning these cars to set records and beat bikes. It's a great iconic car! but there's some downsides to buying a fast and furious supercar and that is they will be extremely difficult to find. Parts will be even more impossible to find. When you do find them chances are it won't come cheap.
I have found Supra's these days maintaining their value better than most cars from the 1990's but that means you will be paying $30,000 for a used car with problems. Even a Naturally aspirated model can cost $20,000 in good condition. If you want to tune it that will also not come cheap either. I've seen many of these fully built 1,000+hp road Warriors going for more than six figures well beyond the term "Affordable Exotic" but if you don't mind spending a little extra money than the typical C5 Corvette you to can afford an iconic sportscar thats on it's way to becoming a classic.
-Plymouth Prowler
The plymouth Prowler is an open top modern day hot rod that's more practical than you think with it's Dodge Intrepid 3.5 V6 engine not only will it be easy to drive but it will be extremely reliable and easy to work on and cheap to service. If your looking for performance the prowler doesn't offer that instead that is why the Viper was built. It's unknown what the major problems are other than maybe the common transmission problems and the fact it's a converitble making it prone to a detearating top. But who's going to drive it in the rain? The snow? This is a car you drive on a friday night after a hard week's worth of work.
The best part about these cars is that they are kind of cheap ranging from as little as $15,000 all the way up to $45,000 in showroom condition low mileage or special edition models.
-Porsche Boxster
Yes it's a Porsche! the boxster was released in 1997 with the full intentions retailing an affordable package to rival the Corvette C5 and get those who couldn't afford a true 911 into a performance, practial model that they could drive daily and take to the track on the weekends. The styling is fair with body kits avaliable to convert them into Carrera GT Replica's it's not a bad option for one who's really interested in owning a Porsche. However be warned there's not much support from the Aftermarket industry. Sure you could fabrcate a Turbo or Supercharger for 3.4 Flat 6 engine or even swap in a 997 engine but not everybody has the knowledge to do it.
The good thing about these cars is you can find them used for as little as $8,000. Be prepared to spend big money on repairs.
-Detomaso Pantera
In 1971 ford had partnered up with italian automotive builder "Detomaso" and released an italian Supercar with the heart of American Muscle. The engine was delivered from the Mustang Boss, 351 Cleveland engine producing 320hp on average it was much faster than the Corvette of those years making it a direct competitor to the Ferrari F512 Boxer and Lamborghini Countach LP400. It was affordable for its generation costing $20,000 in 1970's money would now aday's they can run as much as $85,000 for a GT5 model. The downside is that it's like a classic muscle car when resorting making it expensive. The bodies are prone to rusting out most parts like the 351 engine can't be found at the local junk yard so be prepared to spend lots of money.
The best part is they are fair performers. Many people who've owned them babied these cars making some of them in good condition if you want one. They can run as little as $20,000 all the way up to $45,000 in better shape making just under our budget leaving enough money for taxes, tags and insurance.
-Delorean DMC 12
There's not much to say about the Delorean. It was never meant to be on the level of a Porsche a Corvette or even a Ferrari at that time. However You can't over look the fact that it's a rare sportscar with a unique design. The good thing about a delorean is you can find them cheap for around $10,000 in fair shape or you can spend as much as $45,000 for a brand new remannifactured delorean from Houston headquaters. They even offer a high performance exhaust system and an upgraded fuel injection system. If performance is not on the top of your list and you don't mind the lack of curves on your car the delorean is an option people should consider. Just keep in mind the car had a lot of lose ends and many issues being a renault/volvo engine and transaxle you can't expect it to be a reliable car for the morning commute.
-Lotus
Whether your looking for a newer model Lotus Elise or an early model Esprit Lotus has always offered a great performance package on a budget. the Lotus Elise is a great example of that given with it's Toyota 1.9 Engine producing only 190hp it's not bad considering the power to weight ratio it will best any Miata on the road course. The only problem is it will not hold full figured body frames so if your a curvy girl with wide hips or a big fat guy like me with an NFL linemen build you probably won't fit into an Elise properly in fact you might just hate it. The Esprit on the other hand is another affordable exotic starting for as little as $15,000 for an early turbo model. There's not much support from the aftermarket industry but for someone who's looking for a "Real" non replica exotic brand supercar the esprit is one to consider. You'll get more attention than a Corvette or Mustang not to mention it's still a damn good performer to today's standard's. You won't get bullied by a challenger SRT-8 or Scion TC at the next track meet with your 1990 Lotus Esprit but if someone show's up in a newer Corvette GS you might have a problem.
I'm sure there's many Affordable exotics out there that I didn't get to. The sole purpose of this aritcial is to show that you don't need a mulitmillion dollar budget to buy the car of your dreams. If you can live past the fact that it might be a "Tribute car" or an older exotic car such as the Lotus Esprit or Acura NSX You can very well find a nice thrill ride for the price of a brand new Toyota or Chevy. I hope you find my advice helpful on your search for your dreamride.
This is VF1Skullangel with Acceleration Media.
While looking into an exotic sportscar just keep in mind there's going to be many factors to consider such as the high cost of insurance, Maintaince will also be expensive and rather complicated since you can't walk into Autozone and ask for a wheel barring for your Dodge Viper as you would with a V6 Mustang.
However owning a sportcar has its advatanges, every drive you go out on will be a blast. In some cases such as a Viper RT-10 has optional Targa top for open air driving. You can take it to the track for road racing or drag something you can't do in a 4 door camary. There's other advantages to owning a car with better performance than the normal passenger vehicle.
Please consider this as a disclaimer if you do not like attention do not consider an exotic sportscar because when you pull into a gas station to load up you will have people surrounding you bombarding you with questions and while your driving down the road your going to have many Riceburner's trying to race you. But if you embrace these issues than it's not a problem but I would also like to add on my following advice on buying an exotic car.
-Buy a Daily driver. Make sure it gets the job done very well and you have a car that you can commute because even though you can commute in a Lotus Elise it's a very cramped ride and god forbid you get into an accident it can be ugly. Insurance and gas, maintaince will sky rocket. They aren't designed for reliability so it's better to buy a dependable vehicle to go to work, buy the gocercies and pay the bills.
-Get a place of your own. I'm talking a place with a garage, if you live in an apartment complex don't bother. People will try and steal your car and with all the attention it gets as is it will only be a matter of time before someone does. Get a garage and store there while not in use over a cover. Also invest in a security system for your property because even then car thieves are stupid and will still try to steal your beloved exotic. Also get a low jack, Alarm and GPS tracking device. It may not guarantee it won't be stolen but it will discourage them from attempting to.
-Set a budget. If your in a relationship with a girlfriend or a wife I would suggest sitting down with them before you even think about it unless you plan on getting divorced soon. Affordable Exotic cars and even kits are still very expensive and can eat away most people's budget's if they don't know what they are doing. My advice is network with people, see what you can do yourself and how much others will charge to do the work for you. This a car you can't take to jiffy lube and get serviced unless you don't care about your car. It's going to need special car and special mechanics to work on it to get the job done right.
-Buy tools. Lots of them! Tools can make life easy and simple, even if you set aside a $1,000 and go to harbor freight and start out with a nice tool box then load up with various tools and power tools it can make all the difference in the world not to mention save you a lot of money on labor.
When you've done this then your ready to start searching. Be sure to do your homework on whatever it is you want to buy. I've set a budget for those who are skeptical that you can't buy anything for no less than six figures. If your an elitist I highly suggest you stop reading now because you won't find a numbers matching classic or a modern day exotic here. This is for the guys who aren't looking for a new 2010 Camaro SS or an older boring Ferrari 308. These are for those who want a nice "Simplified" Exotic sportscar without spending huge amounts of money. Here's some small reviews to give you an example of what I'm talking about.
-Kitcar's/Replica's
The world of kitcars has come along way since the days of the VW based Sterling's and Fiero based Testarossa's. Today we have kitcars such as the Factory Five GTM were all you need to provide is a Corvette donor car of your choice to the "Simple" DNA Ferrari F-430 Replica's based on the Mercury Cougar. They do require a bit of skill, time and money but if someone perseveres they can have a six figure supercar for less than the price of a new Ford Mustang 5.0
The Downside the owning a Replica is it's not real. There's lot of cool things out there in life that's replicated. NFL jersey's, Star War's light saber's and yes those things hanging off Pam Anderson's chest.....
-Second generation Toyota MR2 Turbo
These cars were manufactured from 91-96 in large numbers and sold through out the united states and the world. They have amazing support from the Aftermarket industry which ranges from Turbo kits to even V6 swaps. Now with support coming from the kitcar industry you can turn your MR2 into a Ferrari Replica and perhaps build it be much faster than an original 355.
The downside to the MR2 is finding parts and they are quite complicated to work on which can become expensive.
Finding one in good condition can start as little as $2500 however prices can reach above $5000 for a low miles car.
-Pontiac Fiero GT
GM offered the pontiac fiero as a practial economical sportscar for users to drive daily however it had many issues from catching fire to reliability issues to headlight's popping up for no reason while out on the highway. After 4 years of production GM had plans of building another generation of Fiero to use a qad 4 engine from the olds front wheel drive car as well as the 3.4 engine found in the grand prix GT of 1989. When the prototype was made it was lighter, cheaper and faster than the 1989 Corvette. GM feared this car would top the corvette a period of time. Keep in mind GM also planned a Buick Grand National powered Fiero using the same 3.8 Turbo V6 found in the 1989 Turbo TransAm. Sadly GM killed such a great sportscar but the legend has lived on throughout the years.
The kitcar industry came through with many body kits of Lamborghini's, Ferrari's and now we are starting to see some designs like the Vendetta roadster all based on the Fiero chassis. Further more the aftermarket support comes from V8 swap's like a small block LS motor from the late model camaro to a northstar V8 even the 3800 Supercharged engine from the Grand Prix GTP.
Many people have taken on swaps of their own making the Fiero a good ideal project car for someone looking into an affordable exotics. You will have options going either the cheap route or the more expensive route. However they aren't so much a "Starter" if someone is looking to do an all out Lamborghini Replica doing an 11 inch stretch with an LS1 with a G6 transaxle. But if someone is looking to do a simple 3.4 swap and maybe a PISA body kit the Fiero is a decent option to take into consideration.
You can start your dream car build for as little as $500 dollars.
- 3000GT/Dodge Stealth
These cars might as well should be considered exotic sportscars themselves due to the fact they have reliablity issues to difficulies servicing them. They are complete headaches however if someone perseveres through the hard times repairing the car time and time again and understands how they are engineered they can do engine swaps to turbo kits for simple terms. There's a non-turbo front wheel model to the all wheel drive twin turbo 300hp verisons of these cars. Body kits are widely avaliable to make them look "Exotic" as you wish. The biggest challenge with these cars is finding one in decent shape that isn't beat to badly then finding a good source for parts. Most people who buy them normally abuse them until they can't run or they typically have high mileage.
I once looked at one and it had over 320 thousand miles on it! So finding one in good shape your looking at roughly 7-10 grand depending on how good the condition it is. But if your a DYI'er you can find them all over the place on Craigslist cheap as in $1000 OBO.
- ACURA NSX
Back in 1990 Honda launched it's challenge to the Ferrari 348 and bested it without a sweat. Today the NSX's performance has held the test of Time even today its still a fair performer even against some modern day cars like the 2010 Camaro SS. The best part is most of the early model NSX's can be found on the used car market for as little as 10 grand. They are very practical, you can even do your very own oil change if you wish, you can drive this car daily if the weather is good enough. There's lots of support from the Aftermarket industry from the famous Widebody kits to the Superchargers to even Turbo chargers. If someone wanted to they can even build an NSXR model out of a base model 1991 NSX. You can fit the later model front end on an early one just like a 4th generation Camaro going from LT1 to LS1 front end.
The only major downside I see to owning the NSX is you won't be able to make big horsepower like a Supra or Viper. I've never heard of a 1000hp NSX. As with any car it's going to be complicated and expensive but compared with something like a Ferrari 355 it's not a bad choice if you have $30,000 dollars to spend and your looking for something a bit more exotic than the typical Honda S2000 not to mention out perform it at the next track meet.
-Dodge Viper 93-02
Dodge released it's Dodge Viper back in 1992 a year after the NSX and Lamborghini Diablo hit the market as an affordable modern day Cobra. It came with a 400horsepower V-10 engine making it far ahead of the 240hp L98 Corvette at that time or the 215horsepower Mustang GT. At the time they were released at a price tag of $40,000 pretty much like that of a current Corvette GS. However as Viper became more refined from the cloth top to an offical hard top model with roll up windows and a high performance GTS and ACR models rose the price to over $85,000-96,000 dollars back in 1998.
The Viper has great performance even from today's standard's from 400-485hp it hangs with europe's finest Ferrari's, Porsche's and even stood up to the Lamborghini Diablo. It's chopper head V-10 engine is highly tunable one could easily get over 1000hp. Some guys have managed that on pump gas and put up great numbers. With exotic looks and styling this car is truly a great value starting as little as $20,000 in the used car market. Not to mention most owner's babied these cars so repairs will be virtually not an issue. You can pretty much buy it new.
- MKIV Toyota Supra
In the late 1980's Toyota was looking for it's replacement for the MKIII Supra and they answered with a radical GT 2+2 coupe. Its design was outstanding from anything else at that time with it's giant F-40 style wing to it's Su-27 style nose to the jet fighter cockpit. It's 2JZ Turbo model delivered over 320hp however it's performance could rival The Ferrari Testarossa at any track day. With Traction control option it made it faster than the base LT1 Corvette. At a starting price of $45,000 the Supra was an amazing buy for it's day but with Supercars hitting beyond 200mph at the time the Supra really wasn't an option for most performance enthusiasts throughout the 1990's. It wasn't until the Supra's 2JZ engine found it's way into the hands of tuners in 1997 being offered a 450hp Basic Performance upgrade package from HKS performance costing only $1600 that people began to see the potential of what it can do.
Today the Supra is an icon. Many people have bought them with all intentions of building a race car. With great support from the aftermarket industry ranging from suspension packages to Turbo systems these cars have been built with a new life to take on new blood. Today someone can spend $65,000 Dollars and compete with some exotic's costing beyond $125,000 dollars! some owners have gone great lengths of tuning these cars to set records and beat bikes. It's a great iconic car! but there's some downsides to buying a fast and furious supercar and that is they will be extremely difficult to find. Parts will be even more impossible to find. When you do find them chances are it won't come cheap.
I have found Supra's these days maintaining their value better than most cars from the 1990's but that means you will be paying $30,000 for a used car with problems. Even a Naturally aspirated model can cost $20,000 in good condition. If you want to tune it that will also not come cheap either. I've seen many of these fully built 1,000+hp road Warriors going for more than six figures well beyond the term "Affordable Exotic" but if you don't mind spending a little extra money than the typical C5 Corvette you to can afford an iconic sportscar thats on it's way to becoming a classic.
-Plymouth Prowler
The plymouth Prowler is an open top modern day hot rod that's more practical than you think with it's Dodge Intrepid 3.5 V6 engine not only will it be easy to drive but it will be extremely reliable and easy to work on and cheap to service. If your looking for performance the prowler doesn't offer that instead that is why the Viper was built. It's unknown what the major problems are other than maybe the common transmission problems and the fact it's a converitble making it prone to a detearating top. But who's going to drive it in the rain? The snow? This is a car you drive on a friday night after a hard week's worth of work.
The best part about these cars is that they are kind of cheap ranging from as little as $15,000 all the way up to $45,000 in showroom condition low mileage or special edition models.
-Porsche Boxster
Yes it's a Porsche! the boxster was released in 1997 with the full intentions retailing an affordable package to rival the Corvette C5 and get those who couldn't afford a true 911 into a performance, practial model that they could drive daily and take to the track on the weekends. The styling is fair with body kits avaliable to convert them into Carrera GT Replica's it's not a bad option for one who's really interested in owning a Porsche. However be warned there's not much support from the Aftermarket industry. Sure you could fabrcate a Turbo or Supercharger for 3.4 Flat 6 engine or even swap in a 997 engine but not everybody has the knowledge to do it.
The good thing about these cars is you can find them used for as little as $8,000. Be prepared to spend big money on repairs.
-Detomaso Pantera
In 1971 ford had partnered up with italian automotive builder "Detomaso" and released an italian Supercar with the heart of American Muscle. The engine was delivered from the Mustang Boss, 351 Cleveland engine producing 320hp on average it was much faster than the Corvette of those years making it a direct competitor to the Ferrari F512 Boxer and Lamborghini Countach LP400. It was affordable for its generation costing $20,000 in 1970's money would now aday's they can run as much as $85,000 for a GT5 model. The downside is that it's like a classic muscle car when resorting making it expensive. The bodies are prone to rusting out most parts like the 351 engine can't be found at the local junk yard so be prepared to spend lots of money.
The best part is they are fair performers. Many people who've owned them babied these cars making some of them in good condition if you want one. They can run as little as $20,000 all the way up to $45,000 in better shape making just under our budget leaving enough money for taxes, tags and insurance.
-Delorean DMC 12
There's not much to say about the Delorean. It was never meant to be on the level of a Porsche a Corvette or even a Ferrari at that time. However You can't over look the fact that it's a rare sportscar with a unique design. The good thing about a delorean is you can find them cheap for around $10,000 in fair shape or you can spend as much as $45,000 for a brand new remannifactured delorean from Houston headquaters. They even offer a high performance exhaust system and an upgraded fuel injection system. If performance is not on the top of your list and you don't mind the lack of curves on your car the delorean is an option people should consider. Just keep in mind the car had a lot of lose ends and many issues being a renault/volvo engine and transaxle you can't expect it to be a reliable car for the morning commute.
-Lotus
Whether your looking for a newer model Lotus Elise or an early model Esprit Lotus has always offered a great performance package on a budget. the Lotus Elise is a great example of that given with it's Toyota 1.9 Engine producing only 190hp it's not bad considering the power to weight ratio it will best any Miata on the road course. The only problem is it will not hold full figured body frames so if your a curvy girl with wide hips or a big fat guy like me with an NFL linemen build you probably won't fit into an Elise properly in fact you might just hate it. The Esprit on the other hand is another affordable exotic starting for as little as $15,000 for an early turbo model. There's not much support from the aftermarket industry but for someone who's looking for a "Real" non replica exotic brand supercar the esprit is one to consider. You'll get more attention than a Corvette or Mustang not to mention it's still a damn good performer to today's standard's. You won't get bullied by a challenger SRT-8 or Scion TC at the next track meet with your 1990 Lotus Esprit but if someone show's up in a newer Corvette GS you might have a problem.
I'm sure there's many Affordable exotics out there that I didn't get to. The sole purpose of this aritcial is to show that you don't need a mulitmillion dollar budget to buy the car of your dreams. If you can live past the fact that it might be a "Tribute car" or an older exotic car such as the Lotus Esprit or Acura NSX You can very well find a nice thrill ride for the price of a brand new Toyota or Chevy. I hope you find my advice helpful on your search for your dreamride.
This is VF1Skullangel with Acceleration Media.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Ferrari, Bugatti, Pagani bait?
The Facts.
Last month in March Lamborghini unveiled its new flagship supercar for the aging Murcielago dubbed "LP700" or "Avendator" for the new name but is it really a brand new car?
Well Lamborghini started with a revised carbon fiber monocoque chassis very much like a Porsche Carrera GT. Then it uses F1 style suspension boasts a pushrod spring and damper setup which is connected to the bodyshell structure. Followed by a 6.5 suppose 700hp(In reality 691hp) all new V-12 engine with a 7 speed independent Shifting Rod transmission. It goes through an All-wheel drive system just as the Murcielago, Gallardo and Diablo in previous models. Over all weight is 3,472 lbs while the height is 44.72 inches.
The design work is inspired by the 2008 Reventon Special edition of just 20 cars and a total cost of over 1.5 million each. It also uses styling cues from the Murcielago SV with a little Gallardo LP560 in the mix with it's new "Lambo doors" design which is more aftermarket like than anything as it comes out at an angle rather than straight up. Interior looks a little 1970's with its "boxy" instrument cluster and "space shuttle" center console like something out of the movie Total Recall.
Lamborghini's price tag for this new Supercar is set to be $400,000 per car but many sources say prices may rise so its very uncertain on exactly what the price will be upon release in the summer of 2011.
Performance numbers claim to be 0-60 in 2.9 seconds with a top speed set to be at 217 mph.
My personal opinion.
I have always been a fan of Lamborghini growing up since childhood because it was something different than the average Ferrari Testarossa. During the years of the Countach and Diablo was the most exciting years for Lamborghini then their designs have become rather tamed and more modern with the arrival of the Murcielago in 2002 and Gallardo in 2004 but they were still amazing supercars. When Lamborghini started going wrong was when they became rather conservative with their designs and aspiration's of beating out Ferrari as the number one Italian Supercar.
Further more they released the biggest laughable excuse for a collectors edition "Reventon" back in 2008 at 1.5 million yet under the skin was your average LP640 of that time. The Murcielago SV wasn't as great as the Diablo SV when released, it looked so incomplete and really wasn't much of an improvement over the standard LP-640.
If Lamborghini is to survive the next 10-15 years of Supercar competition from Ferrari, Bugatti, and Pagani they are going to have get back to basics with their design and building a supercar that has more horsepower and a no compromise with the signature design which Lamborghini did the total opposite by "Recycling" Reventon, Gallardo and Murcielago by building all 3 supercars into one and expecting to release a "new flagship supercar"? No it looks like a production run of the Gagliardi design Vendetta and not a Lamborghini. I'm afraid this generation the Raging bull will be taking a backseat to the Prancing horse. Steven Winkelman is building these cars now adays to simply make money, not to offer a better product than Ferrari.
-Jon "Invincible" Walkow.. ask's : "If Steven Winkelman were to call you in a few weeks and ask Jay what should I do?"
-Jay.. says : .... Run! ...........get away from that supercar! It will not live up to the standard of being a better than Ferrari nor will offer it's buyers a better product than last years Murcielago. When people buy this car they are going to think that they will be getting a high tech supercar on the level of a Veyron or Mclaren MP4 and they are going to be very disappointed when they discover that it's very much behind the standard of current supercars. For an example it only produces 691hp, had it been built back in 2001 it might have been far ahead of everything else but today we have Ford releasing an 800hp Shelby GT500 as a mainstream sportscar you certainly don't want to be target practice in your $400.000 Supercar while he only spent $80.000 on his car. Further more with 1200hp Veyron's, 900hp Koenigsegg's and Ferrari's Enzo replacement on the horzon to compete with those supercars Lamborghini might be ahead of it competes against the base model Corvette or Viper expected to relaunch in 2012 but it is not a serious contender. Whats the point? It will unlikely be capable of beating the Enzo replacement, in fact I doubt it can take a modern day Enzo right now in a street or track race. With cars like the Nissan GTR doing 0-60 times of 2.9 seconds at $85,000 and being much more practical that would pretty much make this new Lamborghini useless against its competitors like Ferrari and Porsche.
Lamborghini should have continued building the Murcielago for a few more years even till 2018 because its still a good supercar. Lamborghini should have gone route of increasing its displacement to 7 liters and produce 800hp or go with a factory twin turbo option. Lamborghini had claimed to be build a "Veyron killer" back in 2005 but never seemed to happen but that idea alone was more exciting to think about a 16 cylinder quad turbo Murcielago! than a Reventon or an Aventador. Overall if someone is looking to buy one of these do not bother. You will probably be much happier buying a used LP640 or LP670 with low miles and sending it off to UGR and having them build you a supercar that will have the performance to match its looks. SW's Twin Turbo Gallardo will put up much better numbers than any Aventador from the factory ever will in it's life time as the flagship and not to mention save yourself a huge chunk of change to buy your wife a nice BMW.
Jon "Invincible" Walkow says: "Run you say?"
Jay says : Don't walk. Run!
-Jay "VF1Skullangel" Lopez
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