Aston Martin DBR9

Aston Martin Racing has revealed further details of its all-new DBR9 that will spearhead the marque's return to international motor racing in 2005. This new GT racing car, which is based on the latest Aston Martin production sports car, DB9, is being prepared by Aston Martin Racing's partners, Prodrive, based at Banbury, UK. Prodrive is responsible for the design, development and management of the DBR9 racing programme. The first DBR9 is being prepared now and will compete during 2005 in selected international sports car events, including Le Mans 24 Hours. Three Aston Martin Racing Works...

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Aston Martin unveils Centenary Edition

Billed by Aston Martin as the “ultimate GT car,” this bespoke version of the luxury coupe will be available worldwide, though only 100 vehicles will be built. The company has also announced that similar centenary editions of the V8 Vantage, DB9 and Rapide are in the offing. The main appeal of the Centenary Edition Vanquish is aesthetic. The interior is dominated by black leather with silver stitching previously only available in the One-77 hypercar, and there’s special silver embroidery of the Aston Martin wings in the head restraints. Going further with the motif,...

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Mercedes-Benz new entry level CLA-Class

Mercedes is touting its new CLA-Class as "a real Mercedes. But not as you know it." The new mid-size four-door coupe is designed to bring the three points into a new demographic of garages, broadening Mercedes' appeal to a younger generation of buyer. The CLA is essentially a baby CLS, which Mercedes says is Germany's best-selling luxury car. The four-door, based on last year's Concept Style Coupe, was revealed at a preview event on the night before this year's North American International Auto Show. "We aim to reach new target groups with the CLA – including those who never...

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Hennessey Venom GT sets new production car acceleration world record

American tuning house Hennessey Performance Engineering is crowing after its own production car, the Hennessey Venom GT, set a new Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest accelerating production car. To claim the record, the vehicle completed two runs in opposite directions within one hour of each other that averaged out to a time of 13.63 seconds to go from 0-300 km/h (186.4 mph). The acceleration runs were piloted by John Kiewicz and conducted southeast of Houston, Texas, on an 8,000 foot-long runway at Ellington Airport on January 10, 2013. The first run, with the assistance...

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KTM's 1290 Superduke R prototype

The most exciting exhibit at either Intermot or EICMA was the first showing of the KTM 1290 Superduke R prototype – a super-lightweight, trellis-framed naked bike powered by a 1290cc version of the proven RC8R V-twin, complete with drive-by-wire, lots of (disengageable) electronic rider assistance, lashings of carbon fiber, new prototype WP suspension at both ends and the promise of a production version within 12 months. The excitement is based not so much on what is known about the new prototype, but what the bike is based on. The RC8 R engine upon which the bike is developed,...

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The Weirdest Ride For Sale

With more than 1,200 cars to sell over six days, the Barrett-Jackson auctions in Scottsdale, Ariz., has become the world's largest bazaar for car collectors. Unlike most collector auctions, the vast majority of vehicles at Barrett-Jackson roll on the auction stage with no reserve price, drawing thousands of potential bidders looking for a deal — as well as sellers who hope the exposure can give their prized set of wheels a maximum price, even if those wheels come attached to a Yugo convertible. Here's the oddest machines that will cross the Barrett-Jackson stage next week. Mike Joy, the collector...

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5 New Cars To Buy In 2013

The retail price of Lamborghini’s first production vehicle, the 350 GT, cost $13,900 when it debuted in 1964. That’s equivalent to roughly $103,000 today–much less than the $442,000 Aventador LP700-4 Roadster we saw debut in Los Angeles last month. Talk about refining the brand. If you’re not of the Lamborghini persuasion, there are plenty of other options for hot new things on the market in 2013. Here’s a quick primer on five of them. And fret not, my dear penny-pinchers–they all cost much less than the Lambo. BMW M6 Gran Coupe BMW has downsized the new...

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Top 10 Cars Of 2012

Porsche Boxster S Porsche’s push me-pull me looks for the Boxster convertible have never quite worked, but with design ideas snatched from the fabulous Carrera GT there’s now an elegance and purposefulness with the new car that the previous generation lacked. For £45,384 the S version is a thrilling drive with 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds and superb cornering balance. Oh, and it’s £300,000 less than a collector’s item Carrera GT! (Porsche). BMW M135i Okay, it’s visually challenged from some angles despite a subtle bodykit, but this ‘junior’ M car is such fun to drive and one...

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