2012 TranStar Dagger GT

Anyone can drive up and down the Autobahn at excessive speeds all they want, but we highly doubt anyone would be crazy to push a 2000-3000 HP hypercar to its limit anywhere. Of course, that didn’t stop Transtar Racing from developing the Dagger GT - a 2800 HP hypercar with a 0-60 mph time of 1.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of just 6.7 seconds. At least, that’s what they said it did; we don’t know if anyone was actually present when any of this happened and Transtar hasn’t exactly produced the car yet. In an even crazier spin, Transtar Racing has now announced modification for the 2012 model year with a new vehicle called the GT-D Outlaw, the D standing from dragster.

This new version will develop a total of 2700 HP and sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than 1 second. With the new GT-D Outlaw, TranStar Racing hopes to set a new Standing Mile record at no more than 280 mph, or about 76mph faster than the Bugatti Veyron’s current 204 mph in the Standing Mile.

Lofty goals, now if we could actually see the car in action.

The GT-D will be equipped with Goodyear Pro Stock Slicks, or DOT ET Drag tires, hydraulic-launched double drag chutes, a drag wing, an NHRA rollcage, a drag racing transaxle, a drag racing rear suspension that will emulate a Pro Stock Dragster, and four rear-exit 4-inch sculpted exhausts. Customers will also have the ability to choose between race, sport, or luxury interiors, as well as a nine-inch touch-screen with a voice-actuated computer monitor, three rear-view cameras with night-vision, and an extreme biometric security system.

For the Dagger GT-D, TranStar will be using a polished aluminum 632 Dart big block with 80 mm twin Turbonetics turbos at 30 psi and multifuel injection with race and pump gas. The engine will be combined with a 6-speed TranStar Racing polished aluminum-cased and 300M steel transaxle clutch and gearbox made exclusively for TranStar Racing by Mendeola Transaxles. All of this engine talk will lead to the aforementioned 2700 HP and 205 mph in the quarter mile, plus hopes to match the 0-62 mph time of 1.2 seconds provided by the 1900 hp Nissan Project Zed and a 280 mph Standing Mile to beat out the Bugatti’s Veyron’s 204mph.

Here’s a full list of the records Transtar is hoping to beat with the new Dagger GT-D Outlaw

• 315 mph top speed goal (with landspeed safety package)
• 280 mph standing mile (new record)
• 205 mph quarter mile (with drag package)
• Under 6.6 seconds quarter mile
• 1.2 seconds zero-to-sixty mph (current Nissan 1900 hp dragster record)
• VIR Grand Course Lap Record
• Nurburgring Lap Record
• Lap records at Talladega, Daytona and Indianapolis Raceways
• Slalom record

Prices

 Prices for the Dagger GT-D have not been released yet,

2013 Bentley Continental GTC V8

Bentley put a hold on developing any new models in order to work on a new 4.0 liter, twin turbocharged V8 engine that we already expected to see in the Continental GT V8 at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Details for the Coupe model were already revealed to that effect, but now that the auto show has opened its doors, the new Continental GTC V8 was there, welcoming the auto industry with open arms with its new engine and a total of 500 HP and 487 lb ft of torque. In Europe, the GTC V8 is priced at €149,600 - or about $191,000 at the current exchange rates. Prices for the North American market will be announced at a later date.

"With the new 4.0 liter V8 engine we are widening the appeal of the latest generation of Continentals, introducing a completely new driving experience. The new engine will have all the exhilarating power, drama and performance you would expect from a V8 engine sporting the famous Bentley wings, effortlessly delivered with our characteristic ‘wave of torque’. This is complemented by innovative powertrain technology that delivers exceptional fuel efficiency and emissions," said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive, Bentley Motors.

Exterior and Interior

The biggest change for the GTC will obviously be found under the hood, but Bentley has also made some changes to the aesthetic portions of the model. The new GTC V8 has received a black gloss matrix grille with chrome frame and center bar, a red enamel Bentley "B" badge, a black matrix three-segment lower front bumper divided by distinctive body-colored strakes, unique chromed "figure eight’ exhaust tailpipes, a dark lower valance, and red enamel "B" bootlid badge. It will also be offered with a choice of three different hood colors and a choice of standard 20-inch alloy wheels or an optional 21-inch six-spoke design available in dramatic Diamond Black (exclusive to the Continental V8) or Diamond Silver finishes.

Distinctive sporting style

• Gloss black matrix grille with bright chrome surround and divider
• Three-segment lower bumper with black air intakes and striking body-colored dividers
• Dark rear lower valance
• Distinctive twin ‘figure eight’ exhaust tailpipes
• Red enamel Bentley winged ‘B’ badges above the front grille, to the bootlid and wheel centres
• 7 exterior colors offered in standard range

Sporty, contemporary interior

•  New Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus veneer unique to the V8 models
• Eliade cloth headlining and pillar trim
• Short center console in place of W12 through-console
• 4 hide colors offered in standard range
• Unique two-tone leather colour split

Engine

The Bentley Continental GTC V8 will be powered by the brand’s new 4.0 liter, twin turbocharged V8 engine delivering a total of 500 HP at 6000 rpm and 487 lb ft of torque which is available across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5000 rpm. This engine will sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and up to a top speed of 188 mph.

The Bentley Continental GTC V8 will be powered by the brand’s new 4.0 liter, twin turbocharged V8 engine delivering a total of 500 HP at 6000 rpm and 487 lb ft of torque which is available across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5000 rpm. This engine will sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and up to a top speed of 188 mph.

The engine is mated to a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission and is capable of traveling over 500 miles (800 km) on a single tank of fuel.

Prices

Prices for the new North American market will be announced at a later date, but in Europe the GTC V8 is priced at €149,600 - or about $191,000 at the current exchange rates.

Competition

The main competitor for the new Bentley Continental GTC V8 will be the newBMW M6, in its convertible version. The M6 will use a new turbocharged 4.4 liter V8 that will deliver up to 600 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque. The M6 is about 100 HP more powerful than the GTC V8, but its performance - 0 to 60 mph sprint time is 4.5 seconds, while top speed is limited to 155 mph - takes a back seat to the GTC V8 - 0 to 60 mph sprint time in 4.8 seconds, while top speed halts at 188 mph.

2013 McLaren MP4-27

In today’s world of ungodly-powered supercars, an old hat that has been lost in the shuffle is looking to re-enter the conversation, determined to remind everyone that while their name hasn’t been mentioned in talks of ’fastest supercar on the planet’, it was a matter of choice rather than cause.

Rumors are coming out of Woking, England that McLaren is finally in the process of developing the long-awaited successor to the iconic McLaren F1. This is the very same car that ushered in a new generation of supercars when it made its debut back in the mid 90s, setting the standard on how supercars are built these days.

While official details are still being withheld, Autocar managed to get some juicy information on what’s in store for this new supercar, including the nickname it’s been given: ’Mega Mac.’

It sounds like it doesn’t inspire a lot of fear and trepidation from its competitors, but nonetheless, we’re confident that ’Mega Mac’ won’t be the final name of the car. Somewhere along the lines, McLaren will have something more suitable for their new flagship supercar. Right now, they are internally calling the new hypercar the P12

UPDATE 11/21/2011: McLaren has confirmed that the company’s next supercar will be called the MP4-27 and it will be launched sometime next year. When talking about the company’s future plans in an official press release, Mclaren said that they were "preparing build-work on next year’s car, MP4-27 – we are nine months into the development programme and have already stored 18,918 individual components from more than 3,000 different works orders and signed off more than 5,500 technical drawings."

UPDATE 18/01/2012: The British magazine CAR is offering new details on the McLaren successor for the F1 supercar. The magazine reports that the P12 will be share a similar carbon Monocell structure as the MP4-12C and will be powered by a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine combined with a KERS energy storage system. The price for the car will be in the €750k area (or $960,000 at the current exchange rates.

1993 McLaren F1

Full details behind the aesthetic look of the McLaren Mega Mac have yet to be revealed, but there have been some rumblings that the car will feature a carbon fiber Monocell that’s similar to the 175-pound version found on the McLaren MP4-12C. In addition to that, the Mega Mac will also feature a number of components found on the just-released McLaren supercar, including a re-tuned pushrod suspension, hydraulic anti-roll control, adaptive dampers, active aerodynamics, front and rear spoilers, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, and traction control to name a few. Inside the car, McLaren is focusing on giving it a minimalistic feel that promotes function over luxury to keep the car as lightweight as it can be. Despite that, modern touches of technology will still be present in the car, including an on-board data logging computer with its own video camera.

It’s certainly hard to picture exactly what this new supercar is going to look like, but as far as vague generalizations are concerned, feel free to analyze it as a car that’s "bigger, angrier, and more functional-looking" than the MP4-12C.

Performance

1995 McLaren F1 LM

The Mega Mac is rumored to come with a 5.0-liter V8 engine that has been developed in partnership with Ricardo. This engine comes with an output of 800 horsepower and is mated to a Graziano seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Performance figures suggest that the Mega Mac will be capable of hitting 0-60 mph in just 2.8 seconds – that’s a tenth of a second slower than the almighty Veyron – 0-100 mph in 5.5 seconds, and 0-200 mph in just 20 seconds.

Pricing

Awkward nickname notwithstanding, the Mega Mac – sounds like a Big Mac on steroids - is expected to fetch a price tag of somewhere in the neighborhood of £350,000 to £400,000, which is about $566,000 to $647,000 based on current exchange rates. Before you go bananas over the thought of owning one, best be informed that McLaren is planning on building just 500 examples of their new modern-day machine.

It is anticipated to make it debut in late 2012 or early 2013.

Competition

1996 McLaren F1 GTR

Once McLaren unleashes this supercar sometime in 2014, you can expect it to immediately gun for the title of fastest car on the planet, a title the company hasn’t held since the legendary McLaren F1 burst into the scene in the mid 90s.

On that note, the Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Huayra, and the Koenigsegg Agera R should have one on the road and one eye on the rear-view mirror for the McLaren ’Mega Mac’. It may still be a few years away from hitting the road, but the sound of a McLaren’s piercing engine shrieking across pavements is something that the supercars of today should be very cautious of.

2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder

Back in 2009, Lamborghini unveiled the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni - a 550 HP special edition limited to only 250 units. This model was only offered in a coupe version, but at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Lamborghini has brought out a Spyder version to offer a "stunning level of open-air driving fun that can come only from a super sports car with a folding roof and an unbelievably agile and spontaneous handling." The new roadster model has dropped the "Valentino Balboni" name and is simply called the "Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder."

"With the Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder, they are expanding the Lamborghini lineup with a purist model that adds yet another dimension of driving fun. This will appeal in particular to a very special group of customers that enjoy a spirited driving style and also like to experience the sheer pleasure of open-air driving," says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. "This special model with rear-wheel drive is a logical expansion of our lineup of spyder models with all-wheel drive."

Just like the coupe model, the Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder uses a 5.2-liter V10 engine that delivers a total of 542 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. With a total weight of 3,351 lbs, the roadster will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds on its way up to a top speed of 198 mph.

UPDATE 01/17/2012: Lamborghini has announced that the new Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder will go on sale this March at a starting price of $209,000, excluding the $2,995 delivery and gas-guzzler charge

Exterior and Interior The name for Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder says a lot about the car on its own; LP stands for Longitudinale/Posteriore, for the mid-engine built longitudinally in front of the rear axle. The 550 refers to the power output and the 2 stands for the drive to the rear wheels. At Lamborghini, the word "spyder" means the ultimate synthesis of a fascinating, powerfully expressive super sports car design, the ultimate open-air thrill and sheer pleasure for all the senses. So what does this sports car have that the other didn’t, besides the open top design and the changes from AWD to RWD? The LP550-2 has been further optimized to deliver the best ever aerodynamics figures for fun and safe driving with the use of a specific dampers setting, adapted aerodynamics to make up for the change in the distribution of forces, a 45-percent locking differential, and the adoption of the e-gear transmission. It also features "a fine adaptation of the ESP stability control system." These changes only affect the change in power distribution, so the Gallardo still maintains all of the characteristics of its chassis, such as body-roll comfort and excellent directional stability at high speed. Engine The Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder will be powered by the same engine found in the coupe: a 5.2-liter V10 engine that delivers a total of 550 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a newly adopted e-gear transmission. Together, this setup sprints the 3,351 lb Gallardo from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 198 mph. Top speed fun can be had with the soft top open or closed. Prices The Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder will go on sale in March 2012 at a starting price of $209,000, excluding the $2,995 delivery and gas-guzzler charge. Competition The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder takes on models like theFerrari 458 Italia Spider. While the Gallardo uses a 5.2L V10 engine, the 458 Italia comes with a 4.5-liter V8 engine that produces 570 HP, a 20 HP advantage over the Lamborghini. The Ferrari also has a faster 0-62 mph time of just 3.4 seconds, but both top out at 198 mph.