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Ferrari 599 GTO on youtube

So you still think the best street-legal Ferrari of them all is the Enzo? Listen up; we have an update. There’s a new champ in Maranello—it’s not as outrageous as the Enzo, but more powerful, more sophisticated, more agile, and even faster. Ferrari calls it “the most extreme sports car” it has ever produced. At a company where fabulous is the starting point for pretty much every new project, that’s saying something.

Ferrari’s challenge (besides, you know, actually engineering the car) was in choosing a name for the beast, which is based on the 599GTB Fiorano. There isn’t much to set the new car apart visually from the GTB, just additional aero elements at the front, aggressive rear air diffusers, and other various airflow management touches that add up to double the high-speed downforce of the “regular” 599.

The corporate brain trust looked down the corridor of Ferrari immortals, and they came across the 1962–64 GTO, and resurrecting the name just made sense. (Less influence came from the mid-engined, twin-turbo V-8 GTO of 1984, which was based on the 308.) And the 599GTO was born.

GTO Then and Now

Although much has changed since 1962, there are some fundamental similarities between the legendary original and this revival. Both cars are front-engine, rear-drive designs, and both have excellent weight distribution, with essentially all of the powerplant’s mass riding behind the front axle’s centerline. Both sport a small aero upkick on the rear decklid, dubbed a “nolder.” Both cars are propelled by aluminum V-12 engines, and both generate compelling noises as the revs climb toward redline. But of course there’s a little more muscle behind the crescendos coming from the 599GTO’s quadruple tailpipes.

Fed by six two-throat Weber carburetors—remember carburetors?—the 3.0-liter SOHC V-12 that powered the original GTO was rated for 300 hp at 7400 rpm and 250 lb-ft of torque. Feeding power via a five-speed manual gearbox to a limited-slip live rear axle, it was capable of a 5.8-second run to 60 mph, and a top speed of 144 mph.

This was very hot stuff in the early ’60s, and isn’t exactly slow even today. But it’s tame compared to what happens when you set the new car’smanettino (the steering-wheel-mounted dial that controls a number of vehicle functions such as traction and stability control levels and shift response) to Race (the middle position of five), and summon all the horses lurking under the 599GTO’s hood.

There are 671 horses on hand in this version of the 599’s V-12, up from 612 in the 599GTB, and they come quickly when called. As the engine shrieks its way to its 8400-rpm peak, you’re squashed into the racing-style bucket seat, with each upshift through the six-speed gearbox giving an extra little shove.

Split-Second Defined

To understate things, those upshifts don’t take long. With a manettino setting of Race or higher, the single-clutch automated manual takes just 60 milliseconds to go from one gear to the next, according to Ferrari. That’s about twice as fast as the gearbox response in the GTB Fiorano, and beyond the hand speed of any human operating a traditional manual

he oversize shift paddles, which are fixed to the steering column rather than rotating with the wheel, make actuating cog swaps a pure joy, and you find yourself wishing there were a few more gears. At the top end of sixth, flat out, the GTO will be traveling at just over 208 mph, so maybe there are enough gears after all.

Ferrari forecasts a 0-to-62-mph time of 3.35 seconds, quicker than the Enzo. After considering power, mass, phase of the moon, and position of the planets, our tech guys forecast something a little quicker—3.1 seconds—since the GTB Fiorano we tested in September 2008 made the sprint in 3.3.

Power Mining

The GTO’s power increase over the GTB was achieved largely by improved intake and exhaust flow, the latter carefully tuned to emit sounds that are louder and distinctly more nourishing to the tifosi spirit. The howl of the GTO at full chat: fantastico!

Other elements of the GTO V-12 include a new 180-degree (flat) crankshaft design with throws designed to twirl more freely, extensive friction-reducing measures that Ferrari says make it 12 percent more efficient than the GTB’s V-12, and improved digital control of the ignition system, which monitors and adjusts every combustion event. Surprisingly, the profiles of the cam lobes are unchanged.

This may sound like a lot of effort for a car whose production—which is beginning as we speak—will be limited to 599 copies, but much of the work had already been done for the more radical 599XX, a car with no street-legal pretensions whatsoever. In XX trim, Ferrari engineers have managed to extract 720 hp from the V-12. Elements of that transformation compatible with contemporary emissions regulations were used on the GTO project.

Benign Rocket

Anyway, fast and powerful are traits you’d expect of a car wearing the storied GTO badge. What you might not expect is how eagerly—and forgivingly—this latest GTO applies that power and speed to a given stretch of straights and curves. The fundamental mechanical elements of the dynamic upgrade versus the standard 599GTB Fiorano and the more aggressive Handling Gran Turismo Evoluzione (HGTE) version are stiffer spring rates and a heftier rear anti-roll bar. There’s also more grip. Ferrari estimates about 1.25 g, thanks to bigger contact patches from 285/30 front and 315/35 rear Michelin rubber made from a new compound. These Pilot Super Sports are a little stickier than the very sticky Pilot Sport Cups.

The combination of more grip, standard (and huge) carbon-ceramic rotors, and Brembo’s new ceramic pads yields superb braking power, with ABS standing by should the driver overpower the tires. During our visit to Italy’s fast 3.1-mile Mugello racetrack, a couple of test drivers managed to jump on the brake pedal hard enough, and at a high enough speed, to reach the ABS threshold. This author was never in danger of having this occur, although I did feel my eyeballs trying to dislodge themselves during a couple of late-braking episodes.

Manettino Magic

As with the 599GTB, a set of auto-adjusting magnetorheological shock absorbers provide wonderfully precise damping as well as astonishingly comfortable ride quality on public roads. But the element that gives this supercar an exceptional degree of user-friendliness is how well the GTO takes care of its driver at high speeds via the five settings offered by the manettino (Italian for “little hand”), that small dial mounted on the lower right corner of the steering-wheel center.

As we said, the dial governs traction control, stability control, and shift responses. Its lowest setting is for inclement conditions. Next is sport, which raises the stability control threshold considerably. In race, the threshold goes higher still, and shift time is reduced to that magical 60 milliseconds. The next step cancels traction control, and the final position shuts down all the electronic assistance.

This last step is for those who are, yes, brave and accomplished but also hold title to the car. I certainly didn’t qualify on the last part and so confined myself to moving the manettino to the fourth click on my final set of laps. At that level, the system allows a lot more sliding around before it kicks in, but it ultimately steps in and restores some sense of order.

The 599GTO is a well-balanced package, almost as willing to change direction as the mid-engine F430 or 430 Scuderia. There’s a hint of mild understeer, easily corrected with the throttle, and if the steering isn’t quite as tactile as that of some sports cars, it’s as accurate as a surgical tool. What all this adds up to is a sporting machine of an exceedingly high order, one that recently wrested Ferrari’s production-car lap record at its 1.9-mile Fiorano test track from the Enzo, turning in a time of 1:24.0 versus 1:25.0.

The Bottom Line

The basic get-in for a 599GTB Fiorano is almost $317,000. Adding the HGTE package costs just over $30,000. But that would still leave you a little over 100 grand in your pocket against the 599GTO, at an estimated $450,000. Does that seem high? The Enzo was some $200,000 north of that, and the 29 copies of the 599XX went for $1.5 million each.

What the 599 prospective GTO owners can look forward to is supercar performance that matches the software wizardry of a car like the Nissan GT-R, but without imposing robotic and passionless precision. The GTO will take care of its driver to the extent the driver finds comfortable, but its soul is omnipresent.

However, if your name isn’t on the list of future owners, these concerns don’t concern you. All 599 examples are already spoken for. If this seems like favoritism, consider that no single Ferrari begins its gestation without an owner’s name on the build sheet and that the company began inviting carefully selected GTO prospects to visit its headquarters in early January. So, yeah, it’s pretty much favoritism.

ttp://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q2/2011_ferrari_599gto-first_drive_review/

With four other debuts planned for this year’sGeneva auto show, Porsche saved one surprise for just before the show opened. Behold the 918 Spyder concept, a radical Carrera GT–like supercar that employs Porsche’s latest take on enviro-firendly performance technology.

The Supercar of Tomorrow

Moving in the same direction as Ferrari with its 599 Hybrid concept, Porsche is laying its cards on the table with this dual-purpose supercar plug-in hybrid. Said to “combine high-tech racing features with electric mobility to offer a fascinating range of qualities,” the 918 Spyder concept borrows the mid-mounted 3.4-liter V-8 engine from the RS Spyder race car, singing a symphony of 500 hp up to a 9200-rpm redline. That covers the race portion of the equation, while electric motors found at both the front and rear axles that combine for an output of 218 hp handle the electric mobility. These motors, able to move the car on electric power alone, make the 918 a full hybrid, which Porsche claims has a range of 16 miles using the liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery found behind the passenger compartment. Porsche claims the concept is capable of hitting 62 mph in under 3.2 seconds, topping out at 198 mph, lapping the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 30 seconds (faster than a Carrera GT), and achieving fuel economy of up to 78 mpg, but certainly not while laying down those figures.

How does the 918 Spyder offer the best of both worlds? With four different driving modes, of course. A button on the steering wheel allows the driver to handle the 918’s multiple-personality disorder, selecting from E-Drive, Hybrid, Sport Hybrid, and Race Hybrid modes. E-Drive is exactly that, using the stored energy in the batteries that’s supplied through plugging the car in at home or captured from regenerative braking. Hybrid mode combines the two drive systems, allowing the driver to either conserve fuel or flog the car to their heart’s content. Sport Hybrid is a step to the performance side using both gas and electric systems with power biased to the rear wheels and torque vectoring for improved handling. Greenies need not apply to the Race Hybrid setting, which squeezes out every bit of oomph from all onboard systems and even features an “E-Boost” push-to-pass button that feeds additional electric power for overtaking. As if the 500-hp gas motor needed any help.

Frankenstein Looks Good

Using just about every exotic lightweight material to keep the concept’s weight to a mere 3285 pounds, Porsche has also given the 918 Spyder a futuristic style that only vaguely resembles past models. Slung low with huge wheels that we don’t even know how to begin to describe, the roadster more directly hints at cues from other sports cars of today. The overall profile is reminiscent of the Lotus Elise, the front fascia has hints of Ferrari 360, and it’s capped off by a Carrera-GT-got-busy-with-a-Bugatti-Veyron rear end—the result is decidedly un-Porsche. That said, the interior is right out of the GT’s design book, featuring a steeply sloped center console that Porsche says will serve as a potential interior architecture on future models.

The concept also uses advanced features like variable aerodynamics for increased efficiency and added downforce at high speeds, as well as a Range Manager that uses the navigation system to present the predicted range the car is able to roam in its various modes.

As usual, Porsche remains tight-lipped about the potential for the 918 Spyder concept to see production, but seeing as Porsche has never shown a concept it hasn’t produced, we’d say the chances are pretty good.

The note on the windshield was damp with dew. It read: “Pure temptation!!”—Your anonymous neighbor

Such notes appear from time to time on my Porsche test cars. Everyone puts their own spin on the American dream. For Can, my not-so-anonymous Vietnamese neighbor, a red 911 has a starring role. Can was 16 when he first saw a red Porsche, from behind the concertina wire of a refugee-relocation camp in Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.

“My brother pointed it out. He said, ‘James Dean died in one of those.’ ”

Somewhere, a couple of layers in from hard-core, is the Porsche 911 GT3. Pocked all over with dugouts and screens and graced by one big chiropteran wing, the GT3 is not like other 911s. The focus is sharpened, the reflexes tapered to sashimi-slicing perfection by Porsche’s grindstone. Only real 911 junkies drive GT3s because there’s no dual-clutch automatic offered, and at 435 horsepower, the GT3’s older, port-injected 3.8-liter flat-six from the racing-based GT1 98 engine family is a high-strung screamer with an 8400-rpm redline and not much torque below 5000. And it’s down 65 horsepower from the similarly priced (including a few of the GT3’s many options) direct-injection Turbo.

The GT3 RS with its forged tungsten suspension? Well, that’s just for crazy people.

This 2010 GT3 arrived for testing with 59 miles on its clock. It was without blemish, just as Porsche’s line workers had built it. The double-barreled tailpipes gleamed. The suspension sparkled. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires bristled with nibs. Even the black plastic chin spoiler, hanging just 3.8 inches above the scarring pavement, was clean of scrub marks.

That night, it rained, and the next day  we had to drive the car down a muddy road. Sometimes this job sucks.

Can’s family comes from North Vietnam. They moved south to escape Ho Chi Minh, his father finding work in the U.S.-supported government. As South Vietnam collapsed, government employees, and especially those who had previously fled the north, were singled out. Can’s parents leveraged a contact in the Vietnamese navy to get a ride out for the whole family—Can and his eight siblings—on a fleeing destroyer one day before the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.

“It’s amazing,” says Can. “One day can make a difference in your whole life.” Three months later, Can was in Pennsylvania, learning the difference between a Porsche and a Citroën 2CV, the only other car he had ever heard of.

The stick shift of a 59-mile-old GT3 moves with all the fluidity of an oar in wet concrete. Porsche assured us that the shifter would loosen up quickly. The “break-in hints” on page 13 of the GT3’s owner’s manual include: Never lug the engine in high gear at low speeds, do not exceed an engine speed of 4200 rpm, and avoid full-throttle starts and abrupt stops. We read that right before winding it up to about 5500 rpm and popping the heavy clutch.

Even on new, nib-studded tires, a GT3 hits 60 mph in 3.8 seconds with a piercing wail that sounds like an entire Le Mans grid stuffed into two mufflers. That’s the same time as the last GT3 we tested [March 2007]. Since then, horsepower is up by 20 and the weight by 40 pounds, to 3280. With more miles on this car, one might eke out another tenth or two. Still, our GT3 stopped from 70 mph in 145 feet. Most cars couldn’t match that if they hit a parked dump truck first.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q1/2010_porsche_911_gt3-road_test

How do the Germans update an icon? Gradually, of course. Although it hasn’t quite achieved the level of, say, Porsche’s 911 or the VW Beetle, the Audi TT is a design icon nonetheless—just a bit younger. As a style-first, sport-infused incarnation of the Audi A3/VW GTI platform, the TT would be no more remarkable if not for its rounded overhang areas, Bauhaus-inspired geometry, and chopped roofline.

Although the TT dons fresh duds for 2011, none of its essential characteristics change. Heck, nothing changes much at all. What has changed are the headlamps of base TT 2.0 TFSI coupes and roadsters, which now adopt the winged-detail, LED-underscored headlamps first seen on the more potent TTS model, which was introduced last year. The lower air intakes have become more squared-off and three-dimensional in form, but the single-frame grille remains, albeit with glossy horizontal vanes. Out back is a new rear valance with two round exhaust tips but little else we haven’t seen before. Minor changes of even less note have been made inside the TT—just some new aluminum trim on the steering wheel and center console and a few piano-black pieces elsewhere. What you can’t see is the fact that the sport button will now modify both the steering assist and exhaust note for a meatier feel and sound.

TTS Torque For All

Under the skin, the TT 2.0 TFSI now comes with a zestier turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger with 211 hp (up from 201) and a very potent 258 lb-ft of torque (up from 207), mated exclusively to Audi’s S tronic dual-clutch automated manual and Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Gone are the front-wheel-drive TT and the manual transmission. We have high hopes for the base TT, which arrives in the first quarter of 2011. A TT 2.0T Quattro coupe we tested last year hit 60 mph in a surprisingly swift 5.7 seconds. And we expect that, with the 25-percent bump in torque, the 2011 will be even quicker.

Should the TT 2.0 TFSI get a lot quicker, it may become harder for Audi to charge a chunky premium for the impressive but pricey TTS (base price: $46,725), which has a big 265 hp but the same 258 lb-ft of torque as the new 2.0 TFSI. At 4.8 seconds to 60 mph, the TTS currently has an advantage of nearly a second over the base car. The TTS reserves performance brakes for itself, although its standard magnetorheological shocks will be optional on the base TT in 2011. And when the 2011 TTS arrives this fall, it likely will retain its advantage in the curb-appeal department thanks to some additional chrome trim in the outboard intakes and grille, and its sexy 18-inch wheels.

Sadly, the best TT, the hi-po TT RS, is still not planned for the U.S. market, in spite of our most ardent implores. With its chunky-chic aero mods, slammed suspension, and 340-hp turbocharged five-cylinder, it could help boost the TT’s standing within the hard-core sports-car set. But alas, we wait still—and likely will keep waiting until the economy makes some marked improvements.

While the TT always has been and likely will always remain based on wide, sturdy passenger-car (vs. low-slung sports-car) architecture, with each evolution, it becomes ever more credible as a sports car. We’re not sure its corporate cousin, the Porsche Boxster, has much to worry about at track days, but the TT’s 2011 changes, in concert with its carry-over combination of comfort, efficiency, and style, ought to boost the little Audi’s appeal even further.

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/10q2/2011_audi_tt_and_tts-official_photos_and_info

“Whatever you do, don’t screw it up.” Such is the prevailing sentiment whenever one ventures to follow up a successful first try, yet the second go-round often turns out to be a disappointment. The original Mazda 3 was a huge success in terms of sales and critical praise, and it only grew stronger as time wore on. As such, the redesigned 2010 Mazda 3 seemed like a prime candidate for sequel failure. Happily, though, the new 3 is a delight, more “Empire Strikes Back” than “Caddyshack 2.” The biggest fear for many was that the new model wouldn’t be as fun to drive as its predecessor. Thankfully, that attribute is still firmly intact. The underlying platform is mostly unchanged, save for the added use of high-strength steel and a retuned version of the suspension, which combine to give the new 3 better body control without any additional ride harshness. The steering remains communicative and confidence-inspiring, while the amount of vibration transmitted to the driver’s hands has been reduced. The result is a more polished version of what was already a highly refined and fun car. The base 2.0-liter four-cylinder remains unchanged in terms of power, but fuel economy has improved thanks to a new five-speed automatic transmission. While not quite at the gas-sipping level of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, the new 3 can no longer be slagged for relatively gluttonous fuel consumption. The bigger four-cylinder gets pumped up to 2.5 liters and a healthy 167 horsepower, and its fuel economy improves by 1 mpg on the highway. These are two of the peppiest power plants found in the economy sedan class. The biggest changes are on the styling front, with an all-new exterior and interior covering the 3′s virtually unchanged dimensions. The smiley front end has garnered mixed reactions, but at least there’s a rational explanation for it — Mazda designed it to maximize aerodynamics for increased gas mileage and decreased wind noise. The flared wheel arches are an obvious Mazda family cue, while the tail ends of both sedan and hatchback body styles are curvier evolutions of their predecessors. The interior is less controversial, with a more modern, eye-catching design and improved materials. Uninitiated passengers might even mistake the cabin of the Mazda 3 in fully loaded Grand Touring guise for that of an entry-level luxury sedan. For those who find the 3′s ride too firm or its interior controls too complicated, the Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic are good alternatives. The Volkswagen Rabbit and Jetta could also be considered against the 3′s trim levels. Nonetheless, the 2010 Mazda 3 remains our top choice in the economy sedan category thanks to its pleasing driving demeanor, strong powertrains, ample equipment, excellent quality and versatile body styles. Far from screwing it up, Mazda has made the new 3 a thoroughly satisfying sequel.

http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda3/2010/review.html

Mercedes cars are known throughout the world for their superb performance and elegant style. The cars are built with state of the art technology that ensure you ultimate comfortable ride. Mercedes cars can be arguably stated as the best examples of excellent German engineering . Mercedes Benz C 200 Kompressor is one of the finest luxury cars that is available in India. Mercedes Benz C 200 Kompressor comes under Mercedes Benz C-Class category, which are the entry level cars under the luxury car segment of the brand. Mercedes Benz C 200 Kompressor is considered as an excellent fuel efficient car. It is believed that the car has been able to allure numerous consumers in the country not only with its fascinating looks but also with its outstanding performance. Mercedes Benz C 200 Kompressor has got 4 in line cylinder engine with 4 valves per cylinder. The engine of the car delivers a power of about 116 kw or 158 hp @ 5500 rpm and it generates a torque of about 221 Nm @ 3500-4500 rpm. The compression ratio of the engine is about 8.5:1. The engine has got microprocessor controlled injection system that comprises a hot film air mass sensor. Mercedes Benz C 200 Kompressor has a single dry plate clutch. You will find a 6 speed manual transmission system as well as 5 speed automatic transmission system. The front suspension system of Mercedes Benz C 200 Kompressor is equipped with three link axle, coil springs and stabilizer. It has also got McPherson struts and gas filled dampers. The rear suspension system of the car comes with multi link independent suspension with coil springs and stabilizer. The anti lift and anti squat device in the suspension system ensure extremely comfortable ride to the passengers. The car has got rack and pinion power steering which makes it much more convenient for the drivers to control the car effectively. The overall length, height and width of Mercedes Benz C 200 Kompressor is about 4528 mm, 1426 mm and 1728 mm respectively. The fuel tank has a capacity of 62 liters and reserve capacity of about 8 liters.

http://www.automobileindia.com/cars/mercedes-india/mercedes-benz-c-200-kompressor.html

For more than 20 years, the top choices for a family sedan have been the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. These two favorites have been at the top of the heap, providing owners with safe, well-made and ever-reliable transport. Though virtually equal in popularity, they’ve traditionally catered to two different types of drivers. Those seeking a luxury carlike isolation from the road chose the Camry, while those wanting a more involving drive went with the sportier, though somewhat less refined, Accord. The two segment stars have grown in size over the years, resulting in the modern Accord becoming more accommodating but less fun to drive.  As such, the 2010 Honda Accord finds itself lagging behind sportier family car rivals such as the Nissan Altima, the Mazda 6 and the often-overlooked Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan twins. The latest Accord is well built and will likely furnish many years of trouble-free service for its owner, while providing a spacious and comfortable cabin for its occupants. However, in addition to losing its sporty personality, it still carries on a few less-endearing Accord characteristics, those being elevated road noise at highway speeds and worse-than-average braking performance. Meanwhile, the base engine in the LX trims is merely adequate, and the top-of-the-line 3.5-liter V6 is outgunned by many rival six-cylinder engines. Make no mistake — the 2010 Honda Accord remains a very appealing car for several good reasons. It’s got a big advantage over most rivals in the form of its sterling reputation for reliability, which not only makes for more enjoyable ownership but also gives the Accord one of the best resale values around. And when this upsized Accord debuted a few years ago, it moved up to the EPA’s “large car” status, which is plainly evident when one experiences the commodious rear seat. The Accord’s cabin also boasts excellent build quality and a premium look and feel that’s noticeably a cut above the rival Camry’s. The Accord is also one of the few cars in this segment available in a coupe body style, which is substantially sportier than the workaday sedan — particularly with the optional V6 and coupe-exclusive six-speed manual. You can’t really go wrong choosing any Accord, but we suggest taking a close look at the aforementioned competitors — particularly the Ford Fusion and Mazda 6 — along with the value-oriented Hyundai Sonata and the stylish Chevrolet Malibu, before making your decision.

http://www.edmunds.com/honda/accord/2010/review.html