Nürburgring: GT5 vs. reality

There's not a lot in it, resolution-wise. And firing up the PS3 is certainly a lot easier than driving all the way to the Eifel mountains...

Ferrari 458 Italia

Ferrari 458 Italia

The Ferrari 458 Italia, launched at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show 2009, is an 8-cylinder two-seater berlinetta with a mid-rear mounted engine, and represents a genuine break with the past in terms of Maranello's previous high-performance sports cars.
Designed to fulfil the expectations and ambitions of our most passionate clients, the 458 Italia continues the Ferrari tradition of putting the thrill into driving as a result of track-derived technological innovations.
Maranello's racing experience can be felt not only in terms of pure technological transfer but also on a more emotional level, because of the strong emphasis on creating an almost symbiotic relationship between driver and car.

Dimensions and Weight
Overall length 4527 mm (178.2 in.)
Overall width 1937 mm (76.3 in.)
Height 1213 mm (47.8 in.)
Wheelbase 2650 mm (104.3 in.)
Dry weight 1380 kg (3042 lbs)*
Weight/power ratio 2,42 kg/CV (7.16 lbs/kW)
Weight distribution fr/r 42%/58%
Engine
Type V8 – 90°
Total displacement 4499 cc (274.5 cu in.)
Maximum power 570 CV (425 kW)** @ 9000 rpm
Maximum torque 540 Nm (398 lbs/ft) @ 6000 rpm
Specific power output 127 CV/l
Compression ratio 12.5:1
Tyres
Front 235/35 ZR20 8.5”
Rear 295/35 ZR20 10.5”
Performance
Maximum speed >325 km/h (>202 mph)
0-100 km/h <3.4 s
Fuel Consumption + Emissions
Fuel consumption*** 13.3/100 km
Emissions*** 307 g CO2/km
Gearbox
Gearbox Dual-clutch, 7-speed F1
Electronics
Electronics E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high-performance ABS

DKW GT Malzoni

What do you get if you combine Italian coachbuilding, German engineering and a splash of Brazilian flair? In 1965, you got a DKW-VEMAG GT Malzoni.
Powered by a diminutive three-cylinder two-stroke, its 981cc displacement was bolstered (possibly to the degree of overkill) by twin 45DCOE Webers, hauling peak power up to 59bhp. And that's all you needed in the sixties, right? Particularly when it was wrapped in sumptuous hand-hammered curves with race-flavoured plexiglass light covers and a Kamm tail.
See Octane for the full story.

Marussia B1

Your eyes do not deceive you: this is a Russian supercar. And it looks pretty good too.

Now officially on sale, the Marussia B1 is powered by a turbocharged 2.8-litre Cosworth V6 (no, not the one from the Granada Scorpio, a new one), offering either 355 or 414bhp. 0-62mph? 3.8 seconds. The run is strictly limited to 2,999 cars, so if you've got £86k burning a hole in your pocket you'd better hightail it to Moscow before they sell out.

Investment in the Virgin Formula One team has pushed Marussia onto the world stage. This is actually happening. A credible Soviet supercar. It's been a long time coming...

Negative Camber Signwriting Company

Courtesy of Stanceworks, we have here a Mazda ute with devastating stance. Slammed on airbags and with monstrous negative camber at the front, it thumbs its nose at its utilitarian past, spitting sparks as the sump chews up the tarmac of New South Wales. Simple(ish), but very effective.

Caterham SP/300.R

When you think of Caterham Cars, you think of the 7. Beginning by dealing Lotus 7s in the sixties, the company bought the rights to the car in 1973 and have been successfully churning them out ever since.

What we have here, however, is something entirely different. The SP/300.R (a name that will surely be forever mis-punctuated) is the first new Caterham since 1994's 21, which was effectively a 7 anyway. It has polyurethane bodywork honed by racing legends Lola, while the suspension and rolling stock comes pretty much directly from Formula 3. Power comes from a supercharged 300bhp Ford Duratec which, given that the car weighs under 600kg, enables it to rip from 0-60mph in 2.5s, going on to 170mph.

It's purely designed for the track, so unfortunately you won't be able to slap on a tax disc and a set of number plates; however, if you want to get involved in the mooted one-make race series, the SP/300.R will set you back a mere £60,000.

Photos courtesy of Auto Express.

Bristol Series 6

The Series 6 is a brilliant idea from Bristol. It involves taking a classic Bristol 410 or 411, completely dismantling it down to its individual component parts and rebuilding it as a brand new car.
The Series 6 also receives a 400bhp 6.0-litre Chrysler V8, as well as various baubles that weren't available in period, such as state-of-the-art audio and sat-nav.
The cost of all this? Well, if you have to ask...









Here's a fascinating insight into the unusual world of Bristol Cars:

Bristol Cars from Cool Hunting on Vimeo.

For more info on the Series 6, click here.