Ford GT sets 283 mph Guinness World Record for top speed

A custom Ford GT has managed to hit 283.232 mph (455.82 km/h) in a standing mile at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on NASA’s Shuttle Landing Facility runway. Created by Performance Power Racing, this heavily modified street-legal Ford GT features two turbos and various components made from “pandalloy”. This is an aerospace aluminum alloy developed in collaboration with Pratt & Whitney which is perfect for racing applications thanks to characteristics like reduced weight, high strength and temperature resistance. Pumping out 1,700 hp (1267 kW), this Ford GT has set the Guinness World Record for top speed in a street-legal car by reaching a Tag Heuer-measured 283.232 mph in 5,280 feet (1,609 meters).

Bulldog GT by HBH

Following a teaser earlier this year, HBH has revealed the Bulldog GT. Based on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, the supercar has an aluminum body, a dual exhaust system and 19- / 20-inch forged alloy wheels.
Power comes from a mid-mounted, twin-supercharged 6.0-liter V12 engine that develops 675 PS (496 kW / 666 hp) and 756Nm (548 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to a six-speed manual transmission, which enables the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph).
There's no word on pricing, but whoever buys the Bulldog GT will also receive a 50% stake in the car's design and production rights. This way, the owner can decide if he wants to keep the vehicle a one-off or make a profit by allowing it to go into limited production.
If everything goes according to plan, HBH will complete the Bulldog's development over the next year and the first model should be ready by early 2013.

Press release:

HBH introduces the Bulldog GT
Denmark is not a country that normally brings sports car manufacture to mind, but Jesper Hermann, Christian Brandt and Torben Hartvig could soon change all that. Their company, HBH, is planning a series of one-off supercars. The design of the first project: a mid-engined version of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage has now been finalized and has been christened ‘Bulldog GT'.
This is not HBH's first supercar project: the team developing the Bulldog GT prototype is the same team which designed the Zenvo ST 1 for Zenvo Automotive. But according to team member Christian Brandt, designing the Bulldog GT has been "a long, intense process".
The aim was to design a supercar that will appeal not only to Aston Martin owners, but also to supercar enthusiasts around the world. Brandt explains some of the challenges: "In other design projects where we started with a blank sheet of paper, the process was easier and faster, as there were so few limitations. However, in the case of this Aston-based supercar we had to respect everything from the brand and design heritage of Aston Martin, through to the demands of a 2012 supercar client. It has been a challenging process; but we know it was time well spent, getting every detail right."
HBH's Torben Hartvig takes up the story. "Since the first announcement was made, we have received only positive feedback - both from potential clients and from individuals who are interested in participating financially in the prototype development. We've spent a lot of time and money creating what we believe to be a fantastic supercar, and we are therefore willing to wait for the right partner to participate in the next phase."
The project began as a one-off, where the client would receive 50% of the design and production rights, together with the one unique car. The potential of expanding from a one-off prototype to small-series production was included as an option from the start, however, and is a challenge that HBH is ready to take on.
Torben Hartvig continues, "From the very beginning, we listened carefully to the market before deciding on the future of the Bulldog GT. As we see it, all possibilities are open: if a client only wants to make one car, only one will be produced. If there is a market for a small series, which we strongly believe there is, and the client would like us to produce a small series, then this is what we will do. We believe this project is an opportunity to be a part of automotive history and, at the same time, make a potentially good investment."
The prototype development is estimated to 12 months, with the first test drives provisionally scheduled for early 2013.
During the design phase, the HBH engineering team has also been working on its plans to modify the chassis. As the vehicle is based on an existing car, the challenge here was to re-engineer the existing chassis to give the necessary supercar dynamics. Safety and crash aspects also had to live up to supercar standards.

Now THAT'S a great idea.

Car Enthusiast keeps Ferrari Parked in the Lounge.

At first we thought when we heard this news: This guy must be the driver of an Aberdeen Car. We'd even mentioned the fact that some drivers of Aberdeen Cars would do just what this guy has done, given the chance.

But then we read on... and discovered that this guy's Ferrari is second hand. Ugh! No self-respecting driver of Aberdeen Cars would be seen dead in a second hand Ferrari.

It just sends out all the wrong messages.

Aberdeen SUPER-Cars

Sometimes, we get a bit down. Too much time documenting the activities of the cycling advocacy (so-called) community, too many advances by the Sinister Forces of Re-allocation, too many parking restrictions, and even the advances by the rail lobby all take their toll.

So, sometimes it's necessary for us to comfort ourselves, and luckily, there's a YouTube channel which sorts us out straight away:

Aberdeen Supercars (part 20)


Ah, that's better. Feel all 'aspirational' again!

Koenigsegg CCR tuned by edo Competition

The Koenigsegg CCR has enough power to shame most supercars, but that wasn't enough for one owner who found the whole driving experience a tad underwhelming.

To correct the misgivings, he enlisted edo Competition to modify the drive ratio and install a remapped ECU. As a result, the twin-supercharged 4.7-liter V8 engine hits its torque peak earlier and has an increased output of 891 PS (655 kW / 879 hp). Oddly, despite the extra power, the top speed was "reduced slightly" from 390 km/h (242 mph).

Furthermore, to fix the "notchy gear changes," edo engineers disassembled the transmission and replaced the plastic bushings with Uniball units. This results in improved acceleration and enhanced drivability.

Lastly, the cabin was outfitted with Alcantara upholstery, a redesigned center console, a new infotainment system, and a tire pressure monitoring system that has a display integrated into the dashboard.

Ferrari 458 Italia by Novitec Rosso

It was just last week Novitec Rosso showed us their Race 606 tuning package for the Ferrari California. Now in preparation for the Geneva Motor Show next week the German tuner of the prancing horse has revealed early their program for latest model from Maranello, the Ferrari 458 Italia.

Novitec Rosso has kept engine modifications basic for the brand new model. They've added a new carbon-fiber airbox, a high-performance exhaust system made from nickel-chromium-based superalloy Inconel, which weighs 21 kg (46 lbs) less, as well as sport exhaust manifolds, sport catalysts and a rear muffler with a sound control flap that can be activated by a button on the steering wheel. Lastly, a remapped engine management system for optimized ignition and injection was added resulting in an additional 39 PS (28.7 kW / 39 bhp) from the 4.5-liter V8 for a total of 609 PS (448 kW / 600 bhp) at 9,100 rpm. Simultaneously peak torque has grown from 540 Nm (398 lb-ft) to 569 Nm (420 lb-ft) at 5,400 rpm.

For a top speed in excess of 330 km/h (205 mph) Novitec Rosso fine-tuned the body components using the wind tunnel at the University of Stuttgart. Made of carbon fiber the aerodynamic-enhanced kit consists of a lower spoiler, right/left wing flaps and ventilation louvers attached to the original bumper fascia. Also in carbon fiber are the fenders, side skirts, carbon-fiber mirror housings, rear spoiler and diffuser. And last but not least the roof panel and engine hood are also made from carbon fiber.

Custom-tailored versions of the three-piece Novitec Rosso NF3 wheels were developed for the 458 Italia. Novitec Rosso chose a staggered combination of size 9Jx21 wheels in front and size 12Jx22 on the rear. Custom-manufactured Pirelli PZero tires are mounted in size 255/30 ZR 21 and 335/25 ZR 22 front to rear, respectively.

NOVITEC ROSSO sport springs lower the ride height of the Ferrari by 35 millimeters while the hydraulic front lift system can raise the front lip of the car by 40 millimeters to help clear speed bumps or parking garage ramps.