Once again, we have caught Maranello’s latest pure sports car before its official debut, but unlike the last time we saw the Ferrari F450, this one is fully intact. Unfortunately, those intact body panels are covered up by matte black body masking that reveals maybe two percent of the actual sheetmetal itself, and only parts of the spear-like vertical light stacks that were clearly visible last time. However, the taillights appear to be the real thing.
More revealing are the locations—if not the shapes themselves—of the air intakes. F430-like scoops aft of the doors and atop the rear fenders return with the F450, but the clunky, box-shaped deals on the prototype’s decklid could hide some active induction devices that could feed more air into the engine at high speeds or under heavy power loads. Additional shots obtained by CzechFerrari.cz show that the brake ducts feed carbon-ceramic brakes (standard on all Ferraris) with aluminum hats in the rear and full-carbon pieces in front. They’ve also grabbed a couple of images that show integrated aero via buttresses like those seen on the 599GTB.
What is all that air feeding? Well, it looks to be an optimally located, low- and forward-mounted V-8 engine, likely displacing 4.5 liters, with direct injection and an astronomical redline, taking output well above the 500-hp mark. (An F500 name, indicating 5.0 liters of displacement, is also a possibility.) This prototype is fitted with an eight-into-two-into-three exhaust system that, according to photos from CzechFerrari.cz, terminates with two mufflers linked by a crossover pipe. The outboard apertures connect directly to each muffler and are fitted with active flaps. Although the three-tip setup may seem out of place on an eight-cylinder car, Ferrari has used such a layout before with the twin-turbo V-8 F40.
As we’ve stated before, Ferrari has promised greater efficiency from its future models, so some green technology—possibly bio-fuel compatibility or a road-going version of its F1-developed Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) setup—is likely. (We’ve also seen and heard of plans for twin-turbo V-8s and a special hybrid-electric all-wheel-drive system that would likely debut in a higher-end model, such as an Enzo successor or 599 evolution or replacement.)
Whatever tech ends up in the F450, it is certain to deliver scintillating performance equal to or surpassing that of pretty much any road car that doesn’t command a seven-figure price. We can’t wait to see it officially unveiled, which will likely take place this fall at the Frankfurt or L.A. auto shows. And we really can’t wait to drive it.
Friday, September 11, 2009
2010 Brabus SV12 R - Auto Shows
Nobody, not even Sylvester Stallone, does over the top as well as Brabus. At the Frankfurt auto show, the German tuner will unveil the latest salvo in a stratospheric horsepower war it is apparently waging with the locomotive industry: the Brabus SV12 R Biturbo 750.
As hawk-eyed readers will have guessed, this latest Brabus is S-class–based, powered by a V-12, twin turbocharged, and makes what many would consider entirely too much horsepower: 740 (the “750” in the name refers to the metric horsepower rating). Separating the maniacal V-12 in this vehicle from that powering the G-wagon–based G V12 S Biturbo shown at the Geneva auto show last spring is an additional 50 hp and 21 lb-ft of torque capacity. We say “capacity” because, like it is in the G, the 6.3-liter V-12 is limited to only delivering 811 lb-ft of its potential, in this case claimed to be 995 lb-ft. This is either to protect the five-speed automatic transmission—a bit like “protecting” Chuck Liddell’s punching bag with a Kung Fu Panda Band-Aid, we’d say—or to prevent the car from performing oil-pan-flattening wheelies at every launch.
Never Be Late Again
Performance claims are 0–62 mph in four seconds flat, 0–124 in 11.9, and a top speed electronically governed to 211 mph. That naught-to-60 time might seem a bit slow for that much power, but considering that the S65 AMG is already traction limited with only 604 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, four seconds to 60 would be tough to beat without minitubs and superwide slicks, and those are so déclassé.
Of course, the power is accompanied by a few aerodynamic tweaks—redesigned front and rear lip spoilers—custom Brabus wheels, and mongoid brakes that again seem borrowed from the transcontinental freight catalog. Up front are 15.0-inch vented and cross-drilled rotors squeezed by 12-piston calipers, while the rear makes do with just six pistons and 14 inches of rotor.
Or Be Late and Conduct Business From the Road
For the power executive who wants to waste all that extra go on a chauffer, the rear seat of this S-class is outfitted for duty as a mobile office. A notebook computer docks in the trunk on an electronically deployed tray and displays on a 15.2-inch Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) screen that retracts into the leather headliner when not in use. This is, of course, in addition to the standard video screens already in place in the front headrests; those screens are controlled by a second COMAND controller wired into the rear center console and sharing space with a printer. Don’t worry, it’s color. A wireless keyboard is included, and the car stays online with a 3G mobile internet connection. Brabus is also quick to point out the two USB 2.0 ports, so you can attach a webcam and conduct teleconferences on the go. Nothing says “I’m serious” quite like screaming at employees a continent away while whisking about at 211 mph.
It’s not just over the top. It’s through the roof and off to Saturn. That could likely describe the price tag, too. The G V12 S Biturbo stickers at $480,000—and that’s without all the mobile-office hootenanny. We can see a $550,000 sticker for this nuclear beast.
As hawk-eyed readers will have guessed, this latest Brabus is S-class–based, powered by a V-12, twin turbocharged, and makes what many would consider entirely too much horsepower: 740 (the “750” in the name refers to the metric horsepower rating). Separating the maniacal V-12 in this vehicle from that powering the G-wagon–based G V12 S Biturbo shown at the Geneva auto show last spring is an additional 50 hp and 21 lb-ft of torque capacity. We say “capacity” because, like it is in the G, the 6.3-liter V-12 is limited to only delivering 811 lb-ft of its potential, in this case claimed to be 995 lb-ft. This is either to protect the five-speed automatic transmission—a bit like “protecting” Chuck Liddell’s punching bag with a Kung Fu Panda Band-Aid, we’d say—or to prevent the car from performing oil-pan-flattening wheelies at every launch.
Never Be Late Again
Performance claims are 0–62 mph in four seconds flat, 0–124 in 11.9, and a top speed electronically governed to 211 mph. That naught-to-60 time might seem a bit slow for that much power, but considering that the S65 AMG is already traction limited with only 604 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, four seconds to 60 would be tough to beat without minitubs and superwide slicks, and those are so déclassé.
Of course, the power is accompanied by a few aerodynamic tweaks—redesigned front and rear lip spoilers—custom Brabus wheels, and mongoid brakes that again seem borrowed from the transcontinental freight catalog. Up front are 15.0-inch vented and cross-drilled rotors squeezed by 12-piston calipers, while the rear makes do with just six pistons and 14 inches of rotor.
Or Be Late and Conduct Business From the Road
For the power executive who wants to waste all that extra go on a chauffer, the rear seat of this S-class is outfitted for duty as a mobile office. A notebook computer docks in the trunk on an electronically deployed tray and displays on a 15.2-inch Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) screen that retracts into the leather headliner when not in use. This is, of course, in addition to the standard video screens already in place in the front headrests; those screens are controlled by a second COMAND controller wired into the rear center console and sharing space with a printer. Don’t worry, it’s color. A wireless keyboard is included, and the car stays online with a 3G mobile internet connection. Brabus is also quick to point out the two USB 2.0 ports, so you can attach a webcam and conduct teleconferences on the go. Nothing says “I’m serious” quite like screaming at employees a continent away while whisking about at 211 mph.
It’s not just over the top. It’s through the roof and off to Saturn. That could likely describe the price tag, too. The G V12 S Biturbo stickers at $480,000—and that’s without all the mobile-office hootenanny. We can see a $550,000 sticker for this nuclear beast.
2011 BMW X3 - Spied
BMW’s smallish X1 crossover hasn't even been launched yet, but here we are moving on to the German automaker’s next suburban wagon. We've noted before that the current X3 is aging rapidly, and to keep buyers from moving down-market to the fresh-faced X1, the company is rushing the second-generation model towards production.
BMW X3 Brake Pad
Slightly bigger than the current X3, the next model will put some distance between itself and the cutesy X1. Our spy photography, taken during hot-weather testing in the Southwest, reveals a sloping front hood and aggressive front air intakes. The side view resembles the X1, with a thicker C-pillar and BMW's characteristic surfacing with concave elements.
It is definitely a more carlike look than that of the current X3 or the boxy Mercedes-Benz GLK, which tries to mimic the awe-inspiring G-wagen. In look and feel, the second-generation X3 aims squarely at the Audi Q5, which romped to a decisive victory in our most recent comparison of small luxury SUVs. Inside, the X3 is expected to be more carlike as well, although unlike some other BMW cars, there is no strange-looking second hood on the dashboard. The navigation system is housed lower than the main instrumentation, similar to in the X1 and the X5. BMW's M division also is designing an M Sport package with interior and exterior modifications.
Engines available in Europe will come from BMW's vast parts bin. We expect 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter four- and six-cylinder gasoline engines, respectively, with the range topped by the twin-turbocharged inline-six we've come to appreciate so well. There will be four- and six-cylinder turbo-diesels, too. It’s uncertain which powertrains will make it to the U.S. (We wouldn’t mind a high-performance version with the M3’s V-8 underhood; we like to imagine it as a German reincarnation of the GMC Typhoon.) Power will be transmitted through BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system, and while a rear-wheel-drive version would technically be possible, we believe marketing considerations will keep BMW from offering such an entry-level model as it will with the X1.
While the current X3 is built by contract manufacturer Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, BMW is building the next generation in-house, moving assembly alongside the X5 and X6 in the company’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Z4 has been pulled from Spartanburg and is now made in Germany. The U.S. plant is currently gearing up to a total capacity of 200,000 units, all of them SUVs. The product mix will be flexible, but the X3 is expected to be the largest-volume model at about 100,000 units annually. Magna Steyr gets to build the crossover version of the Mini as compensation.
The weak dollar has become a huge problem for European carmakers, who are finding profit margins to be increasingly thinner on models imported to America. The X3 will therefore be strongly focused on the U.S. market, while the German-built X1 is tailored mainly for European tastes. Look for the new X3 to be officially launched in late 2010 or early 2011.
BMW X3 Brake Pad
Slightly bigger than the current X3, the next model will put some distance between itself and the cutesy X1. Our spy photography, taken during hot-weather testing in the Southwest, reveals a sloping front hood and aggressive front air intakes. The side view resembles the X1, with a thicker C-pillar and BMW's characteristic surfacing with concave elements.
It is definitely a more carlike look than that of the current X3 or the boxy Mercedes-Benz GLK, which tries to mimic the awe-inspiring G-wagen. In look and feel, the second-generation X3 aims squarely at the Audi Q5, which romped to a decisive victory in our most recent comparison of small luxury SUVs. Inside, the X3 is expected to be more carlike as well, although unlike some other BMW cars, there is no strange-looking second hood on the dashboard. The navigation system is housed lower than the main instrumentation, similar to in the X1 and the X5. BMW's M division also is designing an M Sport package with interior and exterior modifications.
Engines available in Europe will come from BMW's vast parts bin. We expect 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter four- and six-cylinder gasoline engines, respectively, with the range topped by the twin-turbocharged inline-six we've come to appreciate so well. There will be four- and six-cylinder turbo-diesels, too. It’s uncertain which powertrains will make it to the U.S. (We wouldn’t mind a high-performance version with the M3’s V-8 underhood; we like to imagine it as a German reincarnation of the GMC Typhoon.) Power will be transmitted through BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system, and while a rear-wheel-drive version would technically be possible, we believe marketing considerations will keep BMW from offering such an entry-level model as it will with the X1.
While the current X3 is built by contract manufacturer Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, BMW is building the next generation in-house, moving assembly alongside the X5 and X6 in the company’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Z4 has been pulled from Spartanburg and is now made in Germany. The U.S. plant is currently gearing up to a total capacity of 200,000 units, all of them SUVs. The product mix will be flexible, but the X3 is expected to be the largest-volume model at about 100,000 units annually. Magna Steyr gets to build the crossover version of the Mini as compensation.
The weak dollar has become a huge problem for European carmakers, who are finding profit margins to be increasingly thinner on models imported to America. The X3 will therefore be strongly focused on the U.S. market, while the German-built X1 is tailored mainly for European tastes. Look for the new X3 to be officially launched in late 2010 or early 2011.
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