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People the world over celebrated today as Prince William married his long-time sweetheart Kate Middleton. After a reception at Buckingham Palace, we see the newly weds leave in fashionable style in an Aston Martin DB6 Volante. May they have many years of happiness. After several rumours and photo leaks, Porsche has officially revealed the last of the current generation 911s - the GT3 RS 4.0. The new GT3 RS 4.0 is a limited edition race-car based special, sharing several components with Porsche’s 911 GT3 RSR race-car. The standout feature is indeed the engine, a 4.0-litre flat-six engine, the biggest size of any road-going 911, producing 500 hp at 8,250 rpm and 339 lb ft of torque at 5,750 rpm. The crankshaft, forged pistons, and titanium connecting rods have all been lifted straight from the RSR into the 4.0.    So who would win in a drag race between a Ferrari F430 and a 100 percent stock Toyota Corolla? The Ferrari F430 of course...right? Take a look at the cars most likely to make you look twice at this year's New York International Auto Show. Chrysler 300 SRT8    Chrysler’s hot rod sedan, the 300 SRT8, has made a comeback. The gangster mobile now has a 6.4-litre V8 producing an estimated 465 hp and 465 lb ft of torque. The SRT8 is expected to get from 0-60mph in the high four-second range, while top speed is 175 mph. The five-speed automatic transmission from the previous SRT-8 is carried over, although drivers will have paddle-shifters on the steering for manual changes. The SRT8 gets a navigation and infotainment system accessed through an 8.4 inch touchscreen, while a 900 watt, 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system is available as an option. Suzuki Kizashi Apex and EcoCharge concepts    Suzuki showcased the Kizashi based EcoCharge and Apex concepts, one for satisfying eco-minded motorists, and the other for the performance enthusiast. The Kizashi Apex concept pays tribute to the company’s championship-winning superbikes. It comes in with race-bike inspired graphics, and features a Garrett turbocharged 2.4 litre four-cylinder engine enabling it produce between 275-300 hp – all sent through a six-speed manual transmission to the front wheels. The Kizashi EcoCharge concept features a 25 percent improvement over the standard road car’s fuel economy figure, thanks to the adoption of a new 2.0 litre hybrid powertrain. The engine produces 144 hp and 177 lb ft of torque, and is connected to a six-speed automatic transmission. Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8    America’s answer to the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, BMW X5 M, and Mercedes Benz ML63 AMG comes in the form of the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. It comes equipped with the same engine doing service in other Chrysler brand SRT models, a 6.4 litre V8 engine putting out 465 hp and 465 lb ft of torque. Sprinting from a standstill to 60 mph takes 4.8 seconds, while the top speed is 155 mph. The Jeep promises plenty of grip, being able to generate 0.9g on the skid-pad. It retains the five-speed auto from other Jeeps, but with paddle-shifters on the steering wheel. Five-spoke 20-inch wheels riding on Pirelli PZero run-flat tyres will be standard, as well as Brembo brake discs (15-inch at the front, 13.8 at the rear) and callipers. The Jeep will appear in showrooms in the third quarter of this year.
 Roush Performance always seems able to make an already exciting muscle car like the Ford Mustang just that bit better, especially when it’s accompanied by the sound of a supercharger. And here is the latest version – the 2012 Roush Mustang Stage 3.
The standard 5.0 litre V8 of the Mustang GT has been blessed with a supercharger pumping out 12psi of boost, enabling the motor to produce 540 hp and 465 lb ft of torque. The whine of the TVS R2300 supercharger won’t be the only sound to excite the driver; Roush’s off-road exhaust system has also been fitted and will no doubt spice up the driving experience. As with all previous Stage 3s, the suspension has been modified. It now comes with new; front struts, rear shock absorbers, front and rear springs, front and rear stabilizer bars, jounce bumpers, and anti-wheel hop kit. If you're a big car nut, chances are you've already seen Motortrend's drag race between the Nissan GT-R and the Lexus LFA last year. The Lex won. This time however, Insideline has done a re-match - only now they've got their hands on this year's more powerful GT-R. Check out the videos, they're worth it. Here's Motortrend's video in case you missed it.  Aston Martin Racing has given details of its next GT3 racer – the Vantage GT3. Designed for the FIA GT3 racing category, the Vantage GT3 is expected to be released in time for the 2012 racing season.
It will replace Aston Martin’s DBRS9 as their GT3-spec racer. John Gaw, Aston Martin Racing Managing Director, said: “The DBRS9 has been a very successful GT3 racing car and, despite being more than six years old, is still competitive today. However, the competition has moved on and we needed to create a new car that combines our six years’ experience in this category with the latest race technology to continue Aston Martin’s success in GT3 for many years to come.” The Vantage GT3 uses the V12 Vantage road car as a base, and will get a dry-sumped 6.0 litre V12 engine expected to produce 600hp and 700Nm (516 lb ft) of torque. It will also have a paddle-shift racing gearbox manufactured by Xtrac, the latest in ABS and traction control technology, and a target weight of 1250kg. The first Vantage GT3 will be completed in July, and will undergo extensive testing for the rest of the year. Ten customer cars are expected to be built for the 2012 season. Alex Kisiri It's really a case of old vs new - with the modern convenience and comfort of the Super Snake and raw hardcore nature of the 427 Cobra, things get interesting when they come face to face on the race-track. Enjoy.  With a list of successful racing series in place, Caterham has decided to bring forth the latest in lightweight high-performance for its road going Seven range – the new Supersport.
It has been two years since Caterham has introduced an all-new Seven model, and this latest model has been designed with the track-day enthusiast in mind. Essentially a road-going version of the race cars in Caterham Supersport series, it comes with a four-cylinder 1.6 litre Ford Sigma engine, tuned by Caterham Motorsport to produce 140hp at 6900 rpm and 120 lb ft of torque at 5790 rpm.  It’s been 100 years since Chevrolet was founded, and they’re celebrating with this - the 2012 Corvette Centennial Edition.
The Centennial Edition package will be available in all Corvette models, and comes in a black Carbon Flash Metallic paint, satin-black graphics, red brake callipers, and unique lightweight black wheels made from cast-spun aluminium. Other unique features are graphic logos on the B-pillars, centre caps of the wheels, and centre of the steering wheel with an image Louis Chevrolet – founder of the company. Interior features include the same black theme as the exterior, with an Ebony leather-wrapped instrument panel, complimented by red stitching on the door panel, steering wheel, seats, console and shifter. The seat headrests come with a centennial logo as well, while the steering wheel, armrest and shifter are wrapped around in suede. |
