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Harry Metcalfe, Editorial Director of evo magazine, has had the privilege of test driving what will be one of the most desirable and collectible cars in the world - the Pagani Zonda 760RS. Apparently the owner is an F1 champion with the initials L.H... This is without question one of the best car videos on youtube at the moment. Enjoy.  With China being the automotive sales haven these days, Beijing's Auto China 2012 show is definitely the perfect place to showcase new cars. Auto China has attracted so much worldwide attention in the past few days, and for good reason too - many of the cars on display promise a future of exciting motoring. Check out the gallery to see but a few of the standout cars at Auto China 2012.
Mini Roadster    The new Mini Roadster is now the sixth model in the Mini line-up. The Roadster is designed as a strict two-seater, rather than a four-seater like the Convertible – it's available as either a Cooper Roadster, Cooper S Roadster, Cooper SD Roadster, or John Cooper Works Roadster.
The Roadster makes use of BMW-sourced petrol and diesel engines, ranging from a naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 122hp to turbocharged versions producing 184hp and 211hp. The 2.0-litre diesel engine in the Cooper SD Roadster produces 143hp.  Mercedes Benz’s trusted G-Wagon has received a few updates to make the old-school SUV a more modern machine.
The biggest changes come with the AMG model – or rather AMG models. The G55 AMG will be replaced by a G63 AMG and G65 AMG – meaning the 5.4-litre supercharged V8 engine and five-speed automatic transmission will finally be consigned to the history books. The G63 AMG will make use of AMG’s 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 engine producing 544hp and 760Nm (560lb ft) of torque, and sends its power through a 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic transmission. It also gets Mercedes Benz's ECO stop/start function. The biggest surprise is indeed the introduction of the V12-engined G65 AMG, making it only the third ever mass-produced SUV with a V12 engine – others are the Lamborghini LM002 and Audi Q7 V12 TDI. Its engine is the same twin-turbo 6.0-litre unit found in other 65 AMGs, producing an impressive 612hp and 1,000Nm (737lb ft) of torque.  Porsche have revealed the Cayenne GTS – taking its place between the Cayenne S and Turbo models.
The new GTS, like the previous GTS, gets a reworked version of the S’ V8 engine – a 4.8-litre unit producing 420hp. Power is sent exclusively through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all wheels, enabling a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 162mph. The suspension has also been lowered and stiffened compared to the standard S, with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) coming as standard. A stop/start function is also included, with Porsche claiming a combined fuel economy figure of 26.4 mpg. 2013 Dodge SRT Viper    The 2013 Dodge SRT Viper is without question one of the most anticipated cars of the year, and you can see it simply by going to the New York International Auto Show.
Hardcore Dodge fans will be thrilled to see the Viper again, especially since it was thought that the previous version would be the last one. To make the fans even happier, it keeps its gigantic 8.4-litre V10 engine, and has even more grunt at 640hp and 600 lb.-ft of torque – still from a naturally aspirated engine. In terms of layout, we still get the classic long nose, short rear look, accompanied by an all new aggressive looking body with side-exiting exhausts. The driver will make use of a six-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels, while being cocooned by a modern-looking cabin. |
