Ferrari F12 TRS
Ferrari are rather good at making good-looking cars, but they’ve gone a step further and made the stunning F12 TRS for a special customer. The one-off car is rumoured to have cost around $4.2 million, and for that you get the same 6.3-litre V12 producing 740hp and 690Nm of torque as in the F12 Berlinetta, allowing it to get from 0-100km/h in 3.1 sec and from 0-200km/h in 8.1 sec. You also get one of the rarest cars ever, and a car that will be very sought after by collectors. Ford Focus STThe Ford Focus ST has received a few updates, the biggest of which is the availability of a diesel engine. The turbocharged 2.0-litre EcoBoost with 250hp is carried over from the previous version, but it now comes with a stop-start function – improving fuel efficiency by a claimed six percent. As mentioned before, a new diesel engine is available – a 2.0-litre TDCi unit producing 185hp and 400Nm of torque, with CO2 emissions being 114g/km. Acceleration from 0-100km/h is 6.5 sec for the petrol option and 8.1 sec for the diesel option. Other updates include new chassis control technologies, tuned suspension and steering, and bespoke tyre specification. The exterior gets new headlamps, grille, bumper design, and 19-inch wheels. The interior now gets a new SYNC 2 connectivity system with a high definition 8-inch touch screen. Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Le Mans winning D-type, Jaguar will be building a special edition F-TYPE called the Project 7. The car will come with a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine producing 575hp and 680Nm, propelling the 1,585kg roadster from 0-100km/h in 3.9 sec and on to an electronically limited top speed of 300km/h. The Project 7 name pays homage to Jaguar’s seven Le Mans titles, and will be limited to 250 examples. An eight-speed Quickshift automatic transmission is standard, as well as an Electronic Active Differential, Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, and Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB). Other items found on the Project 7 are carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a different suspension set-up to the standard F-TYPE. McLaren P1   While we already know what the McLaren P1 looks like, we didn’t have much information about its powertrain until this week. All we knew was that the P1 would have a re-worked version of the MP4-12C’s engine, as well as an electric motor. McLaren have finally confirmed that the P1 will produce a total of 916hp and 900Nm of torque, coming from a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and electric motor.  With 2012 just days away from ending, we can only hope that 2013 will have as many exciting new cars as this year did. Here is a gallery of 22 cars that made a good first impression. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  One of the biggest names in the world of hot rod wagons has made a return – the Audi RS6. Although the new RS6 has fewer cylinders and less horsepower than its V10-engined predecessor, it still comes with a respectable 560hp from a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Torque is rated at 700Nm (516 lb ft), which is available between 1,750 and 5,500 rpm. There is also a sporty exhaust system which becomes louder at the touch of a button, while an even throatier exhaust system is available as an optional extra.  The 2012 Paris Motor Show is currently the place to be if you want you to see how exciting the future of motoring is going to be. You have the usual mix of concept cars, new car debuts, etc. But after looking at what the show has to offer, SOC has come up with a list of cars that stand out more than others. 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.  The 2012 Geneva Motor Show is anything but short of exciting new cars. There are far too many cool cars to have them all posted here, but with more than 100 photos, it's more than just a taste of what the show has to offer. Make sure you come back next week for the ultimate standouts of the show.
Audi RS4    One of our station wagon favourites has come back from a four-year break – the Audi RS4. It will be available in station wagon form only, as Audi now claims that buyers are moving away from high-powered saloons. Power comes from the same 4.2-litre V8 engine as the RS5, meaning a power output of 450hp, with torque rated at 430Nm (317lb ft). It will also get the same seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic transmission as the RS5, with the 0-62mph time being reached in 4.7 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 155mph.  It’s been three years since we said goodbye to the last Audi RS4, and what a car it was. Car nuts, the world over, loved its high-revving 4.2-litre V8 and the whole steroided-up family car look.
By the looks of things, the latest paparazzi snaps suggest that Audi might be trying to re-kindle the RS4 magic. A quick glance at the photo might suggest an S4 Avant, but this car has larger RS5-style wheels and brakes, a hint that maybe the next RS4 could be using the same 450hp 4.2-litre V8 as the RS5, as well as its seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic transmission. Other sources are claiming that a new RS4 could use the upcoming turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 set to do service in other high-end Audis and the Bentley Continental GT, or an even more powerful version of the supercharged 3.0-litre V6 found in the current S4. Whatever engine the RS4 ends up having, it will be great to have one of the most popular hot-rod station wagons back on the market. If Audi is indeed making an RS4, expect it to be unveiled sometime towards the end of 2011 or beginning of next year. |
