car en

Demand is really high these days for the GT3 RS variant of Porsche 911 and if you want to get one from the factory, you’re in for a long wait. But if you are willing to spend a helluva lot more, you can get one right away from luxury car dealers, and they often come in superb specs as well. This RS Green Porsche 991 GT3 RS is a case in point, available right now in the UK for £289,995.

That’s around 420K in U.S. money, and that’s a LOT for a 911. Still, not only is this RS Green Porsche 991 GT3 RS a brand-new example with just over a 100 miles on the clock, it is fully loaded with all the desirable options, and it comes in a unique color which, to our knowledge, is the only one in the world right now.  This shade of green is a ‘paint to sample’ color specially ordered for this RS and harks back to the 997.1 GT3 RS. It looks absolutely superb on its own and when looked at in combination with the matte black wheel and the black leather interior.

If you still think The Octane Collection is asking too much for this GT3 RS, here’s a list of the car’s standard kit: Paint To Sample – RS Green (2d8), Black leather interior with GT Silver accents, LED main headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK), Sport Chrono Package incl. Porsche Track Precision App and preparation for laptrigger, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB), Lifting system front axle, 20-inch GT3 RS wheels, Full Bucket Seats, Automatically dimming mirrors with integrated rain sensor, Six-point seat belt for front passenger, Exclusive extended interior package with door panel in leather/alcantara, Interior Carbon, Porsche Communication Management (PCM) including navigation module, Porsche Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), Digital radio, Online Services, Mobile phone preparation, Sound Package Plus.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

While all of the 799 production units of the Ferrari F12tdf are tailor made in one way or another, some are more Tailor Made than the other. This Ferrari F12tdf Ecurie Francorchamps, for instance, is almost there to be a coach-built on account of the super special livery designed for it by Ferrari’s bespoke department.

The name, Ferrari F12tdf Ecurie Francorchamps, might lead to believe this car is an homage to the famous Belgian circuit, and it sort of is. Indeed, the car is shown here at Spa Francorchamps. But the main inspiration behind the design of this car has been the 330 P4 Le Man race car. So it gets a red paint job gaished with yellow stripes and the same race number as the original. If we’re honest, this is not the prettiest F12tdf out there, but it sure is the most special:

Photos via AJ Automotive & Travel Photography and Instgram

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

The guys at R.U.K Technology recently got a commission to design a special wrap for a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster. As you can see in these pictures, they absolutely went to town with this one, creating a unique superhero wrap that matches the character of the Lambo really well.

That is the thing with owning a Lamborghini. You can with it whatever takes your fancy. If this wrap had been applied to a Ferrari or a Porsche, we’d scoff at it and call it stupid. But on a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster? It’s just perfect. Now, we’re not that steeped in the whole comic book and superhero stuff, but we think it’s the Avengers depicted on this wrap with Captain America and his buddies. Rest assured, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of this Aventador over the coming weeks and months at various car shows and motoring events.

Via RUK Technology

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

We are yet to see the insane Lamborghini Centenario in action out in the real world, and we’re going to have to wait a long time on account of the car’s rarity and huge price tag. But now there is something that not only enables us to see the car up close and personal, but also to drive it.

Granted, it enables us to drive the Lamborghini Centenario in the virtual world. But that is still better than not driving it at all, isn’t it? That something is the new Forza Horizon 3 video game set for release on September 27, 2016 on Xbox. Here’s the E3 trailer for the game showcasing the huge environment and some of the best cars available in the game including the Centenario:

And in case you have forgotten what’s so special about the Lamborghini Centenario, this Aventador-based limited edition (40 units in total) was the swan song for Lambo’s charismatic CEO Stephan Winkelmann. It has a bespoke carbon fiber body, an exclusive cabin with room for helmets and an infotainment system with telemetry functions, and a 770 horsepower version of Aventador’s V12 engine. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds, and from 0 to 300 km/h in 23.5 seconds, with a top speed of more than 350 km/h. Oh yes, and it has a base price of 1.9 million USD or 1.75 million EUR!

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Considering how long this car has been around, and how good it looks with buffed up fenders, you don’t see that many wide body Audi R8 models out there. You have Liberty Walk, Prior Design, and that’s about it. Now there could be a third one, if a tuner picks up this design and start working on it.

This rather special wide body Audi R8 is penned by Jon Sibal who has taken a lot of liberties with the design of the car. But all of the changes he has made serve the purpose of creating something wonderfully unique out of the old R8 hardtop. He’s given it super-wise, almost DTM-style, arches, custom sills and skirts including new side blades, custom bumpers and aero parts, a cool ducktail spoiler, and some pretty awesome wheels.

Sibal calls his wide body Audi R8 the “Panda Express” although it looks to us more like a ripped Stormtrooper. Sadly, chances are we will never see this thing out in the real world on account of it being way too fancy and complicated to build. Come to think of it, the reason we don’t see more tricked-out R8s could have something to do with the R8 buyers, the majority of whom are the efficient, academic type with no concept of tuning.

Rendering by Jon Sibal

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Okay, what we have here is a lot more than a mere eye candy. It’s a jewel. It’s a treasure. This Fistral Blue McLaren 675LT Spider is the fountain of youth, that source of eteal bliss and happiness they talked about in ancient texts!

We’re better now, thank you. But you have to admit this is pretty amazing. We told you more LongTail awesomeness is coming your way when we showed you that Mantis Green Spider. So please feast your eyes on the sheer magnificence of the Fistral Blue McLaren 675LT Spider.

Now, some of you may think what the hell is the big deal, it’s just a baby blue McLaren. And it sort of is. But the combination of the color, the blacked-out roof, aero parts and wheels which gives the whole thing a two-tone look, and the fact that it’s a 675LT — and also that it’s a factory MSO paint job — all of that make the Fistral Blue McLaren 675LT Spider a very unique bit of kit.

We could go on and wax lyrical about this car for hours, or we could bore you with technical details you don’t really care about. Instead we’re going to shut up and leave you alone with the photos. Enjoy.

Photos by McLaren San Francisco

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, who also has a hand in music, was quoted recently as saying that he is eventually going to Hollywood as he fancies himself a bit of an actor. We reckon those delusions were brought on by Hamilton’s starring role in the teaser campaign for the new Mercedes AMG GT R.

As we mentioned in our previous coverage of that campaign, to promote the upcoming AMG GT R Mercedes has gone for a primal, survival of the fittest sort of theme called Beast of the Green Hell, which is a reference both to the beastly nature of the car as an uncompromising track machine and also the fact that it was developed at the green hell that the Nurburgring. In the latest teaser we see Lewis Hamilton leading a ragtag band of jungle explorers into some woods where they are trying to track down the aforementioned beast:

This is obviously only part one of many more teasers they’ll be releasing from now until June 24 which is due date for the GT R to come out of the jungle. So stay tuned.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

As if this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed wasn’t awesome enough, American vintage Porsche 911 specialist Singer Automotive announced they, too, are coming this year and they are bringing something sick called Singer 911 Newcastle.

As you may know, Singer Porsches are built to order and they usually name these cars after the cities where they are headed. So that leaves us in no doubt that Singer 911 Newcastle has been a British order, but just to make things clearer, the car is also right-hand-drive.

Set to “partake” in the famous hill climb challenge as part of this year’s Michelin Supercar Paddock, Singer 911 Newcastle relies on a 4.0-liter flat-six engine to keep up with the competition. As with the rest of this 1990 Porsche 911, the engine is completely revised and “reimagined” so the car actually stands a good chance of giving all those super cars a bloody nose.

Other highlights of the Newcastle include Brembo ceramic brakes, nickel-plated carbon fiber bumperettes, track-style front seats with folding rear seats, blue leather seats, ivory headliner, black leather dash and piano black seat backs. But the best part of this car, as with every other Singer 911, remains that glorious exterior which is a mode interpretation of the vintage car created with an artist’s eye and a craftsman’s hand.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

It is not exactly a secret that here at MW we do like the Porsche 991 GT3 RS quite a bit. And we can’t really deny that the GT-R is not our cup of tea. So that makes it clear which car we’re rooting for in this drag race. Now you should pick a favorite and then hit the jump and watch the video.

To make it a little bit more interesting you can also call up some friends and put some money down on your pick. Anyway, here’s Porsche 991 GT3 RS versus Nissan GT-R in a quarter-mile drag race:

And if you need some facts and figures to help you with the argument that is sure to follow after watching this battle, the Japanese contender here is the Nissan GT-R Track Edition powered by a 542bhp turbocharged V6 and it has all-wheel-drive and one of the best damn launch controls in the Milky Way. The Porsche, on the other hand, is rear-wheel-drive and only has 500 horsepower. Alright then, let the discussion begin. But keep it civilized. We’re petrolheads, not football fans!

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Celebrating this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, Porsche Exclusive and Porsche Motorsport teamed up to create a unique one-off 911. They have named it simply the Porsche 911 Carrera S Endurance Racing Edition.

The main highlight of this celebratory model is a special livery that is both an homage to Porsche’s endurance race cars and the company’s engineering excellence. It consists of the usual sill graphics and roof stripes you find on a racing car, but the bonnet and the roof of Porsche 911 Carrera S Endurance Racing Edition are adoed with the words “Porsche Intelligent Performance.”

The same declaration of superiority is to be found inside the leather and carbon interior, on the lid of he center console cubbyhole where the words are embossed on the leather. Porsche 911 Carrera S Endurance Racing Edition is a manual C2S in standard condition which means it has 420 horsepower turbocharged engine, which not all reviewers found particularly amazing. 

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Mercedes-Benz is sticking with the ‘Beast of the Green Hell‘ theme in teasing the upcoming Mercedes AMG GT R which is set for debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next week. The latest videos they’ve released confirm the brutal exhaust note we knew the car boasts from spy videos.

The forest theme apparently came to Mercedes-Benz marketing theme after they spent a great deal of time with Mercedes AMG GT R at the Nurburgring which, as you know, is located in the middle of the woods. That’s the inspiration, we reckon, for new green paint job as well. And, of course, the car sounds like a wounded beast. So it all fits.

Packing 585 horsepower and benefitting from lower weight and better aerodynamics than the regular model, the Mercedes AMG GT R is a track-focused grand tourer in the same league as Porsche 991 GT3 or Aston Martin Vantage GT8.

And that’s lovely. But we would have liked a Black Series version designed to just be fun on the road a lot better than a car built for banging in fast lap times. At any rate, we are amazed at the sound this car makes, especially as it only has one central tailpipe and a turbocharged 4.0 liter engine. No one does sport exhausts better than AMG. They are the absolute masters of dirty noises!

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Q by Aston Martin has come up with a fun but strange way of promoting their services at this year’s Le Mans 24 hour race. They brought three customized Aston Martin Razor Crazy Cart models to Circuit de la Sarthe for the team’s racing driver to blow off some steam in between sessions.

A bespoke Aston Martin Razor Crazy Cart comes with a full hand stitched leather and alcantara seat, steering wheel and Stirling Green hand-painted body, making it as exclusive as any other Q by Aston Martin product. They are not for sale, but if they were, we reckon they’d cost as much as a normal hatchback.

Still, Aston Martin Razor Crazy Cart would probably be worth the cost because it looks damn good fun to drive. Aston’s racing drivers certainly seem to think so:

Darren Tuer (GB) of GTE Pro entry #95 said following his stint in the cart, “It’s always great to test something a little bit different and this was no exception. This is my 14th year here at Le Mans and I’ve never driven anything so sideways on this circuit. We’re a competitive bunch and as soon as the helmets were on, this race was no different.”

Richie Stanaway (NZ) of sister GTE Pro entry #97 added, “It’s a little bit wilder than my V8 Vantage GTE, but I’ve definitely mastered the 360o powerslide. When I’m not racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, you’ll now find me behind the wheel of this little racer instead.”

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

The new ultra-high-performance Jaguar F-Type SVR is set to make its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next weekend before taking the market by storm. So it is probably a good time to enlist the services of some the web’s top car reviewers to what the latest Big Cat is all about.

As you go through the videos checking out the Jaguar F-Type SVR in action, we will be giving you bite-sized information about the car, beginning with the engine. It’s a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 developing 575PS and 700Nm of torque.

Performance-wise, the SVR accelerates from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds. Maximum speed of the Coupé model is 200mph, the Convertible 195mph.

The car comes with enlarged air intakes in the front bumper together with revised charge air coolers and redesigned bonnet vents. This gives the SVR a more serious look than the regular F-Type.

The car features a new lightweight titanium and Inconel exhaust system can withstand higher peak temperatures, reduces backpressure and saves 16kg. And yes, it sounds even dirtier than the regular unit.

Jaguar F-Type SVR is priced in the UK from £110,000 for the Coupe and £115,485 for the Convertible.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Though Lexus’s current design language is not everyone’s cup to tea, it has spawned a number of quite spectacular cars the no one can deny are great to look at. Lexus RC is certainly one of those spectacular cars, especially when modified the right way.

The guys at Vossen Wheels have worked on a fair few custom Lexus RC models, but one stands out as their best ever. This blacked-out RC belonging to one of their most loyal customers is undoubtedly one of the coolest RCs we have ever seen. It is so awesome, we don’t even mind it has red wheels. And we hate red wheels!

The owner of this Lexus RC, who apparently changes his cars’ wheels as frequently as one changes his shoes, has gone this time for a set of 20-inch Vossen Forged LC-105t wheels in “Vossen Red“ to complement the black exterior which is sans chrome and benefits from an aftermarket front spoiler as well as carbon-wrapped mirrors. A Takeda intake system, air suspension, and a carbon steering wheels are among the other mods on this sick Lexus.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

What we like about dealers and import businesses who dabble in tuning is that because they don’t produce their own kits, their cars are often the result of blending a number of parts from different manufacturers. That is the case with Calwing Mercedes S Class W222, and it proves if you get the recipe right the end result can be quite spectacular.

What have here in terms of ingredients with the elegant Calwing Mercedes S Class is two parts Mansory and four parts Lorinser, shaken but not stirred. The former brand has been tapped for the wheels of this project, while the latter has provided the body kit.

Now, Lorinser’s body kit for W222 S Class is not the most attractive, it has to be said, but one of the classiest. There is a peculiarity to the shape of the bumpers that come with this kit that not many people like. But that same strangeness has made the thing unique and interesting. Paired with a set of 22-inch Mansory multispoke wheels on Calwing Mercedes S Class, Lorinser’s kit does make a lot sense.

So whoever decided to put there bits together has a very good eye for styling big saloons. The cool thing is that both Lorinser and Mansory make both body kits and wheels for the W222. But as it tus out the wheels of one goes well with the body of the other.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

With everything Ford is doing these days to make their F-150 more fun than versatile, it is only a matter of time before we see one of these trucks in such guise as depicted above. This, to our knowledge, is the first bagged Ford F-150 of any kind.

So if you want to hate it, go right ahead because it’s not real. What this is, is a rendering, a flight of fancy, a profound meditation on the ‘what if’. And we kindof like it. We know it is rather silly the direction the F-150 is going with all the bells and whistle it’s getting designed to make it faster and cooler and more sporty instead boosting the qualities a real pickup trucker might need. But we’re not a trucker and the only reason we would ever consider one if to have fun with. And I might be wrong, but a bagged Ford F-150 looks like a helluva lot of fun. Just admiring the view when it’s dropped to the ground is enough of a reason for this to become a reality.

Designed by Rain Prisk, this extreme F-150 also features custom bumpers and grilles, huge fender extensions, and a set of ultra-fat wheels and tires, among other changes.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Our favorite web-based car reviewer — now that Chris Harris has sold his soul to the BBC — Steve Sutcliffe has been driving around lately in the new Aston Martin Vantage GT8, trying to figure out why would anyone want to pay extra to get this hard-core version over the lovely V8S. His findings could help you make an informed decision if you are entertaining ideas about buying one of these.

And if you don’t have £165,000 lying around, you can just enjoy the spanking of Aston Martin Vantage GT8 in the hands of old boy Steve:

Basically a Vantage GTE race car for the streets, Aston Martin Vantage GT8 boasts a revised V8 engine with around 450 horsepower, mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed SportshiftTM II paddle-shift transmissions. Being a race-bred car, the GT8 is lighter (100 kg) and harder than the regular Vantage, and it looks a lot angrier as well. It has cutaway front wheelarches which are really cool and an aero kit with massive front splitter and rear wing. Despite all this motorsport-y stuff, the GT8 comes with air-conditioning, a 160w audio system and Aston Martin’s latest AMi III infotainment system ensures.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

The Europeans seem to have forgotten all about the BMW M5 F10, but elsewhere in the world the car is still pretty hot. A while ago we showed you a Manhart M5 built in Tunisia, and now we have this, a Vorsteiner BMW M5 put together by ADMotorsport of Abu Dhabi.

The appeal of a 560 horsepower super saloon that looks like an ordinary 5 Series is forever enticing. But with the debut of the new M3 and M4, which are smaller and more efficient, the M5 started to lose it appeal in its home continent. Fortunately for the car, however, in countries like UAE size still matters and the M5 is still hugely popular over there, on the evidence of this fine Vorsteiner BMW M5.

To fulfill the wishes of their customer who wanted a unique take on his M5, ADMotorsport relied almost entirely on the genius of American tuner Vorsteiner and their full carbon fiber aero kit for the big Bimmer. The kit they have fitted to this car includes carbon fiber GTS front spoiler, carbon fiber diffusor, and carbon fiber rear trunk spoiler. And this is all top-notch pre-preg carbon, mind you.

And what goes with a Vorsteiner body kit on a Vorsteiner BMW M5? That’s right, a set of Vorsteiner wheels! ADM has picked for this car the V-FF 103 rims in black. The only non-Vorsteiner mod on this M5 is a pair of carbon fiber M performance mirror caps.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

We’re still marveling at the sheer awesomeness of this dark and moody 675LT by RACE! But we do realize some of you are sensitive souls who don’t like dark and moody stuff So just for you we have found the exact opposite of that car, a nice and lovely Matte White McLaren 650S Spider.

This ought to soothe the gentle and light-loving nature of the sensitive fella. For one thing, it’s a Spider which means they can drop the top as they dawdle along soaking the sunlight and smiling at mother nature. Then, of course, there’s the wrap which is white as the Christmas night’s snow. This Matte White McLaren 650S Spider is an optimist. Unlike that LongTail which looked like it wanted to kill you, this one has a positive attitude toward life.

Of course, Impressive Wrap has not gone completely pansy with this car. The snow white finish on this car is matte which is kind of cool, and they have wrapped the roof and the bumper grilles in gloss black. What’s more, they have used gloss red accents around the aero parts to spice things up a bit and applied classy 4D Carbon film to the side scoops and the rear wing. Realistically, when the roof is up this 650S has a two-tone black and white finish. So it goes both ways. Wait, that didn’t come out right…

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Well, the photo above is pretty self-explanatory, isn’t it? Here’s a Ferrari LaFerrari, one of the world’s sexiest and most expensive cars, in what is quite possibly the coolest color ever given to a car. And it has about as much dignity as a milk float.

The reason for that is, for whatever reason, the owner of this blue LaFerrari felt the need to charge up the batteries of the car’s KERS system on the side of a Parisian street, with an extension cord across the sidewalk. The best part of the whole ordeal is all that duct tape used to cover up the gap in the window which had to left open for the sake of the cord.

Now, we know for a fact that Ferrari LaFerrari is a hybrid with a big, powerful V12 as the main source of propulsion. The batteries and the electric motor are there to supplement the petrol engine and not for powering the car. What’s more, it is the V12’s job to top up the batteries as the car goes along, so there really is no need for charging cord, especially not in such painful circumstances.

So yea, this whole thing could very well be a practical joke by the owner who knew this was going to go viral and therefore used some extra duct tape for effect. But it does make you think about the near future where most cars on the street will inevitably be electric. Does that mean the sidewalks are going to be awash with unruly charging cords everywhere?

Photos via Autogespot

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]