Rumormill: Veyron GT with 1,350 HP and 264 mph top speed coming

The Bugatti Veyron is already considered to be the supercar supreme with a rarefied 300 unit production run for the 1,000-hp beast and a top speed of 253 mph. The Veyron's already ridiculous stats will be getting a boost if you believe a "secret and confidential" memo stating that Bugatti will end the Veyron's production with a bang. The rumored GT edition of the Veyron will have mad sick power to the tune of 1,350 horsepower and 1018 lb-ft of torque, and upgraded ceramic brakes with new active aerodynamics to control all that power. Apply all that force to the pavement and you'll hit 62 mph in a mere 2.4 seconds while being able to stop the car from there in another 2.2 seconds, and its new top speed will reportedly be 264 mph. To keep the mighty Veyron planted to the cement, the rumored GT will also receive an upgraded electronic stability program. That would make abundant sense considering power is being increased by 30% over the "base" Veyron.

If you are one of the 200 or so people to already own a $1.4 million dollar Veyron, you reportedly won't be left out in the dark, either. According to the alleged memo, all Veyrons will be able to be retrofitted with the upgrade. The memo states that the Veyron GT would be available March 2009 and be the last iteration before the next-gen Veyron arrives around 2012.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Top Gear reviews ZR1, hard to get past Corvette looks

Let's not beat around any shrubbery with this: Top Gear magazine has reviewed the Corvette ZR1, and the quotes you need to know are, "The dynamics are better than an Aston DBS...," and "...[M]ake no mistake. What we have here is one of the truly great supercars."

Of course, there are caveats: it looks like a Corvette, the interior doesn't match those of its supercar rivals and the steering could use more feel. The latter quip is why you get other critiques like "...you don't get the precision of a 599." To have a UK magazine critique a Corvette against a 599 is probably the opposite of the insult it might appear to be on the surface. But don't take our word for it, follow the link and read for yourself how the ZR1 has "the performance and the chassis to match an SLR 722." It's not a bad way to start the week...

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Corvette ZR1

[Source: Top Gear]

Rendered Speculation: Ferrari 430 Scuderia Spider

Click for more 430 Scuderia Spider renderings in hi res

Lies. Damn lies and speculation. Rumor would be another way to put it, as word of a potential convertible version of the 430 Scuderia spreads across cyberspace. Tentatively referred to as the 430 Scuderia Spider, the roadster would naturally be based on the lightweight, Enzo-rivaling 430 Scuderia supercar, but with the roof chopped off.

Various reports have given conflicting information about what kind of roof mechanism would be fitted to the Spideria, including a retractable hard-top similar to that found on the new California, a manual cloth roof to keep weight down, or the same automatic fabric top from the conventional F430 Spider. Or maybe no roof at all, who knows. The wide range of speculation leads us to chalk this up to pure rumor. The removal of structural rigidity and the addition of weight would seem antithetical to the Scuderia's entire raison d'etre. However the prevailing reports suggest that the Spider will also get the California's new seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, be produced in a limited series of 300 and be unveiled on November 5 at the Ferrari Challenge weekend in Mugello... the same event where Ferrari unveiled the FXX Evoluzione last year. Jon Sibal, the skilled supercar illustrator we've come to know and trust, has presented a few renderings of what the 430 Scuderia Spider could look like, which in our eye looks right on the money and you can see for yourself in the gallery below.

Gallery: Ferrari 430 Scuderia Spider renderings

Autoblog playing with KITT, having too much fun

You may have seen our In the Autoblog Garage report from earlier today about a very unique car: the KITT Shelby GT500 KR. When someone offers you the keys to what is essentially a supercharged V8-powered prop, you make the most of your time together. The above video shot and produced by Chris Shunk shows you exactly how we spent our all-too-short time with KITT, which is to say, we peeled out a lot and pretended to be a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, and the powerless.

Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: KITT Shelby GT500 KR

Autoblog drives the 2009 Corvette ZR1! (but we can't talk about it yet)

Click above for high-res gallery of our ride in the Corvette ZR1

Chevrolet officially kicked off series production of the 2009 Corvette ZR1 at its Bowling Green KY assembly plant this week and decided to celebrate by inviting the media out to drive the new "King of the Hill". Since there are still several more waves of writers scheduled to drive the cars over the next week, we can't tell you what we thought of how it drives just yet. We can, however, share some photos of the cars we drove today around the Lutz-ring at General Motors' Milford Proving Ground. Stay tuned next Wednesday, August 20 for our full evaluation. In the meantime, enjoy the gallery and refresh your memory with our intro to the ZR1 from earlier this year.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Corvette ZR1

Corvette ZR1 does epic burnouts, we have proof

Click above for high-res gallery of the ZR1 doing burnouts

The Corvette ZR1 has some sick, nasty, evil power. Hitting the pedal will propel you to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, and in the hands of a skilled professional, this blue-collar supercar can lap the 'Ring in 7:26:4. There is no question that 638 horsepower and a 3,300-lb curb weight is good for getting you somewhere in a big fat hurry, but in the right hands it can also get you nowhere fast. One particular Development Engineer is the General's number one burnout artist, and we captured video of him creating two 300-foot works of art. We love the rubber-ripping smoke storm and sound of the LS9 at full tilt, but we're not so sure this unsuspecting set of Michelin Pilot Sport 2s shares our excitement.

Follow the jump to view video of both burnouts, and click on the gallery below to see the high resolution stills.

Gallery: Covette ZR1 burnouts

Spied-by-Side: Pagani Zonda and SL65 Black in Colorado

Eyebrows were raised when a photograph from the Rockies began circulating the interwebs. The rare shot shows a pair of delectable supercar test mules – the next-generation Pagani Zonda and the new Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series – undergoing testing side-by-side on public roads. Aside the from the rare occurrence of a non-homologated Zonda on American tarmac, speculation began to ramp up as to what the two were doing together. Conclusion: they must be sharing the same engine.

While that may be the case, it could be a simple instance of AMG doubling-up on their test time, since Pagani renewed its engine deal with the Mercedes tuning house. Previous reports suggested that the supercharged V8 from the outgoing SLR McLaren could be flipped around for duty in the next-gen Zonda, however the SL65 Black uses a much larger 600hp twin-turbo V12. Of course it's impossible to tell at this point, but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled in the meantime.

Transformers sequel roundup: Buell-based fembot, SR-71 and Audi R8

If leaked documentation, which you should avoid if you don't want to read any plot spoilers, regarding the upcoming Transformers sequel is accurate, it appears that Mr. Bay may be bringing a motorcycle-based female robot to the big screen. We've heard that the character known as Arcee was considered for the initial film but was discarded so as not to confuse the audience with multiple gendered robots. If the rendering seen above is any indication, though, we'd imagine that Arcee's pinky-purple coloring would get that point across right away. There are two female riders listed on a leaked Call Sheet for the upcoming movie, and it appears that they are to be riding the oddly-colored Buell in the film.

Also revealed in the leak is information that leads us to believe that a certain Decepticon may make an appearance as an SR-71, along with what could either be the shapely Audi R8 or the mystery car we showed you yesterday. If the German supercar did show up, it would end the all-GM lovefest and be rather interesting to see morph on-screen, as well. Consider our interest piqued, as if we already weren't.

Lexus shows the LF-A's heart in London

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A concept.

and has been The Lexus LF-A has taken the crown from the Chevy Camaro as the perpetual show queen that we're tired of seeing in concept form. Granted, it's already run the Nurburging 24 Hour endurospied enough times that we've almost stopped caring, but aside from an astronomical price, details are still scarce on Lexus' first attempt at joining the hyper car fray.

Thankfully, the automaker brought sometime else to the London Motor Show to compliment the two LF-A concepts on stage. Enclosed in a Plexiglas case is the 5.0-liter V10 that's slated to power the coupe, and although there's no accompanying spec sheet to give exact horsepower and torque figures (expect around 500 hp and 400 lb.-ft.), CAR shot a brief video showing some beautifully crafted exhaust manifolds and a gorgeous set of ITB trumpets. It's not much, but its small size is telling, providing further proof that the bent-ten will be mounted close to the firewall for a front-midship placement.

GT-RR.com: Bringing GT-R performance parts to the people

Nissan maintains that the GT-R is mechanized perfection that could never be improved upon (never mind that V-Spec over there), but that's not going to stop owners from attempting to extract every last bit of performance from Nissan's super coupe.

Enter GT-RR.com, an online distributor specializing in the importation of top shelf kit from Japan. Ben Schaffer, president of Bespoke Ventures, one of the men behind Bulletproof Automotive and blogger at The Real JDM, is behind the new site, bringing almost a decade of tuning experience and over 100 aftermarket components to GT-R owners here in the States. The site is currently in BETA testing, but that doesn't mean that GT-R drivers have to leave "good enough" alone.

GT-RR currently offers a nice assortment of parts – from seats to suspension components and exhausts to wheels – and while Schaffer and his team are currently farming out installation work to other reputable shops in the L.A. area, he's not ruling out a dedicated location for work on the GT-R. According to Schaffer, "Our sole focus is on what we do best. Fast and highly accurate logistics and distribution from Japan to both local tuning shops and directly to the end users." Although the aftermarket, along with the rest of the auto industry, is experiencing a downturn, there's little doubt that GT-R owners will be looking for something to turn up the wick on their rides. Thankfully, GT-RR will be there to answer the call.

Surprise! Millionaires can still afford Lambos, profits rise

It seems that well-to-do individuals who grew up staring at Countach posters on their bedroom walls are still finding a way to fulfill their childhood fantasies. Both sales and profits are up at Lamborghini, with most of the increases coming from emerging markets, including the Middle East, China and Hong Kong. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann believes that the key to its recent sales successes is its policy of producing fewer vehicles than it believes it can sell, thereby keeping demand high. Winkelmann also noted that costs go down as production goes up, a further boon to increased profitability.

With Lambo's latest Gallardo LP560-4 about to hit its 114 dealerships, the second half of the year is already shaping up quite nicely. Ridiculously expensive options with high profit margins like $19,000 carbon-ceramic brakes are sure to help the bottom line too.

Shelby Supercars promises breakthrough EV, delivers a lot of hyperbole

Shelby Supercars has just issued its second release this week about its miraculous new project, the Ultimate Aero EV. As we read the announcement, it was obvious that it was exactly the same release from just a few days ago and the hyperbole was in no way toned down. They are promising to deliver a working prototype by February of next year, followed by full production examples by the fourth quarter of 2009. That, in and of itself, is highly improbable, but it just gets better from there. The performance the company is promising is insanely impressive and about as likely to come to fruition as airborne swine or your fairy godmother.

SSC promises two, 500hp electric motors equipped with a triple disc clutch and a six-speed gearbox. As Tesla found out the hard way, making a gearbox last with an electric motor is tough, even with half as much power. But it gets better. SSC promises a power source with extended times between charges, perhaps as long as several years. We're still confused, but we don't think it's a coincidence that the company is making this announcement in the same week it announced its hopes of securing new venture funding.

Building a car powered by an internal combustion engine to go 250 mph is less of a big deal in this day and age. You just need an engine with enough power and a slippery shape. Building the kind of electric car that SSC is promising involves invalidating the most fundamental laws of physics. So for the time being, we remain comfortable skeptical.

Audi R10 TDI using biofuel for the first time

In the world of alternative power, not all fuels are created equal.
This fact is true with ethanol, where the alcohol can be made using
fairly inefficient processes, some of which involve corn, or using more
advanced cellulosic methods which do not use a foodstock. Diesel too
can come from either petroleum or from non-dino sources. You're
probably aware that Audi has been assaulting various race tracks using
its advanced diesel powered race cars, specifically its two-time Le
Mans-winning R10 TDI,
which has so far been running on what is known as gas-to-liquid (GTL)
diesel fuel. With the 24 Hours of Le Mans just around the corner, Audi
and Shell, the fuel provider for Audi's race team, have announced that
the team will be blending a small amount of biomass-to-liquid (BTL)
fuel into its secret mixture. Shell's BTL fuel is made from materials
such as wood chips and will make its on-track debut on Sunday, June 1,
as Audi's R10 TDI begins its official Le Mans testing.

Edo Competition revisits the Maserati MC12

There is no shortage in the automotive world of tuners endeavoring
to squeeze extra performance out of already devastatingly fast cars.
But Edo Competition is a breed apart. For those still unfamiliar, check
out our previous posts on Edo's customized Lamborghini LP640, Ferrari 599 and Porsche Carrera GT,
which demonstrate that, in Edo's blue eyes, perfection is relative and
can always be improved upon. Their latest venture was to crank up the Ferrari Enzo, and have once again turned their attention to its sister supercar, the Maserati MC12.

This, of course, isn't the first time the German tuning house has
taken their hammers to the uber-Trident, having cranked out the MC12 XX and cranked up the MC12 Corsa.
A bit more subdued than its predecessors, the latest MC12 package aims
to improve the super-exotic's power-to-weight ratio, which came as
stock a bit lower than that of the Enzo due to more bodywork. Edo has
managed to trim 220 lbs of extra weight from the Maserati, while
increasing power by 70 cavalli to 700hp. Edo has also fitted
a host of modified components from the variable exhaust and adjustable
rear wing to the retuned suspension and new wheel package. Visual
changes were kept to a minimum, but customers can always specify their
own exterior and interior mods. Check out the stats after the jump and
the images in the gallery below.

EDO Competition tweaks Ferrari Enzo to 700 hp

Edo Competition has no qualms about taking positively perfect exotic machinery and tweaking it to suit customer's tastes. And when it comes to the paragon of rolling automotive masterworks, the Ferrari Enzo is arguably King of the Hill.

While the Enzo isn't lacking in either the power or appearance department, that hasn't stopped Edo from making some subtle changes to the Enzo's exterior and powertrain. Edo began by replacing the intake with a revised ram-air system and a set of high-flow air filters, then worked its magic downstream with a set of headers similar to those in the FXX, along with a duo of high-flowing cats and a new exhaust system with remote-controlled, butterfly valves that allow the sound levels to be adjusted on the fly. All those bits are tuned through a modified ECU to produce 700 hp and 527 lb.-ft. of torque, which is sent through a heavy-duty clutch and on down to a retuned stock transmission that replicates the shift times of the FXX.

The Enzo's factory rolling stock has been replaced with 19x10-inch wheels in front and 20x13-inch wheels in the rear, wrapped in Michelin tires sized 265/35 R19 and 335/30 R20, respectively. The wheels can be custom painted to the customer's specs and a new suspension package, with adjustable compression and rebound, has been developed to mimic the setup found on the FIA GT MC12.

Edo claims that the sprint from 0 to 62 mph is estimated at 3.5 seconds and that the run from rest to 186 mph is dropped to 22 seconds flat. All the specs are available in the press release after the jump.

Spy Shots: Lexus LF-A engine spied

After countless spy photos and appearances at auto shows for the past several years in two different styling forms, the Lexus LF-A made its first official appearance on the road this weekend at the Nürburgring 24 hour race. At some point during the weekends festivities, Automobile managed to snag a shot of the engine lurking under the race-prepped Lexus' hood. We can't derive a lot of details from this single shot, but we can get a few tidbits. Looking at the area behind the intake plenum near the firewall on the driver's side, the engine looks long enough to likely be a V10 as has been previously postulated. The bank angle appears to be 90 degrees for a lower center of gravity than would be available from the normal 72-degree bank angle for a V10. The intake plenum is apparently made up of a composite material, again, likely for both overall weight reduction and and lowering the CG. Under that however, the intake runners appear to be metal. Finally the engine is set well back in the chassis for a front mid-engine layout, almost entirely behind the front axle line. Now that the LF-A has hit the track in anger, maybe we'll see it in production form soon, perhaps even at the Paris this October or Geneva next year.

Spy Shots: Corvette ZR1 attacking the Nurburgring

Corvette Chief Engineer (and Autoblog commenter) Tadge Juechter said last week that the new ZR1 "will be able to take the production-car track record at any racetrack" and should lap the famed Nurburgring race track in Germany in "seven minutes, twenty-something seconds." Considering Nissan just posted a new official lap time of 7:29 for the GT-R and that the GT-R V-Spec is reportedly clicking off laps in 7:25, them sounds like fightin' words. Well, the ZR1 is officially being flogged around the Ring as we speak, though no one has yet to report a lap time for this gorgeous red prototype that was spotted by KGP photographers. BridgetoGantry.com reports that yesterday there was a helicopter over the track "chasing something that sounded very V8 and awfully supercharged," so perhaps lap times will soon be forthcoming. We imagine the supercharged LS9 V8's 628 horsepower and the ZR1's 205-mph top speed will not disappoint.

Audi R8 sold out "for months"

The Audi R8 has supercar looks and red-hot demand, so if you want to own the stunning German two-seater, you'd best get to the back of the line. Buyers of the mid-engine Audi have picked up every model that will be made for months, which tells us what we already knew: the R8 is a legitimate smash hit. Oddly, Audi isn't specifying how many R8s it has sold since the vehicle's introduction, and it's likely the German automaker won't go out of its way to ramp up production and risk ruining the all-wheel-drive supercar's buzz-factor. It's no surprise that the R8 is so successful on the sales floor, but the downside is that the vehicle's sustained popularity is keeping higher performance editions off the market. If a 420-hp 4.2L powerplant can take you to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, just imagine what a 580-hp twin-turbo V10 will do on dry pavement.