TopSpeed Daily Update

Ford Mustang Boss 302 HPE650 by Hennessey
Lexus CT 200h F-Sport Package
Bugatti promises to continue producing the world&#39;s fastest cars
Eterniti Hemera
OFFICIAL: First Pics of the 2013 Porsche 911/991
The Schluckspecht EV travels over 1,000 miles on a single charge
Senna the movie
Spy Shots: 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed Completely Naked
Woodward Dream Cruise 2011 ready to hit the road

Ford Mustang Boss 302 HPE650 by Hennessey

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT

The Ford Mustang Boss 302 is a car that needs no presentation. Every Mustang fan has been impressed by it ever since Ford announced it back in March and most consider the engine’s standard 440 horsepower and 380 lb/ft of torque to be just perfect for a muscle car.

That being said, Hennessey has found a solution to improve it even further, despite the fact that the Mustang Boss 302 is about as awesome as any Mustang can get nowadays. In any case, the whole package revolves around the performance improvements on the car. At the heart of it all is the installation of a new supercharger system that boosts the output of the muscle car by over 600 ponies, which is to say that the rich just gets richer.

On top of that, the package also includes a few visual additions to ensure that whenever people walk by your Mustang Boss 302, they know without a hint of doubt that they’re looking at a Hennessey-tuned muscle car.

Find out more about the Ford Mustang Boss 302 HPE650 after the jump.

Ford Mustang Boss 302 HPE650 by Hennessey originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 15:00 EST.

Lexus CT 200h F-Sport Package

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 06:00 AM PDT

When we were introduced to the 2011 Lexus CT 200h last year, it offered a very interesting conundrum that led us to think of the untapped potential this car could have if it wasn’t a hybrid. Make no mistake, Lexus has continued to dominate the luxury hybrid market so there really was no reason for them to veer off course with the 2012 model. Heck, they even brought back the F-Sport Package to underline the fact that they’re front and center when it comes to luxury hybrids.

All that’s great and Toyota’s luxury brand should be jumping through hoops with the 2012 model. However, we still feel a little lost while looking at the car for the simple reason that we think it’s really a hot hatch that’s been trapped with a hybrid system. Just imagine the possibilities of a CT 200 with a real noise-maker of an engine.

But getting back on track, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with how the 2012 CT 200h was conceived, especially with the growing trend of hybrids and electric cars these days. After all, Lexus still has to cover their bases in the right market.

Find out more about the 2012 Lexus CT 200h F-Sport Package after the jump.

Lexus CT 200h F-Sport Package originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 13:00 EST.

Bugatti promises to continue producing the world&#39;s fastest cars

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 05:00 AM PDT

Just like boxing’s mythical ’pound-for-pound’ title, the unofficial designation of being the world’s fastest production car doesn’t have any trophies. Sure, there’s the Guinness World Records, but really, the whole thing about which car can hit the highest top speed is a conversation best served for those who really do care about it. Say, somebody like Bugatti who is the current record-holder for the fastest production car on the planet, the Veyron Super Sport. This company clearly lists speed high on their level of priorities and the company’s new CEO, Wolfgang Durheimer, is aiming to keep it that way by stating that Bugatti will continue to produce the world’s fastest cars.

In an interview with CAR Magazine, Durheimer made no bones about the company’s obsession with always being the fastest, saying that its a cornerstone of the modern Bugatti philosophy.

’It is vital that Bugatti produces the world’s fastest car,’ he said. It’s hard to take his words with a grain of salt because the company has a history of one-upping cars that take the claim of being the fastest in the world away from them. Remember when the SSC Ultimate Aero arrived and overtook the Veyron in the top spot? Bugatti responded by releasing the Super Sport, a juiced up version of their Veyron supercar.

"It’s human nature," Durheimer said. "We are always going to want to find out who runs the 100m the fastest. It’s the same with cars."

Say what you want about Bugatti’s apparent obsession with being the fastest of them all, but you can’t deny that they’ve come out swinging and hit home runs when the situation calls for it.

gallery: 2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport

Bugatti promises to continue producing the world's fastest cars originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 12:00 EST.

Eterniti Hemera

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 04:00 AM PDT

The Frankfurt Motor Show this September is expected to come with its share of surprise entrants and we’re already getting a good look at one of them.

A new automaker based in London is scheduled to make their very first auto show appearance in Frankfurt and they’re bringing a concept SUV that looks to have the BMW X6 and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S in its sights.

The brand is called Eterniti - not to be confused with Infiniti - and they’re set to bring the Hemera concept SUV that will completely knock the entire auto industry upside its head, or at least that’s what they claim is going to happen.

Details behind the Hemera have yet to be released, but just like any company that’s looking to rope interest in their product, Eterniti has released a teaser sketch and a teaser video of the Hemera leading up to its debut in Frankfurt next month.

Keep it here and check back soon because something tells us that the Eterniti Hemera is going to make jaws drop on the floor.

Eterniti Hemera originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 11:00 EST.

OFFICIAL: First Pics of the 2013 Porsche 911/991

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:36 AM PDT

The Porsche 911/991 is ready to rock and roll and we have the first official images to prove it! Porsche went all out on this model, as they have done for all of the previous generations. It is a completely new vehicle, even though it is easily recognizable as a 911 model. Compared to the car it replaces, the next generation 911 is said to be about 56mm longer, leaving it with a grand total of 4.49 meters. The wheelbase will also grow about 10mm, but the car itself will be about 11 mm shorter.

Design elements have been taken from both the Panamera and the 918 Spyder concept. The exterior is defined by larger front wing pontoons which house all-LED headlights, slightly deeper side sills, and door-mounted wing mirrors, and a more significantly sculpted rear end. For the interior, there are more elements borrowed from the Panamera: top-spec Burmester stereos, improved sat-nav with better integration for mobile devices, and quality leather.

Under the hood, Porsche will be downsizing the engine from the 3.6L flat-six to a 3.4L direct-injected flat-six engine that delivers a total of 350 HP at 6400 rpm and max torque of 280 lb-ft between 4400 and 6000 rpm. The Carrera S, on the other hand, will get a 3.8-liter flat-six with direct injection engine that delivers a total of 400 HP at 7000 rpm, leaving it with a 4.5 seconds 0-60mph sprint time and a top speed of 188mph. Fuel economy is also down for this model with a 14 percent reduction to 25.8 mpg. Both models will be offered with either a seven-speed manual gearbox or the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic, both made by ZF and both featuring launch control.

gallery: 2013 Porsche 911 / 991

OFFICIAL: First Pics of the 2013 Porsche 911/991 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 10:36 EST.

The Schluckspecht EV travels over 1,000 miles on a single charge

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:30 AM PDT

While we can feel bad about Bluebird Electric’s failed attempt at setting the land speed record for an electric car, we can at least give due props to another team that set an electric car record of their own this past weekend.

We’re not all too familiar with the "Schluckspecht" EV car, but we’re definitely sure about how EV range has been one of the biggest challenges facing electric cars these days. But if you’re one that can feel at ease about the possibility of having an EV that can travel over 1,000 miles on a single charge, the Schluckspecht EV just might prove that it’s an attainable goal after all.

The whole collaboration came as a result of partnership between Pforzheim University, the University of Offenburg, and the Fraunhofer Institut EMI, the Schluckspecht - apparently, it translates to "heavy drinker" - shattered the previous EV range record, traveling a distance of 1,103 miles (1,631.5 km), which is almost twice as far as what the previous record - 623 miles - was able to accomplish.

The Schluckspecht is powered by 14 lithium-cobalt battery packs and was driven by four drivers in a 36-hour span. The vehicle comes with a lightweight chassis that uses two in-wheel hub motors. It took over 14 years of development before the vehicle finally had its turn in the spotlight. But if you ask anybody associated with the project they’ll tell you that all those years spent building the car was all worth it in the end.

The Schluckspecht EV travels over 1,000 miles on a single charge originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 10:30 EST.

Senna the movie

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 03:05 AM PDT

We had the chance to watch the Ayrton Senna documentary yesterday, thanks to a special screening organized in Miami by trackweekend.com and we have to say that we loved it. This is a must seen for all of you who watched the Senna / Prost battle in the late 80s and early 90s. If you are too young to have witnessed the battle yourself, additional footage from the driver’s meeting and behind the scene will help you feel what was at stake. I remember watching the F1 championship myself at the time and I think this documentary adds another dimension to the fight that both driver were having on and off the track. The movie itself is well made and entertained my wife who is not even remotely a racing fan.

Go watch the Senna documentary on the big screen while you can. You deserve to watch those on board camera footage on a 50 feet screen!

Hit the jump to watch the youtube trailer

Senna the movie originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 10:05 EST.

Spy Shots: 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed Completely Naked

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 02:00 AM PDT

The Speed version of the new Bentley Continental GT has been completely stripped of its camouflage and our spy photographers were there to capture this beast on film before its Frankfurt Auto Show debut next month.

The final product for the GT Speed gets a redesigned and more pronounced front bumper, giving it a sportier and more aggressive look. A few interior upgrades have also been installed, including new seats and a new navigation system situated in the updated dash.

The changes we are most interested in seeing are found under the hood. There seems to be some changes in the exhaust system, clearly indicating a greater output. The previous GT Speed had 9% more power and 15% more torque than the base Continental GT. If this same increase applies to the new GT Speed, the W-12 will be pump out around 621 horses and 590 ft/lbs of torque.

Along with the added power, the GT Speed will also benefit from a weight loss program. The Bentley Continental GT already boasts of a 143 lbs weight loss, but the GT Speed will add to that to boost fuel efficiency. The lighter body and the added power could propel the GT Speed to 60mph in the 3.8-3.9 second range.

The 2012 Bentley Continental GT Speed will debut next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show so stay tuned for more details!

Spy Shots: 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed Completely Naked originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 09:00 EST.

Woodward Dream Cruise 2011 ready to hit the road

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 01:00 AM PDT

Anybody that has ever had an appreciation of classic cars knows that the annual Woodward Dream Cruise is one of the can’t-miss events of the calendar year.

Held annually at Michigan’s legendary Woodward Avenue, the world's largest classic car cruise is shaping up to have another memorable 2011 staging, complete with over 30,000 classic vehicles and an attendance that’s expected to reach well over 1.5 million people.

This year, the Chevrolet-sponsored event will be held on August 20th when you’ll see some of your favorite cars in history. An event like this brings out all types of cars from different generations. You name it, it’s there: from hot rods, classic cars, muscle cars, rat rods, art cars, TV cars, and everything else in between. In fact, at least one of every type of Mustang model made since the car debuted in April 1964 will be in attendance, as well as the Shelby GT500, both street and racing versions of the Boss 302, and the Mustang GT and V6 Coupe with performance package. Getting back to the main sponsor, Chevrolet, the Detroit-based company is bringing many cars from their past, present, and future, including the Cruze, Camaro, Corvette, Volt, Sonic, and ZL1 Camaro.

If you happen to be in the area this weekend, you’ll get a first-hand look at some of those classic rides that you’ll have the chance to check off of your bucket list. But if you’re not within the vicinity, you can still keep up-to-date with the latest happenings courtesy of the event’s official radio station, 104.3 WOMC. Head over to the WOMC website and find out everything you need to know about the Woodward Dream Cruise 2011.