Slavche Tanevski had a project to complete at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, and the result is the stacked, vented, and char-blackened concept you see above. In keeping with Lamborghini nomenclature, an Ankonian is a kind of bull, and if you took a Lamborghini Reventon and asked the question, “Does it blend?”, the Ankonian concept is what you might pour out of your glassware.

It doesn’t have any hypothetical specs, nor, we suppose, does it really need them. The car is long, low, and narrow, and darkly hostile enough to go as quickly or as slowly as it wishes. What it does have is flames that shoot out of the exhaust, and frankly, that’s enough for us. You can have various looks at it in the gallery of high-res photos below, but please, don’t make it angry. You wouldn’t like it when it’s angry.

[Source:Autoblog]

Says Climax Cars of its Sports Racer, “We wanted to produce a radically different type of car that would be dramatically desirable as well as being an out-and-out enthusiast’s car.” Done and done. Consider us smitten. We love the classically British Jaguar-esque shape and will gladly park one in our Fantasy Garage in an appropriate shade of Racing Green.

This latest object of our desire (and we reserve the right to add to our lust list at any given time) packs up to 450 horsepower – courtesy of a supercharged 4.6-liter Ford Racing V8 – in a car that weighs just 1,999 pounds (907 kilograms). That’s a power-to-weight ratio of… carry the one, move the decimal point… about 450 horsepower per ton! Acceleration, thy name is Climax Sports Racer.

Fully-adjustable double-wishbone suspension at all four corners, ceramic brakes and a six-speed sequential Graziano GT ME1 gearbox ought to ensure suitable track-day performance cred while the expected £92,000 (about $150,000) asking price undercuts the Ariel Atom V8 by £30,000 and the Caparo T1 by over £60,000. Only 200 are planned and there’s no word on if there will ever be U.S. availability. Looks like we’re moving to Britain.

[Source:Autoblog]

So you like the Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV, but you’re struggling to justify the price. After all, it may be just as fast as the Reventón, but it only costs a third of that range-topping bull. You like that it’s the latest limited-edition hypercar from Sant’Agata Bolognese, but will everyone think you’re slumming by not getting the most expensive bull in the barn? Come to think of it, maybe you can hold out for the Reventón Roadster, which should easily surpass the coupe as the ne plus ultra in the Lambo lineup. Of course, you could just stick with your ordinary LP640-4 or LP650-4 Roadster a little longer and wait for the Murcielago replacement in a year or two.

When that so-called Jota finally debuts, it will bring with it a new carbon fiber chassis and an equally new direct-injected 6.0-liter V12 thought to be good for at least 700 horsepower. Yeah, that’s probably the way to go. After all, the economy isn’t exactly the best right now and plunking down $1.5M for a new car might make others unnecessarily envious. Haters. Of course, if you wait too long, you might find yourself debating waiting a little longer still for the Jota-besting halo car from Lamborghini, the rumored Urus.

CARS UK is quoting “a source close to Lamborghini” when they talk about this new halo vehicle, which is expected to take on all comers, especially that “FX70″ Enzo-replacement coming out of Maranello. Using a modified Jota chassis, the Urus will go on an even stricter diet to make it a featherweight lighter heavyweight. It will drop the few bits of aluminum that are expected to be used on the Jota and go all carbon fiber. That, active aerodynamics, and a nearly 800 horsepower version of the Jota V12 in its engine bay should allow the Urus to challenge even the Bugatti Veyron with a sub-3-second 0-60mph time. The real question becomes — Can you wait until 2012 for the Urus or will you buckle a year earlier and pop for the Jota in 2011? You know what, just get both.

[Source:Autoblog]

Besides moose, Mounties and socialized medicine, most Americans know little else about our neighbors to the North. Especially for car people, Canada doesn’t register in any significant way unless the Buick LaCrosse comes up. That might change dramatically once the HTT Plèthore LC 750 hits the streets. The brainchild of company principle Luc Chartrand, the Plèthore is a unique supercar that has been at least six years in the making. In fact we covered a previous version of the car when it was shown at the Montreal Auto Show in 2007. Back then it carried the Locus Plèthore nameplate.

Having lost the Locus and gained an LC 750, the production Plèthore features a carbon fiber chassis and body, a 750-hp 6.2-liter V8, a 6-speed manual transmission and McLaren F1-like central driving position, among other things. This Canadian supercar is set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, but HTT held a VIP preview of it Tuesday before loading it into a 747 bound for Deutschland. Autoblog friend and ace photographer Stephan Bauer happened to be in attendance and shared some photos and notes with us.

Although the interior still needs work and the pictured vehicle was pretty rough around the edges, this car will be shown in Frankfurt next week. Stephan adds that although similar to some other supercars in its overall shape and details, some of the things that make the Plèthore stand out are its bat-like scissor doors that go well past vertical, its protruding rear diffuser, its tasteful and functional HRE rims and the fact that it is probably the widest car he’s ever seen at 89 inches haunch to haunch. That’s bigger than the wheelbase on some small cars. HTT told the assembled group that 10 cars have already been pre-sold at a starting price of 395,000 $CDN. For more details, visit the HTT website, and don’t forget to check out our live gallery of shots by Monsieur Bauer.

[Source:Autoblog]

How many special edition Bugatti Veyrons are there? There’s the Pur Sang, the Bleu Centenaire, the Sang Noir and Fbg by Hermes, not to mention the countless examples that have either been painted gold or chrome by bored sheiks who’ve spent too much time in the sun. The targa-fied Veyron, otherwise known as the Grand Sport, has been around a lot less time than its closed roof counterpart, but it’s about time the open roof Bug got a special edition of its own. Enter the Grand Sport “Sang Bleu” that’s being unveiled by Bugatti this weekend in Monterey.

The “Sang Bleu” is set off by its unique two-tone color combination that isn’t the result of opening a couple new cans of paint back at the Bugatti factory in Molsheim, France, but rather combining two materials: carbon fiber and aluminum. The shiny parts are, of course, the al-yoo-mini-um of which we spoke, but the royal blue you see is a specially tinted carbon fiber. The only other differences between the “Sang Bleu” and a normal Grand Sport are that the rear airscoops are also body color, and the wheels are a unique design with a Midnight Blue and Diamond Cut finish.

Only 20 standard Grand Sports have been ordered and far less actually delivered, so the “Sang Bleu” stands as the rarest Veyron of them all right now. There’s only one and Bugatti doesn’t mention anything about it going into limited production, but considering the brand’s penchant for making special editions, we expect the “Sang Bleu” will be available for anyone with anyone with a couple million bucks to trade.

[Source: AutoBlog]

After about three hours at Meadow Brook, team Autoblog was ready to head out and get writing. The only thing that had us scratching our heads was the lack of modern supercars out on the lawn. On our way out the door, though, one of the gentlemen working the show asked us if we’d seen the exotics, which were hidden at the side of Meadow Brook Hall. Thank you sir.

Once we entered the hidden patio at Meadow Brook, we were greeted with dozens of supercars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Porsche, along with a smattering of ultra-rare rides, including the Reventon, Veyron, 959 and Spyker C8 Laviolette. Ferrari was well-represented with a 612 Scaglietti, California, a pair of F430s and a 599 and we were also happy to see a V-10 Audi R8, a couple Astons and, perhaps our favorite of all, the absolutely stunning Alfa Romeo 8C.

Click on the gallery below to peruse 112 high-res images of the supercars you’ve been daydreaming about. Tens of thousands of people paid $25 each to see these them, but you get the Autoblog grand tour free of charge.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Reiter Engineering used last weekend’s 24 Hours of Spa race to reveal its Murcielago LP670 R-SV, a GT1 race-ready version of the already hardened LP 670-4 SV. The box-stock Lambo already shed 220 pounds compared to its non SV brethren, weighing in at 3,451 pounds. The Reiter racer, stripped of any non-essentials and with a body rendered entirely in carbon fiber, drops further 921 pounds to weigh in at just 2,530 pounds (1,150 kg).

Reiter is hoping the car will be one of the six allowable brands chosen for next year’s FIA GT World Championship. You can read the press release on the taurean missile after the jump, and check out the gallery of high-res photos below.

PRESS RELEASE

In the course of the 24h of Spa, the FIA has presented the new REITER LP 670 R-SV during a press conference on Friday 24th of July at 6.30 p.m. to the international press.

The new REITER Lamborghini LP670 R-SV can be unveiled to the public only a few months after the street version was officially presented in Geneva. The new Lamborghini GT1 race car is presented to the public at the 24-hours of Spa. The car is based on the production Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 model. It is equipped with a new, more powerful 6.5 V12 engine producing 670 PS/493 kW (without restrictor), which propels the wild bull with a torque of 660 Nm (@ 6,500 rpm). The FIA-ECU from Magneti Marelli regulates the engine control.

The REITER Lamborghini P670 R-SV is designed and manufactured to comply with the FIA 2010 regulations. The FIA allows only 6 automobile brands to be nominated. The race car is targeting to be nominated for the GT World Championship.

The GT1 machine from REITER measures 4800 mm in length and is 2058 mm wide. The total weight is only 1,150 kg (+ ballast to correspond with the FIA 2010 regulations).

A complete carbon outer skin clothes the Lamborghini racer. Its new visual appearance is unmistakable - extreme and uncompromising. The significantly modified aerodynamics improves the aerodynamic efficiency compared to its predecessor the Murciélago R-GT.

In addition, the engineers could also improve the suspension geometry. Compared to its forerunner, the new suspension geometry with modified roll-centre height and improved steering geometry, modified track width and re-engineered suspension components characterise the new Lamborghini race car.

The race braking system, comprised of carbon discs and pads, was also re-engineered and is now equipped with superior cooling.

[Source:Autoblog]

Aston Martin makes some of the most visually appealing cars on the road today. Their latest offerings, the DBS Volante and the V12 Vantage, continue the company’s tradition of elegant styling combined with V12 power. We generally can’t get enough photos of either car, and fortunately for us, Aston has released a plethora of new pictures of both cars. Check out both high-res galleries below.

[source:Aston Martin]

Hennessey Performance Engineering makes the point that track-oriented Porsche owners can opt up from a normal 911 to a GT3 RS and Viper owners can choose the ACR edition, so what’s out there for ZR1 owners who want a more hardcore machine? To answer that question, HPE has introduced the Z700 for 2010.

The exclusive new model features a number of enhancements that go beyond the requisite power increase, which in this case jumps from 638 to 705 dyno-tuned hp. HPE has also put the ZR1 on a diet, shedding pounds by adding lightweight carbon fiber seats and carbon fiber wheels wrapped in a Michilin Pilot Cup Sport tires. The wheels alone scrub off 60 lbs. of rotating weight. Aero enhancements include Hennessey’s Z-Aero carbon fiber front splitter, canards and rear spoiler, all of which add 300 lbs. of downforce. Finally, an alcantara steering wheel and shift knob should feel better in the hand when barnstorming the track.

Hennessey plans to prove that the Z700 is a big improvement over the ZR1 by taking direct aim at the standard car’s Nürburgring lap time of 7:26. They’ll be flying to Germany with a Z700 later this year to take their best shot, but considering that HPE is perhaps the only only tuning company with its very own on-site track, Lonestar Motorsports Park, we expect good results.

Only 24 examples will be produced, and customers who order a Z700 also get a one-day performance driving instruction course at Lonestar Motorsports Park. Total cost for a base Z700 will start at $207,150, which also includes the cost of a donor ZR1. That’s nearly a six-figure increase over the base price of a ZR1, so we’ll have to wait until it sets some lap times to see if it’s worth it.

PRESS RELEASE

Hennessey Throws Hat in the “Ring”

Announces Limited Edition 705 hp Z700
Nurburgring-Tested Track Upgrade for the 2010 Corvette ZR1


SEALY, TX – The world’s fastest and most powerful production Corvette, the 638 bhp ZR1 has become the pinnacle of American sports cars. For most ZR1 owners, having a car capable of Nurburgring times of 7:26 is more than enough to satisfy performance to satisfy their need for speed. However, for the select few who subscribe to the mantra of “Too much horsepower is never enough” Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) has something special in store for them in 2010. HPE is happy to introduce the company’s 705 bhp Z700 upgrade package for the 2010 ZR1.

Porsche 911 owners wanting the ubber Porsche can order the GT3 RS. Dodge Viper enthusiasts wanting the ultimate road race Viper have the ACR. Now ZR1 owners can opt for the Hennessey Z700 upgrade for their Corvettes.

Hennessey’s Z700 performance package starts by upgrading the engine supercharger, exhaust and air induction systems and is dyno tuned to 705 bhp. But this is just the beginning. Additional upgrades include lightweight carbon fiber wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, which reduce rotating weight by nearly 60 lbs. Hennessey’s Z-Aero ™ carbon fiber front splitter, canards and rear spoiler also add over 300 lbs of down force helping to put the added power to the road and track. Rounding out the Z700 upgrade package is a revised interior with lightweight carbon fiber seats, Alcantara steering wheel and shift knob.

HPE will be throwing its hat in the Ring – literally – and plans to begin testing the Z700 at the famed Nurburgring in Germany later in 2009. The company plans to build just 24 copies of this limited edition Corvette ZR1 for the 2010 model year. Each buyer gets 1-day of performance driving instruction in his or her new Z700 at Hennessey’s own private test track, Lonestar Motorsports Park. Lonestar, which is located next to the company’s facility, is located just west of Houston, Texas and has a full ¼ mile dragstrip as well as a 1.1-mile road course, which will soon be under construction.


2010 Hennessey Z700 - Corvette ZR1 Specifications

Power:

• 705 hp @ 6,400 rpm
• 717 lb-ft Torque @ 3,200 rpm

Performance:

• 0 – 60 mph: 2.9 seconds
• 0 – 100 mph: 6.4 seconds
• ¼ mile: 10.6 @ 134 mph
• Skid pad: 1.08 lateral G

Note: HPE VBox preliminary test data.

Z700 Package Includes:

• Supercharger Modifications (15 psi boost)
• Intercooler System Upgrade
• Air Induction System Upgrade
• Stainless Steel Exhaust Upgrades
• Hennessey Light Weight Carbon Fiber Wheels
• Front: 19 x 10.5 inches; Rear: 19 x 12.5 inches
• Michelin Pilot Sport Cup
• Front: 265/35-YR19; Rear: 325/35-YR19
• Sparco Carbon Fiber Seats in Alcantara (Driver & Passenger)
• 5-Point Harnesses with Harness Bar
• Alcantara Steering wheel & Shift Knob
• Lowered Factory Suspension
• Corner Weighted with 4-wheel Alignment
• Z-Aero ™ Carbon Fiber Body Parts: Front Splitter, Canards, Rear Spoiler, Vented Factory Hood, Vented Front Fenders
• Hennessey & ZR700 Interior & Exterior Badges
• Limited Edition Serial Numbered Plaque
• 1-Day Driving Instruction at Lonestar Motorsports Park
• 3 Year / 36,000 Mile Limited Warranty

Total Cost Including New 2010 ZR1: $207,150 US Dollars

Optional Upgrades

• Z750 – 755 bhp Upgrade
• Z1000 – 1,000 bhp Twin Turbo / Supercharged Upgrade
• Custom Exterior Colors
• Custom Interior Upgrades & Colors
• German Delivery - Nurburgring Delivery & Driving Instructio

[Source:Autoblog]

Oh baby. The cat would appear to be out of the bag for the Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2, as what certainly look to be official photos of the newest bull have hit the web. Details are sketchy, but Lamborghini’s naming scheme keeps no secrets. Assuming this is all on the level, expect 550 horsepower from the V10 mounted aft of the cockpit, with that power going to the rear wheels exclusively. The lack of AWD should also result in some weight loss, a welcome addition in any sports car, much less a Lamborghini making this kind of power. And yes, that’s a ball-topped gated shifter in the interior photo featured in the gallery. Glorious. A very serious car for very serious drivers. We’re dying to hear the official details.

[Source:Autoblog]