Prepare To Wait 21 Years - TOP 10 Auto News Today 20080717

Home My Cars Friends Car Groups Events News Blogs Photos Videos Tags

Prepare To Wait 21 Years - TOP 10 Auto News Today 20080717

Posted Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 by autos

TOP 10 - MUGEN accessorizes your wall

TOP GEAR - MUGEN

So you settled for the USDM, factory-built Honda Civic MUGEN Si because: a.) you don't live in Japan and b.) even if you did, you probably wouldn't have gotten your filthy mitts on a limited-edition MUGEN RR anyway. However, if you're still looking to get yourself something related to the RR, you're in luck. MUGEN has found another way to vacuum up fanboy dollars appeal to its enthusiast customers by offering up original artwork. First up in "The Art of MUGEN Power" series is "The Art, MUGEN RR", a 300-piece limited-edition print that shows the car in cutaway form. ??39,000 ($368) puts one on your wall. Want a numbered plate for the frame? Tack on another ??2,100 ($19.80). It's art a la carte, courtesy of MUGEN. The company website has all the details (in Japanese, natch -- the English pages are perpetually "under the construction").

[ Source : AutoBlog ]

TOP 9 - Breathalyzer and nav...all in one!

TOP GEAR - Breathalyzer

This is the JATY DR7200 GPS, and it does a lot more than just tell you where you are and how to get where you're going on that 7-inch screen. You see, it's got an integrated breathalyzer, too, so it'll also tell you whether you should even be trying to get where you're going. Blow "over" and you get a standard BAC readout, a red "OVER" warning, and if that's not enough, a yellow skull and crossbones to drive home the point that, well, you really shouldn't be driving at all. In addition to all that, it supports just about every techno-acronym you can imagine (USB, MP3, DiVX, JPEG, MPEG, etc.), so if you're in no shape to drive, you can at least watch a movie on the thing while you wait it out. Want one? Just run on down to the local electronics store...in Korea.

[ Source : Engadget ]

TOP 8 - Russo and Steele to auction off rare 1971 Lamborghini Miura

TOP GEAR - Lamborghini

Most car enthusiasts know about the Lamborghini Miura, one of the most beautiful and desirable cars from the '60s and '70s, but few know about the one-off Miura Jota and subsequent SV/J models. The Jota was built in 1970 as an experimental car to test new ideas for the upcoming Miura SV. It featured a lightweight body with extra vents, a split sump engine (implemented on later SV models), "Megaphono" exhaust pipes, and a bevy of bespoke features. After the car was finished, it was sold to a loyal customer. Unfortunately, the Jota was involved in an accident and was completely destroyed when it burned to the ground. However, when several of Lamborghini's customers heard about the car, they asked if they could buy one of their own. Lamborghini decided not to officially build a production Jota, but they did offer conversions based on the SV model. The Lamborghini Registry lists only six "works" SV/J models, all featuring the Jota bodywork. The one seen here is chassis number 4892, and it will be auctioned off at the upcoming Russo and Steele classic car auction in Monterey. It's tough to tell what the car will go for since the SV/J models rarely ever change hands, but you can bet it won't be a paltry sum.

[ Source: Russo and Steele ]

TOP 7 - Abarth Roadster

TOP GEAR - Roadster

We've always been fond of the Smart roadster, which never officially made it to U.S. shores and proved to be a flop across the pond. But this rendering, courtesy of WorldCarFans, has us thinking that a second attempt might be worthwhile.

[ Source : WorldCarFans ]

TOP 6 - Honda NSX interior caught at the 'Ring

TOP GEAR - Honda

We've seen plenty of shots of the Honda/Acura NSX hangin' 'round the 'Ring, but unlike previous photos, the crew at Cartribe was able to catch a brief glimpse of the cloaked mule's interior. A clearer view of the gauges reveals a clean chronograph-like arrangement, with large numerals framed by chrome rings. Although the rest of the dash is covered by camera-proof camo, the three-spoke, flat-bottom steering wheel and integrated switchgear certainly speaks to the V10-powered super coupe's intentions. We're hoping to see the next NSX debut during the upcoming show season, reportedly packing over 500 hp and sending power to all four wheels.

[ Source : Carscoop ]

TOP 5 - Goodguys Rod & Custom names 2008 Street Machine of the Year

TOP GEAR - GoodGuys

Every year, hot rodders from around the country gather for a huge custom car show, swap meet, and a night of drag racing put on by the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association. For many, it's a weekend of fun, but for others it's the chance to be named the Street Machine of the Year. The winner of the prestigious award this year went to Erv Roller's 1969 Chevy Camaro known as "RAZOR", built by the Ring Bros.

[ Source : AutoBlog ]

TOP 4 - Best shot yet of the Transformers 2 mystery Vette

TOP GEAR - Transformers

This much we know. Transformers: Rise of the Fallen will have some sort of Corvette concept portraying one of the Autobots (well, we assume it's an Autobot). We also now know that there are at least two movie cars, as you can see in the shot above. Do we officially know that these are Corvettes of some sort? No, but the fender shapes, split rear window, and the port aft of the front wheel are familial styling cues that seal the deal. We're dying to know if this is just a movie creation or a concept that's in the pipeline to be revealed publicly at some future time. And if this forecasts what we should expect in terms of a C7, well, we're okay with that, too.

[ Source : Seibertron ]

TOP 3 - BMW working on M3 CSL with 470 hp

TOP GEAR - BMW

The rumormongers at AutoZeitung are reporting that BMW plans to unveil a stripped-out, track-ready M3 at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The E90-based M3 CSL will use many of the same tricks BMW employed on the E46 model in an effort to shave the coupe's curb weight. Luxuries like air conditioning, stereo and navigation won't be included, while the hood, bumper, trunk and fenders will all be swapped out in favor of carbon fiber pieces.

[ Source : EGMCarTech ]

TOP 2 - GT500KR underrated? 5.0 Mustang dyno tests the King of the Road

TOP GEAR - Mustang

There's horsepower, and then there's dyno-tested, can't-lie-to-your-friends horsepower. If you want to know how much power a car really makes, you've got to strap it to a dyno and spin it to redline. The guys over at 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords are always eager to find the true horsepower of a car, and so when they took delivery of a GT500KR to review they headed straight to the dyno to see how much power the supercharged V8 is putting out.

[ Source : Mustang & Super Fords ]

TOP 1 - Want to watch Top Gear in person? Prepare to wait 21 years

TOP GEAR - Perpare to wait

It's no secret that we're big fans of Top Gear, and it's good to hear that we're definitely not alone in loving the world's greatest motoring show. The waiting list to get a first-hand glimpse of the show being produced is an incredible 336k names deep, which translates to about a 21 year wait. That's enough people to fill England's new Wembley Stadium nearly four times, and for us Yanks, we greatly prefer Top Gear to soccer. With a constant flow of the best vehicles on earth, an endless array of clever new challenges, and the most entertaining show hosts in the biz, we don't think that list will shrink any time soon. We'd love to see the show live and in person, too, but at the current rate most of us would be members of the AARP by 2029. That is unless the Old Trafford can be used as the new Top Gear studio.

[ Source : AutoTrader ]

Comments

by hydenseek on July 17, 2008, 8:46 am

yup, saw it a month ago, inside and out, pics are better.
by jonny_rat on July 17, 2008, 8:47 am

i actually think they look better in person..
by juliagossow on July 17, 2008, 8:48 am

gotta love them alfas, but you know you cant really enjoy them here. cant wait to go back to the states!
by k0b on July 17, 2008, 8:49 am

I can't help it.. When I look at the side profile of this car, all I see is that huge plastic triangle on the c-pillar!
by kikster30 on July 17, 2008, 8:50 am

Unfortunately, that little piece of designer trickery has become the rule instead of the exception in most modern sedans.