German Car Scene

Month: June 2012

  • Porsche 911 RSR by Champion Motorsport


    Tom at Champion Motorsport has teased a few photos of the company’s epic project, which is basically a road-going 911 RSR, producing 429 kW (575 hp) and 847 Nm (625 lb/ft) of torque. Amazingly, the guys managed to keep the project a complete secret until it made its début in the latest issue of Car and Driver, which call it ‘the coolest 911 ever’.

    Weighing in at $399,900, it certainly wasn’t cheap to put together, but when you take into account that it’s based on a 2011 Turbo S fitted with a pair of 68 mm VTG turbochargers and wears genuine carbon fibre RSR bodywork (inc a factory undertray), a host of bespoke carbon fibre components, a $15,000 four-way adjustable Ohlins coilover kit and $30,000 on three sets of exclusive Champion Motorsport magnesium wheels, it all starts to add up.
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  • BMW Individual 7 Series by Didit Hediprasetyo


    BMW has teamed up with the award-winning designer Didit Hediprasetyo to create this limited edition BMW Individual 7 Series.

    Known more for his Parisian catwalk shows, the young Indonesian is helping BMW’s Individual department to produce the five examples – each specifically tailored to suit the owner’s tastes. Externally, the 7 Series is finished in Frozen Diamond Metallic paintwork and sits on BMW Individual alloy wheels. Moving inside, the cabin is dominated by Merino Silk Grey leather with contrasting Merino Platinum piping, while the roof lining, sun visors, rear shelf and A, B and C-pillars can be trimmed in either Alcantara or nappa leather. Elsewhere, various trim inserts on the dashboard, door panels and centre console are treated to a Piano Black lacquer finish, while the floor mats are lined with ostrich leather. Yes, really.

    Notable trinkets include a refrigerator box, champagne glass holders within the rear arm rest, screens in the front headrests, a leather-lined, folding table and a dog basket trimmed in leather and Alcantara.
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  • Steampunk MINI Countryman


    Silesian-based styling specialist Carlex Design has applied a Steampunk theme to the MINI Countryman, a genre usually reserved for the likes of hot rods and motorcycles, along with anything from watches to laptops.

    Steampunk is a mixture of Victorian-era craftsmanship and modern technology and, by the look of these preview images, we think Carlex might have pulled it off. Externally the MINI wears satin grey paintwork, with a copper-coloured roof, side stripes, gills, door handles and classic wire wheels, while the headlights and rear lights have been tinted black.

    Things get interesting inside the cabin, with the floor now covered in wooden panelling and seats and dashboard trimmed in vintage leather, while the dials, glovebox handle, and pedals are brass, with components such as the heater vents and dial rings coloured to match. We particularly like the exposed mechanisms on the steering wheel centre and seat bases.

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  • Lamborghini Aventador vs Rat Rod [video]


    On this episode of Motor Trend’s Roadkill, Hot Rod magazine’s David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan spend 24 hours with a 1930 Model A Rat Rod and a 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. The aim is to find out which of these fiercely chimerical, larger-than-life automobile grabs the most attention. As much as we like the Model A, and the concept of Rat Rods, many of us could put one together without too much difficulty, while the Aventador is simply a rolling master class in design and technology.
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  • F1: Hamilton wins in Canada


    Lewis Hamilton has become the seventh different winner in seven races after tasting victory at today’s Canadian Grand Prix.

    Red Bull Renault’s Sebastian Vettel had started from pole and led during the opening stages, but dropped back to third after Alonso and Hamilton jumped him while he pitted for tyres. Lewis went on to pass the Ferrari on its out lap, grabbing the lead.

    Alonso and Vettel then tried to make it to the end of the race without stopping for fresh rubber – a plan that they paid a high price for. The world champion eventually came in very late, but Alonso stubbornly stayed out until the bitter end. Hamilton’s supersoft tyres saw him take the top step of the podium, with Lotus Renault’s Romain Grosjean securing second and Sergio Perez coming home third in his Sauber Ferrari (both making one-stop strategies work for them). Vettel’s new tyres enabled him to pass Alonso for fourth, with the Spaniard having to settle for fifth.

    It was a grim weekend for Hamilton’s team-mate, Jenson Button, who finished 16th after having to make three stops, while Mercedes GP’s Michael Schumacher was forced to retire after his DRS flap jammed open.

    “I knew this was going to be a tough, tough race but I loved every minute of it. I never had a doubt in my mind that there wasn’t a possibility to win. I was thinking these guys are falling quite far behind, I assume they’re doing a one-stop. So I decided to keep pushing and build a gap,” said the delighted British driver.

    Hamilton now leads the championship on 88 points, just ahead of Alonso and Vettel with 86 and 85 points.
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  • Road & Track drives the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse [video]


    Road & Track’s John Lamm headed over to Spain to sample Bugatti’s 895 kW (1,200 hp) Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. After spending some time on the road, John took to the banking at a high-speed test track with Pierre Henri Raphanel, the man who piloted a Veyron Super Sport to 431 km/h (267 mph), riding shotgun.
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