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  • Behind the scenes of Bugatti’s record-breaking run

    Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse
    Following on from yesterday’s announcement that Bugatti had secured the world record for the fastest open-top production sports car, here’s an exclusive video from evo magazine’s Harry Metcalfe, who was there to witness the achievement and also sample the Vitesse.

    Anthony Liu reached 408.84 km/h (254.04 mph) in the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, which uses the same 8.0-litre W16 engine as the Super Sport, meaning it produces an elephantine 895 kW (1,200 hp) and 1,500 Nm of torque.
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  • Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse takes speed record

    Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse
    Bugatti’s epic Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse has been recognised as the world’s fastest open-top production sports car after reaching 408.84 km/h (254.04 mph) at Ehra-Lessien.

    Chinese racing driver Anthony Liu, who was chosen to pilot the Veyron for the record attempt, said: “This was a very exciting moment. The car is even at such high speeds incredibly comfortable and stable. With an open top, you can really experience the sound of the engine and yet even at higher speeds I did not get compromised by the wind at all.”

    Using the same 8.0-litre W16 engine from the 431 km/h (267 mph) Super Sport – complete with four upgraded turbochargers, the Vitesse enjoys a colossal 895 kW (1,200 hp) and 1,500 Nm of torque, rather than the usual 746 kW (1,001 hp) and 1,250 Nm seen in the regular Grand Sport.

    To mark the achievement, a special black and orange-themed World Record Car (WRC) Edition will be produced. Limited to just eight vehicles, the price has been set at €1.99 million – plus taxes.
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  • Dubai police force unveils Lamborghini Aventador patrol car

    Police Aventador
    The people of Dubai are known for not doing things by halves, and that attitude has been adopted by the country’s police force, as demonstrated by the addition of a Lamborghini Aventador to its fleet.

    Finished in the familiar green and white livery, the Aventador also features a roof-mounted LED light bar as well as that delicious 6.5-litre engine, which develops 515 kW (700 hp) and allows a 2.9 second sprint to 100 km/h and a top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph).

    The Lamborghini was apparently purchased to be used on external roads and in locations that require fast, sporty cars, but will also be present around tourist areas as a showpiece within the force’s upgraded fleet. Deputy police director Gen Khamis Matter al-Muzaina has boasted that the heavyweight supercar would illustrate “how classy Dubai is”.

    What recession?
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  • Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive reviewed

    Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive
    This latest episode of DRIVE sees Chris Harris climb behind the wheel of the SLS AMG Electric Drive at Paul Ricard circuit to see how it compares with the regular 6.2-litre V8-engined version.

    Half of the video sees Chris testing the car on track, clearly enjoying the experience, before he heads indoors to chat to the Strategic Project Manager, Jan Feustel, about this interesting machine.

    Producing an astonishing 552 kW (740 hp) and a maximum torque figure of 1,000 Nm from a quartet of electric motors, the electric-power gullwing is capable of cracking 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.9 seconds.
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  • Audi R8 e-tron spotted testing

    Audi R8 e-tron
    Even though Audi denies that the company’s R8 e-tron won’t make it into production, Will Lillo from Spain recently spotted a prototype version testing on the streets around Barcelona.

    The 49 KWh lithium-ion battery feeds a pair of electric motors generating a total output of 230 kW (308 hp) and 820 Nm of torque, with around 490 Nm transferred to the rear wheels from a near-standing start. A range of 215 kilometres (134 miles) is possible, with energy recovery during coasting and braking also providing a charge.

    We know it will be in Iron Man 3 and looking back, the previous two films have seen Tony Stark behind the wheel of an R8 Coupe and an R8 Spyder, so we don’t see why Audi would want to put such a vehicle as the R8 e-tron on a global pedestal – without making it available to the public. We also think it would be a great shame if it wasn’t built.
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  • Audi 80 quattro with four-wheel steering

    Audi 80 quattro with four-wheel steering
    Norwegian amateur filmmaker and automotive enthusiast Marius Hesleskaug has just released this video of a tuned Audi 80 quattro track car – with four-wheel steering.

    The system, which improves agility and stability by steering in the opposite or the same direction as the front wheels depending on the speed, has also been adopted by Porsche for the 991 GT3.
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