Autoblog

Calling your retrofitted little runabout a tender is apparently all the rage these days. The yacht-based theme was recently adopted by BRABUS, which paired a smart fortwo with one of its warp-enabled SLRs. Now, Castagna does the same with Fiat's retro-fied 500. In fact, this isn't the first time that the Milanese coachbuilder has created such a machine, using the MINI Cooper platform just a few years back in the same exact way. In its transformation from sporty little coupe to a larger vessel's dinghy, the roof, tailgate and top are jetisoned in favor of a canvas covering with which to escape the heat. On the inside, the normal guts are removed and replaced with teak wood and wicker trim along with all new seats. As a concession to emissions, the gasoline powerplant is yanked in favor of sails a new electric motor and batteries that are supposedly capable of powering the tender some 80 miles at speeds up to 86 miles per hour. No rowing required.

[Source: Channel 4]

Click for updated gallery of the Lotus Clark Type-25 Elise SC

Lotus has a dedicated following around the world, and many of them were undoubtedly disappointed that the first special edition of the new supercharged Elise was limited to just 25 examples, all of which were sold within the UK and Ireland. Although Lotus enthusiasts in the U.S. will surely remain disappointed, a handful of those in Europe will get another lucky chance at limited edition Elise ownership with Lotus' announcement that it will produce an additional run of 25 examples of the Clark Type-25 Elise SC for sale on the continent.

The special edition is named for legendary Scottish racing driver Jim Clark and features an array of special retro touches, including a British racing green paint job with a broad yellow stripe and white circle on the door. It's based on the 218 hp blown Elise SC, which remains mechanically unchanged. An additional 25 examples of the special Lotus are available now in Europe for €44,100 before local taxes, which translates to about €54k in Germany, France and Italy.

Follow the jump for the full press release, and click on the thumbnails to view our updated gallery of images of the special edition Elise.

[Source: Lotus]

Take your exotic sports car and put it in a room with its racing counterpart. Put on some R&B, dim the lights and wait nine months. It's a winning formula that has worked for some of the world's best automakers and resulted in such stunning performance vehicles as the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Aston Martin DBS and Porsche 911 GT3 RS, to name just a few. Now Spyker is getting ready to cue up the Barry White with the upcoming LM 85.

Named for the starting position of the Spyker C8 GTR2 racer at Le Mans, the LM 85 will be the latest race-derived, hardcore exotic sportscar. It will be based on the short-wheelbase C8 Laviolette, but lightened and tightened. Power could be as high as 450 horses, while the suspension is expected to be stiffened and weight removed to get a 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph) figure near 3.8 seconds and top speed bumping the 300 km/h (186 mph) mark. Only a highly symbolic 24 examples are expected to be built in an effort to bring the niche Dutch automaker back from the brink.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport and Motor Authority]

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes

We know what you're thinking, because we're in the same lamentable position ourselves: you'd totally order up that uber-exclusive Hermes edition Veyron, but you're not a big fan of the brown and tan paint scheme. Fortunately Bugatti has heard your cries, brother, and announced the availability of new color options for the Veyron Fbg.

The announcement actually came from Monterey but was quickly overshadowed, somewhat ironically, by the unveiling of the open-top Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport and the subsequent auction of its first example for $3.2 million. The unveiling of the new-tint Hermes Veyrons took place at the Quail motorsport gathering on Monterey Peninsula, where Bugatti revealed the four new color schemes available: "indigo blue and vermilion", "indigo blue and lime green", " black and garance red" and "Prussian blue and blue jean". We're not entirely sure what all these colors are, exactly, and given that Bugatti put them in quotation marks, we're not sure they're sure, either. They undoubtedly would have shown us pictures of all four, but given that these 1.5 million euro hyper-exotics are made to order and available only from the end of the year, we doubt examples of each color option have been made yet. Of course they all come decked out with the H-pattern grille, eight-spoke wheels, lavish calfskin interior and exclusive package of specially-made Hermes luggage.

Follow the jump for all the details, and check out the gallery below to see the new black and "garance red" Veyron Fbg par Hermes, which we like to call the "Autoblog Edition".

[Source: Bugatti]

If someone has enough cash on hand to commission an entirely rebodied Rolls-Royce from one of Italy's most famous coachbuilders, you can bet he's not going to be wearing an off-the-rack watch, either. That's why Girard-Perregaux crafted the special timepiece you see here.

As we reported with the initial news of the Pininfarina Hyperion, this one-of-a-kind tourbillon is specially designed to be removed from its ivory leather wristband and mounted into the dashboard of the unique Rolls-Royce. Its meticulously-hand-crafted 30-jewel movement has 72 components but weighs less than a third of a gram, encased in 18-karat white gold with a face colored the same light blue as the Hyperion it was made to accompany. Like the one-off Hyperion is based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, the watch is based on the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Tourbillon. But again, like the car, there was only one built.

[Source: Girard-Perregaux via TimeZone]

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Portofino

Fiat took one of its Fiorino vans, chopped off, well, most of it, and dubbed it the Portofino. Supposedly no more than a study for the Caravan Show that starts in Dusseldorf later this week, the golden, buggy-like conveyance is an homage to the 1960s. In a time before Fiat was building $200,000 supercars, coachbuilders were adding open-topped bodies to Fiat chassis like this for fun in the Italian sun.

To stress the beachgoing theme, the Portofino has wood laminate flooring and natural fibers treated with a special waterproofing for the interior surfaces. The car can (optimistically) seat five, and the rear seat folds down for your surfboards and anchors.

Instead of doors, the Portofino has nautical ropes -- which might sound risky, but the 12-foot car only has 75 horsepower, so you shouldn't be getting in too much trouble. Fiat has no plans to make the Portofino, but says it will create a covered version for protection from win and sun. Andiamo, then...


[Source: Carscoop]

click above for gallery of the Ferrar Monza concept

It appears that after seeing a number of its finest works crashed by errant drivers, Ferrari should consider making something like this. It's called the Monza, and it's part car, part motorcycle, part flying wing, and all anime.

Independently designed by Iman Maghsoudi, the Monza, whose name recalls historic Ferraris of yore and the race track that hosts the Italian Grand Prix, can go 125 miles per hour. But because humans cannot muster "sufficient concentration" to keep it on the ground and upright, computers take over. They change the angles of the canards over the front wheels and make sure the Monza doesn't go airborne in violent gusts. This study in advanced aerodynamics appears to be the road-going equivalent of an F-16, which seems to be a rather complicated way to go speeds that aren't considered that fast anymore. But hey, it's a Ferrari, it's red, no one else has one, and if we got the chance we'd drive it, too.


[Source: Telegraph]

We've already told you about a company called V Eight that has rebirthed the Jensen Interceptor S with an LS2 and modern mechanicals for £75,000, and already, 60% of the allotment of 50 has been sold. That kind of success has got V Eight looking at a successor for the S, and they might have found it in the Jenson Interceptor SX.

The SX would be rebodied over a original donor car, just like the Interceptor S. And while it would still look like a Jenson, as you can see from the official rendering above, the design would be much more modern. The Interceptor SX would get a luxurious interior on the inside and use an LS7 V8 making 620 horsepower for propulsion. To be offered at a price of £145,000, the SX already has deposits from buyers of the Jenson S. As far as we're concerned, if you're going to revive the empire, this is the way to do it.


[Source: Innovation Cars]

There were around 1,400 examples of the BMW e46 M3 CSL built, and by all accounts they were exceptionally well received. However, according to Ludwig Willisch, the boss of the automaker's M division, the current e92 M3 won't get the same treatment. He – or perhaps the accountants – feel that "based on current numbers, there is most likely insufficient demand for the M3 CSL."

If a current scorching version of the e92 were to exist, it would have been bumped by anywhere from 36 to 56 horsepower, shed 200 pounds or more, worn some different tires and a set of bigger lungs. In light of the possible volume, though, which would be small, BMW – or again, its accountants – would rather focus on the X6 and X5 for now. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: Car]

Click above for more images of the Batmobile, circa 1989

Built atop a lowly Chevrolet Impala chassis (or two), we don't imagine that the next owner of the Batmobile in this auction will be pulling too many Batman-esque stunts. Still, to own one of the vehicles used by Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger in the 1989 Tim Burton-directed movie is pretty cool. A few salient facts: This sucker is 20-feet long and 8-feet wide, so you're going to need a Bat Cave-sized garage. It's powered by a (probably anemic) Chevy 350 V8, so it's fuel mileage theoretically approaches that of the fictional turbine engine depicted in the flick. Lastly, the new owner will need you to sign a Warner Brothers purchase agreement, which we hear is pretty limiting in what it allows you to do with the car. Still, how many people can actually say, "I think I'll take the Batmobile to work today?" Therefore, we deem this car epic. Thanks for the tip, BMW122487!


[Source: eBay Motors]