Named after the company’s founder, the 2002 Ferrari Enzo put forth race-winning Formula One technology on the road to celebrate Ferrari’s first Formula One World Championship into the new millennium.

If there ever was a car maker more famously known for its involvements in motorsports, it would have to be Ferrari. No other manufacturer has dominated Formula One like Ferrari has, being the oldest and most successful team competing in the pinnacle of motorsports. Up to now, Scuderia Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher still holds the most Drivers’ Championship titles, two from 1994 and 1995 with Benetton, and five consecutive seasons with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004. To celebrate their first Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championship titles in the new millennium, Ferrari launched the Ferrari Enzo in 2002.

Ferrari’s race-winning technology plus the genius of Schumacher saw the team winning five consecutive Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships from 2000 to 2004. Ferrari took their cutting-edge technology from the Formula One track and put it on the road in the 2002 Ferrari Enzo. The Enzo was blessed with a monstrous 6.0-liter V12 engine which produced 651hp at 7,800 rpm and 485ft-lb of torque at 5,500 rpm. The main goal of the Enzo project was to cut down shift times to 150 milliseconds, so despite criticisms of abrupt shifting, the Enzo lived up to Ferrari’s reputation for breeding peaky sportscars. Ferraris have always been unforgiving to drivers who make errors, thus it was once said that “if you can’t handle them, don’t drive them.”

Modern-day prancing horses are now a stark difference from the Ferrari Enzo. They’re more forgiving of drivers’ errors thanks to Ferrari’s E-Diff and F1-Trac control systems. These systems govern engine and braking functions to maximize traction in all road conditions. The latest prancing horse, the Ferrari 458 Italia, carries updated versions of both these systems and puts them into a single package for even faster communication times between the ECU and the engine. What results is a record-breaking lap time of a minute and 25 seconds around their Foriano test track.

However, despite the Italia’s advancements, truly passionate Ferrari fans will always look back to the Ferrari Enzo and the era when Ferrari and Michael Schumacher dominated the world of Formula One racing. The very same race car technologies which partly made that era possible were instilled in none other than the Enzo. Its owners are not only fortunate enough to have a prancing horse which bears the name of Ferrari’s founder. They also own a machine which holds vivid reminders of what it was like to be Schumacher at his prime.

Are you a James Bond fan? If your favorite Bond is Roger Moore, then you’re going to love this. Head on down to London and you just might get a shot at owning this Lotus Turbo Esprit used in the 1981 Bond flick For Your Eyes Only. It was piloted by no less than Roger Moore as Agent 007 himself.

Valuing at around 90,000-100,000 pounds, this Esprit will be up for bidding this July 18 at the Coys 2009 event in Blenheim Palace. It even includes a set of skis on the roof. The skis were put there to blend in the scenario of the film where Roger Moore pulled off some cool stunts on ice.

Actually, this Esprit had already been auctioned off in the past, selling for 250,000 US dollars. Now, it’s expected to bid for 150,000 US dollars at the most. This is a real bargain folks.

So head on down to London and get ready to strip some cash to bond with this classic. You may just get a Martini on the rocks, shaken not stirred, along with this cool Bond Esprit. Now, all this Esprit lacks is a hot Bond girl to go along for the bid.

http://jalopnik.com/5315242/james-bonds-lotus-esprit-turbo-goes-under-the-hammer-again/gallery/

Ruling the 'Ring in the four-door class

I’m sure you’re all aware of the efforts being made by Nissan to conquer the Corvette ZR1’s Nurburgring lap record. Well, while the Japanese have recently shaved off more seconds to nearing the ZR1’s record, another car maker has been busy in setting a ‘Ring record themselves. Only this time, they were successful.

The all new, 500hp Porsche Panamera Turbo now holds the fastest ‘Ring record for a four-door production car, beating the previous record holder by as much as three seconds. If you’re not aware, in the world of racing, three seconds is quite a big gap. Apparently, John Heinricy and his Cadillac CTS-V ran their 7:59 record lap only once at the end of test session. Heinricy’s CTS-V was an automatic, so I’m betting he can do even better with a manual. The question is, will it be enough to beat the Panamera?

Keep your eyes out for that one, folks, because more than likely, there’ll be other challengers to the fastest four-door ‘Ring title, such as Johnny O’Connel and his Corvette C6.R. It seems every sports car company worth their salt is eyeing the ‘Ring as their proving ground for the ultimate bragging rights.

So, which car are you betting on? It’s record-breaking mayhem down at the infamous Nurburgring so stay tuned!

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/12/fun-while-it-lasted-porsche-panamera-turbo-reportedly-tops-cadi/

Out to show who's boss in the 'Ring

It looks like it’s just the Japanese who are out to beat the Corvette ZR1’s record in the Nurburgring. News has it that Bertone Mantide owner Dan Watkins is looking to fund a run in the ‘Ring to best the Vette’s time. The 2009 ZR1 was able to set the record, lapping in at 7 minutes and 26.4 seconds to be the fastest ever production car to run around the dreaded ‘Ring. This does not qualify against times set by track-tuned cars such as the Viper ACR and the Radical SR8.

As for the Japanese, there has been only one contender for beating the ZR1, and that’s none other than Nissan’s R35 Skyline. But it may fall short of victory once the Mantide starts its run. Watkins is rumored to be planning a three-day rental of the ‘Ring to prepare for the record-breaking challenge. And mind you, his two million dollar Mantide is not just for show. It’s got an engine based on the ZR1 and is 80 kilograms lighter than the Vette. And as far as speed goes, a lighter car is faster in any situation.

So keep your eyes out for this one folks, because it’s the European Mantide against the American Corvette.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/08/bertone-mantide-owner-eyeing-corvette-zr1s-nurburgring-record-r/

Power your mind will never comprehend

A few posts back, I wrote about Bugatti’s plan to scrap the Veyron. Now I take it back with their latest creation, the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport.

Not much has changed since the coupe version. It still has the 16-cylinder, quad-turbo engine which boasts of 1,001 horses in its stable, plus around 900-plus in N-m in torque, giving power to an all-wheel drive system. It’s still the same car, just without a roof. It still hurtles you down the road faster than any production car in the world, and will still be able to tailgate a Formula One car, given you’ve got the right skills, the courage to face death at over 400 km/h, and someone crazy enough to organize such a race. And it still has the top speed key tucked away just to make sure you’ve got a choice of whether to drive really, really fast, which is normal, or to travel through time and space with the top speed key in place.

All in all, I’m just glad the Veyron’s still THE super car to be reckoned with. And it’s still a worthy benchmark of super car performance. For more info on the Grand Sport, just check out the link.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/07/first-drive-bugatti-veyron-16-4-grand-sport-is-a-temple-of-zen/

This is one Lambo worth trading a Ferrari for

Far fetched? Maybe not. In tribute to the Italian super car manufacturer’s premier test driver, Valentino Balboni, Lamborghini has just sent word out to the press of its latest Gallardo. Dubbed the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni, this will definitely shake some nerves even in the most loyal of Ferrari fans.

Its most unique character – a rear-wheel drive train. This puts all of the Lambo’s 550 horsepower into the rear wheels. With a 5.2 liter V10 engine pushing on a lightened 3,042 pound body, this LP 550-2 is able to max out at 199 mph and can run from 0 to 60 mph in merely 3.9 seconds. And, lo and behold, it’s even got a manual shifter for even more fun!

It’s quite obvious that its predecessors can do better, but most probably not in the level of fun you can have with this raging wild bull. Being a rear-wheel drive, and with a manual shifter, this Lambo has the potential to outmaneuver even the most agile of its all-wheel drive sisters given you have the right skills.

Anyway, if you want to savor it’s all too sleek exterior, just follow the jump. Ownership will be limited to 250 lucky individuals. If you’re one of them, you’re going to have Balboni’s John Doe on your Lambo’s left side window. And if you’re stateside, that’s going to cost you around $219,800.

So you think you’re up for it? You should be if you’re a real Lamborghini fan. Bulls like this only get born once in a blue moon.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/30/officially-official-lamborghini-gallardo-lp-550-2-valentino-bal/

Just like playing on your Portable Sony Playstation

Is this Knight Rider stuff or what? Audi has just come up with the latest version of its Multi-Media Interface. Word has it that this is one of the best user interface systems out in the automotive market today. And now its latest installment promises to be even better than the previous version.

With a 6.5-inch lcd with 800 x 400 resolution, the system now calculates possible routes with its 600 MHz processing unit. You can also explore the route in any direction and get the speed limits of each and every highway. And as an added bonus, the unit will be able to charge any MP3 players plugged into it as well as display the title of the song being played.

This kind of technology will only be available in the all-new A3, TT and R* models. So if you want to get hold of this and you’re living in the United States, you have to wait until autumn. Meanwhile, you can check out more information in the official press release from Audi.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/30/audi-updates-mmi-system-for-2010-a3-tt-and-r8/

The next M5 could be more than you can handle

Are you a bimmer fan? Then here’s news for you on the next up and coming M5 model. There have been reports of BMW keeping the V10 powerplant. And here’s something extra – twin-turbochargers. Just like in the X5M and X6M, the new M5 will have its fair share of turbo, unlike older models which were naturally aspirated. It’s expected to give you at least 600 horses from its stable and Audi something to worry about.

As if a more powerful engine isn’t enough, BMW is likely to grant the new M5 the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) which their Formula One team scrapped for the rest of the 2009 season. Plus, it’s going to feature BMW’s automatic start-stop technology and an eight-speed (yes, eight) dual clutch for fun times on the Autobahn.

Excited? You should be. It’s likely to make its first appearance two years from now, but it won’t be in production until 2012. So keep your fingers crossed and your bank accounts topped up, because this is going to be one hell of a M5.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/25/report-next-bmw-m5-to-feature-twin-turbo-v10-with-600-hp/

So where's the 'Start' button?

Gran Turismo fans, watch out, because this French super car is coming to town. One would never expect a concept car, especially one featured on a famous video game, to make a real-life appearance. And that goes double for doing it exactly like in the game.

This GTbyCITROEN skims down through Piccadilly in London much to every one’s surprise. It’s rumored that this appearance was aimed at drawing attention to the French car marque plus to market the up and coming next installment of Gran Turismo.

But for real people, nothing can be more interesting than knowing that this car will go on production soon. Only a few units will be made and they will be carrying monstrous V8 engines from one of the three major American brands (you know who they are).

You can also expect this car to bring down its muscle at the 1.16-mile Goodwood Hill. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is set to come with a bang this 3^rd of July and will feature the Sunday Times Supercar Run along with this French unicorn.

Surely, fantasy will meet reality this July. So be there!

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/23/stunning-gtbycitro-n-concept-car-checks-out-londons-street-scen/

BMW grounds KERS for lack of show

Things aren’t looking good for the Kinetic Energy Recovery System’s (KERS) use in Formula One.

The BMW-Sauber team has just announced its decision to skip using the system for the rest of the races this season. Why? Because the team itself hasn’t had enough luck from using it.

That would be expected. With Formula One’s current rules governing the use of KERS, there isn’t much the system can do to boost the performance of the current cars. So, to avoid sinking further down the standings ladder, the team is sticking back to tradition.

But BMW-Sauber head honcho Mario Theissen says he does not plan on scrapping the system altogether. KERS development has been shifted to BMW’s production cars, in preparation for their upcoming models.

We’ll just have to see how the system turns out once it’s off the track and on the street. With all the hybrid car models popping up, the KERS would be quite appropriate.

But the question is, would drivers and mechanics be prepared for it? Working on a hybrid or electric car alone entails tons of precaution to prevent from shocking yourself to death. What more with a KERS system that involves much of a car’s drivetrain?

One thing is for certain, though. Cars are further becoming more than meets the eye.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/22/bmw-gives-up-on-kers-for-the-remainder-of-the-2009-f1-season/