Bespoke Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster in Matte Black

February 1, 2010 by nitram

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4You’d assume that a supercar like the Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster of which only 50 examples were ever built, is so special and rare that its owner would think more than twice before attempting even the slightest customization. Apparently that didn’t apply to the Beverly Hills owner of the No2/50 Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster.

As soon as he took possession of the rare Italian supercar, the owner went ahead and transformed the Raging Bull model according to his taste.

All 50 Murcielago LP650-4 Roadsters were finished in a gray shade accented by orange styling touches, something that the owner didn’t like. The supercar was stripped down to the metal and the complete interior was removed in order to apply a matte black paint job with gloss black highlights.

The roadster was also fitted with a set of custom made, 19-inch GFG three-piece forged alloy wheels with a glossy black outer lip, matte black center and orange highlights. The rims are shod in Pirelli P-Zero 245/30/19 front and 355/25/19 rear tires.

Other mods include a one-of-a-kind audio system with Focal Utopia KIT 7 component 3-way speakers that are powered by two Alpine PDX series amplifiers totaling over 1600 watts of power, and an Escort SRX radar detector with the main controller mounted on the center console.

The bespoke Lambo keeps the factory model’s 6.5-liter V12 mid-mounted engine with 650HP intact.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4
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Fiat releases revised 1.3-liter Multijet diesel and new hue

January 27, 2010 by nitram

Fiat 500 by DieselWhat better place to introduce a new set of duds than at a fashion show? Fiat chose the “Bread & Butter” youth fashion show in Berlin to debut a new color for its Fiat 500 by Diesel. The limited edition Diesel has been available in black and green up until now, with 6,000 of the planned 10,000 units already sold. Those still in the market for a 500 by Diesel can now choose to have their Cinquecento slathered in the newly available “Midnight Indigo” blue, which was specially chosen because it “recalls the denim used to make jeans,” according to Fiat.

Now, a new body color usually isn’t enough to warrant a whole post, even a sharp-looking dark denim blue. No, Fiat has more to offer in this update than just the cool new hue. Underhood they’ve stuffed their latest Euro 5 compliant 1.3-liter Multijet II engine. The second-generation turbodiesel features the company’s Start&Stop system and is good for 95 horsepower.

Fiat 500 by DieselWhat better place to introduce a new set of duds than at a fashion show? Fiat chose the “Bread & Butter” youth fashion show in Berlin to debut a new color for its Fiat 500 by DieselThe Indigo version also gets the same upgrades as its predecessors – 16″ alloy wheels, a faux rear air intake, satin chrome trim, and yellow brake calipers on the 1.4-liter, 100 horsepower version. Inside you’ll find a dark denim fabric with yellow stitching that features the signature Diesel fifth pocket, the famous Mohican head on the shift knob and more satin chrome highlights. The full press release can be found after the jump and there’s a pair of big images available in the gallery below.

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Maserati NA prices the GranTurismo Convertible at $135,800*

January 26, 2010 by nitram

Maserati GranCabrioThe weather outside may be frightful, but fret not, because summer is coming soon…ish. And when it does, you’re going to want the right set of wheels. With that in mind, the good folks over at Maserati North America have revealed the pricing for their new GranTurismo Convertible (also known as the GranCabrio overseas) so you can start saving now. And save you will if you want to get your hands on one, because it sells for a princely $135,800 (MSRP, before taxes and additional fees).

If you’re wondering how much it costs to lob the roof off a GranTurismo and replace it with a triple-insulated retractable soft top, consider that the standard coupe starts at $117,500, for a difference of – carry the one, divide by the square root of pi – $18,300. When you consider, however, that the convertible comes standard with the larger 4.7-liter engine from the $121,500 GranTurismo S, the additional cost of open-air motoring comes out to a somewhat more manageable $14,300, which may or may not make it easier to justify to your spouse. Details in the press release after the jump.

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Fiat Brings 500 BEV Electric Concept Car to Detroit

January 12, 2010 by nitram

Fiat 500 BEV Electric ConceptAs you’ve probably already guessed by the title of this post, neither Fiat nor Chrysler published any details on the Fiat 500 BEV concept model that was showcased alongside the 500 Abarth at the American automaker’s Detroit Motor Show stand. Nothing new here as we’re in the dark about the “Chrysler Delta” also.

The car’s name stands for Battery-Electric Vehicle and from what we’ve heard, it’s pure study as Fiat has no plans to introduce a production version of the concept – at least not in this form.

To make a short story longer, the 500 BEV features a similar bodykit to the Abarth model minus the tail pipes at the rear as well as new alloy wheels.

Inside, the concept model gets sumptuous leather seats finished in red and a sport steering wheel accented by red stitching while the traditional gear lever has been replaced with push-button controls.

Fiat 500 BEV Electric Concept Fiat 500 BEV Electric Concept
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Ferrari Officially Reveals One-Off P540 Superfast Aperta for American Client

December 15, 2009 by nitram

Ferrari P540 Superfast ApteraFerrari is back into the business of coachbuilding as the Italian supercar maker unveiled the second one-off special after the P4/5 it built for American collector (and millionaire…) James Glickenhaus back in 2006. The new Ferrari P540 Superfast Ferries Aperta was created for Edward Walson, son of John Walson, the inventor of cable TV.

The wealthy American approached Ferrari in 2008 to produce a modern reinterpretation of the gold-coloured 1965 Ferrari 250GT NART Spyder featured in a 1968 Fellini short film called “Toby Dammit”.

“I had always dreamed of designing sports cars,” Walson explains, “and when I saw this film the decision came of its own accord: one day I would have ‘my’ Ferrari.” And well, he did.

In case you didn’t notice, the Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta is based on the 599 GTB Fiorano. The car was designed by Pininfarina and built in Maranello, with Ferrari claiming that Walson was directly involved in each stage of its development.

According to the Italians, while considerable effort went into strengthening the chassis after the roof was chopped off, the increase in weight was kept down to just 20 kg or 44 pounds by employing carbon-fibre extensively.

Ferrari said that from the initial sketches to the final, road-legal car, it took just 14 months to complete the project.

Those of you with a strong memory may remember that we first showed you the P540 Superfast Aperta earlier this year, though then, we didn’t know any details about the one-off Prancing Horse model.

Technical specifications

Length 4731 mm

Width 1954 mm

Height 1300 mm

Wheelbase 2750 mm

Front track 1690 mm

Rear track 1620 mm

Engine

65° V12

Displacement 5999 cc

Maximum power 456 kW (620 CV) at 7600 rpm

Maximum torque 608 Nm (62 kgm) at 5600 rpm

Transmission

F1 6-speed gearbox

Tyres

Front 245/35 20″

Rear 305/35 20″

Fuel consumption

Combined cycle 17.9 l/100 km

CO2 emissions

Combined cycle 415 g/km

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