2012 Lamborghini Aventador At Orange County International Auto Show
We were at the Orange County California International Auto Show this weekend and got up close with the brand new Lamborghini Aventador, thanks to Lamborghini Newport Beach. With only about two Aventador’s being built each month it was really special to see this one.
The Aventador is a brand new Lamborghini from the ground up and replaces the Murcielago as Lamborghini’s flagship model.
The Aventador’s V-12 is assembled entirely by Lamborghini and is their first all new V-12 since the Countach. This 6.5 liter V-12 can make 691 horsepower at 8250 rpms.
The Aventador’s angular shapes, and cockpit layout and controls, are reminiscent of the Air Force’s new F-22 fighter jet. Everywhere you look on the Aventador you see a different angle or crease. Even the fuel door is a work of art! The matte Bianco Canopus color of this Aventador is spectacular! The matte finish really brings out all of the hidden angles on this car.
In the interior picture below check out the push button start/stop under the red flip-up cover in the center console. Also, the gauge cluster is a color display screen and can show either a large speedometer or tachometer.
What’s next for the Aventador, maybe a roadster? We’ll let you know if we hear more. What do you think of the new Aventador? Let us know……….
2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster Coming Soon
2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster
In September the Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show, and shortly thereafter start appearing at dealerships. See some new pictures at the SpeedTV.com site, and on the Car and Driver site. The SLS AMG Roadster will have a top speed of 197mph, electronically limited of course, and the soft top can be closed at speeds up to 31mph. The Roadster’s V8 will produce 571 horsepower and the chassis weight will grow from 536 to 540 pounds, due in part to the increased structural reinforcements. Will the doors be scissor-type opening doors, or on standard hinges? We can’t wait to see this car!
If you like the SLS AMG Roadster check out a video of the SLS AMG Coupe below (with engine start up toward the end). The gullwing doors looks fantastic, and the interior is beautiful!
Ferrari Enzo
The Ferrari Enzo’s body was inspired by Ferrari’s Formula One racers, and between 2002 and 2004 only 400 Enzos were produced.
The Enzo’s 651 horsepower V12, dubbed the F140, is one of Ferrari’s largest engine (listen to the Enzo start up in the video above) and many of the engines elements were taken straight from Ferrari’s Formula One developments.
Check out the massive 15 inch disc brakes in the picture to the left. Also, continuing with the racing theme, the wheels are held on with only one lug nut.
Spotted: Fisker Karma ES
Fisker Karma ES
Saw this Fisker Karma ES cruising the streets of Orange County, CA this evening. Fisker just started to deliver their Karmas, and this is the only one that we have ever seen in person, so there probably aren’t too many of them out there yet. I’m not sure what that string was doing taped to the rear window, it did have a manufacturer license plate so maybe it just got off the boat from Finland. However, in the picture you can just make out the solar panel on the roof, which aids in recharging and in powering the climate control system of the car.
The hybrid gas-electric Karma is capable of reaching 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds on Li-ion power alone and 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds using both Li-ion and combustion. That is still a far cry from the Tesla Roadster, which can go 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds on electric power alone. But, the Fisker Karma and the Tesla Roadster are two different cars. The Karma is a luxury hybrid, and the Roadster is a sports car.
We would definitely like to see more of this car! What do you think?
Read more about the Fisker Karma here: www.fiskerautomotive.com
Spy Photos of 2012(?) 2013(?) Ford Flex
2010 Ford Flex
The Ford Flex is a unique crossover utility vehicle. Born in 2009 the Flex is due for a refresh in 2013. In the spy photos (from the autoblog.com site) you can just see glimpses of a redesigned grille and tailgate behind the camo netting. The front grille looks redesigned to split the turn signals, and on the back, the center bar looks a lot like the new Ford Explorer. That black rear bumper cover and camo netting may be disguising the fact that they are looking at moving the license plate frame onto the tailgate, like on the new Explorer and the Edge. You can already see that they repositioned the rear wiper blade in the center of the window, like on the Explorer. For sure, it will be interesting to see what new redesigns are made.
But, what are they really testing here? We think it is possible that this Flex has the new inline 4 cylinder 2 liter EcoBoost engine, the same one that is going to be in the new 2013 Ford Taurus SHO. For one reason, this Flex appears to have different mufflers and exhaust tips than the current Flex with EcoBoost. Maybe for 2013 there will be a choice between two different EcoBoost engines in the Flex. Also, take a look at the 2013 Taurus SHO grille and the air vents below the grille, it looks a lot like what they are trying to camouflage on the Flex, with the air vents below the front bumper.
Read what people are saying about the photos here: FordFlex.net
Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
It was great to see the S7 in person, and it’s a twin turbo! You can really hear the lope in that Ford big block, compared to a near-quiet Ferrari or Lamborghini. The twin turbos help produce about 750 horsepower. Also, the body is made entirely out of carbon fiber.
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