Supercar Profile: Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series

SL65 AMG Black Series

What you need to know:

Layout: 2 door Rear-wheel drive coupe; Front engined

Engine: Twin-turbo 5.9 litre V-12

Horsepower: 661 @ 5400 Torque: 738 @ 2200 RPM!! Redline: 6200 RPM

Transmission: 5-speed auto

0-60: 3.6 seconds

Top Speed: 199mph (gov limited)

Skidpad grip: 0.99 g

Weight: 4220 lbs

Price: $304,350

Mercedes has been receiving lots of press lately for its  extreme EXTREME version of their small SL65 coupe.  The coupe becomes part of the “Black Series” club while also joining the AMG registry.  Now the engineers at AMG have managed to squeeze 612hp out of small(ish) 5.4 litre V-12 by throwing on twin-turbos.  This wasn’t enough for the black series, it eeks out 45 more break horsepower while retaining the massive 738 ft-lb of torque that both versions share.  Not only is this a boatload of torque, but it’s available from 2200 RPM on!  In top gear; 5th, the coupe can take advantage of this massive torque to move the car from 30-50 in two seconds.  The only downside to this massive torque is the gearbox that is required with it.  Mercedes had to put in the beefy 5-spd automatic rather than something with a little more selection and range.  This being said, the gearbox does offer an array of options to fit the driver’s desired driving style.  City, Sport, M1, and M2 are offered to provide progressively more aggressive gear selection and throttle response, as well as increased rigidity in the suspension.  The latter two will allow a driver to shift the car with two steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, or as Jeremy Clarkson likes to call them “flappy paddles.”   The interior is of course top-notch, adorned from bow to stern in sumptuous leather.  The looks however, are somewhat different from most conventional styling.  In my opinion, the car looks rather bland, choosing to stay neutral instead of risking disappointment.  Overall, SL65 AMG Black series will provide a comfortable GT touring car with a weapon under the hood.

Porsche Unveils 2010 911 GT3

The New 911 GT3

What you need to know:

Engine: 3.8 litre flat-six

Horsepower: 435 @ 7,600 RPM (20 more than current GT3)   Torque: 317 ft-lb

Transmission: Six-speed manual (no PDK?!)

Weight: 3,075 lb

0-60: 4.0 seconds

Top Speed: 194mph

Price: $112,00 (estimated)

Release (in US): October

Porsche has released an updated version of its Road going track car the GT3.  Aesthetically the car is virtually unchanged from the current 997 GT3.  Under the hood (or in the trunk?) the new engine benefits from 200 more cubic centimeters of displacement and a new intake system.  Horsepower is up to a respectable but somewhat modest 435 horsepower, something that I’ve always found lacking in the GT3.  But I guess Porsche sees it as necessary model stratification, giving the high horsepower to the Turbo.  Owners who drive the GT3 as an everyday driver will benefit from the new optional front axle lift feature; being able to lift the front end 1.2 feet at a touch of a button, making those speedbumps less of a cringe inducing affair.

Perhaps the biggest addition to the GT3 comes in the form of a special version of Porsche’s PSM (Porsche Stability Management).  The GT3 will allow a driver to selectively disable both Traction control and Stability control independently from one another (or both at the same time), giving excellent freedom for the trackday warrior.

Supercar Profile: Gumpert Apollo

The Gumpert Apollo and its more Racy brother

What you need to know:

Layout: Mid-engined, rear-wheel drive, 2 seater

Engine: Audi Sourced 4.2L v8

Horsepower: 650 @ 6,500 RPM Torque: 626 ft-lb (sport version: 700hp race version: 800hp)

Transmission: Six speed sequential gearbox

Weight: 2,645 lbs (156 hp per litre)

0-60: 3.0 seconds

Top Speed: 220mph

The Gumpert has managed to fly under my radar since it was released in 2005.  This doesn’t surprise me though, it’s one of those custom-ish jobs that nobody really considers a car.  It’s ugly, although not as ugly as it could be.  But the fact of the matter is that it goes 220mph, 0-60 in 3 seconds, and generates 1500kg of downforce at its top speed.  Wait, 1500kg of downforce? Do the math, that’s more than the car itself weighs! Now theoretically, this car could drive upside down!  But besides these theoretical claims, the car can be configured with three choices of a suped-up Audi 4.2L V8 that is found in the current RS4 and R8.  It’s a track day weapon to say the least; it took the number one spot on top gear’s test track from the Ascari A10, another car of such origins.  I Kinda like this Gumpert……….

2010 Ford SVT Raptor

Image by momentimedia via Flickr

Ford has been hyping their new jacked up, off-road version of the beautiful new 2009 F-150 pickup.  The new SVT Raptor (Special Vehicles Team) is not just a jazzed up F-150 with more testosterone, the SVT will be an astounding seven inches wider than a regular F-150, features a largely modified suspension with new internal bypass shock absorbers from Fox racing.  At the release, the Raptor will feature a 320 hp 5.4 litre V8 creating 390 ft-lb of torque.  A 6.2 litre V8 is expected to follow.  Both engines will put power to the ground through Ford’s 6-speed automatic transmission.  The styling of the truck I believe is going to be a controversial aspect of the new ford, with the Dominating grill and colored paint schemes.  I’m a fan of it, but it will be interesting to see how many share my opinion.  The Ford team drove a truck with a Raptor power train in the recent Baja 1000, placing 3rd in their class.  Ford has also been demoing the truck at recent auto shows and auctions, letting passengers experience the thrill of getting all four wheels of the ground over some decent sized dirt jumps.  The off-road truck is also rumoured to have a special off-road button, doing such things as softening the suspension, increasing throttle response, and most surprisingly decreasing the sensitivity of the Airbags.  This truck has got some balls.

Top Gear’s “The Stig” revealed!

Source: nahtanoj on Flickr

Now I’m a big fan of the BBC’s Top Gear.  The witty humor mixed with the actual appreciation for all things cars is a very entertaining combination.  Top Gear’s on-the-track prowess, known as the Stig has always remained a mystery to viewers.  The BBC has always done their best to keep his identity a secret, but clues to his identity have come out. The Stig has been revealed as 33-year old racer Ben Collins.  Builders in Collin’s home had come across the famous white suit and gloves, while rumours of Collins being the Stig have always been floating around.  When the reveal of the former Black stig came to light, Top Gear “killed off” the Stig, will such a fate bestow itself upon the white Stig?  What do you think?

Dodge introduces Challenger R/T “Classic” (Who knows why)

Dodge Challenger R/T (this is not the classic)

What you need to know:

Price: $34,000

Engine: 5.7 Litre Hemi V8

376 hp ( 1 more than the regular R/T)*       401 ft-lb of torque ( 3 less than the regular R/T)*

0-60: Less than 6 seconds

Other Changes: Side strips, 3.92 rear-end, model-specific wheels, functional dual hoodscoop

Dodge has released a new challenger, and frankly, I don’t know why.  The classic they say?  Wasn’t the whole idea of this car “classic”?  Dodge throws buyers a few useless gimmicks, model specific wheels, a 3.92 rear-end, and functional hoodscoops(like all of us can tell the difference).  If people are looking for extra performance in this car, they will simply upgrade to the SRT8.  The only thing useful about this model is the new livery…….which you could probably replicate yourself for less than the $12,000 this car demands over the regular Challenger.

*figures based on Challenger R/T with 6-speed manual

Pagani Unveils new “Zonda R”

What you need to know:

Cost: 1.4 million Euros(1.8 million dollars)

Engine: Mercedes AMG 6.0 litre V12

750hp @ 8000RPM(348 more than original Zonda C12) 524 ft-lb of torque

0-60: 3.2 seconds

Top Speed: 248mph

Street Legal: No

So the Pagani Zonda is a supercar that can actually steal some thunder away from the Lamborghinis and Ferraris smoking around town.  I’ve always thought that the looks of the Zonda have been a polarizing factor for its popularity.  I like certain elements of the design(quad tailpipes anyone?) but overall I would have to say that it is too alien form is somewhat offsetting to most folks.  The new Zonda R takes it to the extremes, as we have seen many manufacturers doing with cars such as the Ferrari FXX.  The Zonda R, however, is not street-legal, and with only 10 examples being built, the exteme pagani will retail for 1.4 million euro (about 1.8 million dollars).  The car gets Mercedes 6.0 litre AMG sourced V12 making 750 hp (at 8000 RPM!),  reaching 60mph in 3.2 seconds, topping out at a respectable 248 mph.  Surpsingly though, this massive engine creates only 524 ft-lb of torque!  Usually the Mercedes AMG V12s are torque monsters, as evidenced by the new SL65 AMG which puts out an astounding 738 ft-lb of torque from 2000-4000 rpm.  524 is good enough I guess, but for 1.4 million euros, I want more.

Obama’s new Limo

Known simply as  “Cadillac One” Odama’s new daily driver is a modern refresh of the current presidential limousine.  The current presidential limousine, a 2005 Cadillac DTS will see small upgrades to bring it into the new administration.  The already insane 5-inch thick steel plate will grow in size to 8 inches.  The car bears much resemblance to GM topkick trucks, sharing the same 19.5 inch tires found on the trucks.  It also, surprisingly, comes fitted with a 6.5 litre diesel engine allowing the cadillac to reach a not-so-astounding 60 mph.  This, however, seems to be the vehicles only weakness: it must rely on its tough armor and myriad of safeguards to keep the president safe in the event of an attack.

Modern Auto’s First post

Welcome to Modern Auto!  It will feature the personal opinions of myself, with the (biased) coverage of new happenings in the automotive industry.  Unlike many car enthusiasts, I prefer to stick with the times. I do however, appreciate the contributions that the muscle cars of the 70s have made to the modern car.  I will attempt to keep things short and succint, the better for you to read them.  Thanks for reading, and I hope to have you back!