Categories: Exotics

Automakers have been busy as bees over the last decade designing lightweight, fuel-efficient vehicles for a public increasingly suffering from price shock at the gas pumps. As a result, dozens of car models and even some light trucks now average 25+ miles per gallon on the highway. Hybrids like the Prius are even more fuel-stingy, getting 50 MPG or more.

But even Toyota's ultra-efficient savings champ is outdone by a new vehicle called the Elio, which can go 84 miles on a single gallon of regular unleaded. Scheduled to be released in 2014, the Elio is causing waves across the automotive world.

Back in the 1980s, the automotive industry underwent a golden age of technologically advanced sports cars. Cars like the Porsche 959 and Ferrari F40 used technologies never before seen on the road, and as time went on, that technology trickled down. Tech-heavy cars are more common here in 2013, but we appear to be on the verge of another technological golden age involving Porsche and Ferrari. Porsche is developing the 918 Spyder, a sort of spiritual successor to the 959, and Ferrari recently revealed the LaFerrari, a direct descendant of the F40. A cornerstone of the new era will be hybrid power. Both the 918 and LaFerrari have hybrid units, and, at least in Porsche's case, plug-in hybrid technology will be trickling down to its entire line.

The McLaren P1 is one of those supercars that is just fun to look at, especially when it's in action. Unfortunately, McLaren didn't see fit to bring it to the New York Auto Show for us American folks to see in person. So we'll just have to be content watching it carve its signature into the snow and ice of northern Europe.

Prior to introducing its latest special edition, Bugatti put the "world record" into the World Record Car Edition by blazing into the books with a 254-mph run recorded by TÜV, the independent German organization for Technical Inspection and Certification. The record was for the fastest convertible in the world, and Bugatti got it done in the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse. This week, Bugatti released the video evidence of the world record run. Reading about the world record was interesting, but watching it unfold before your eyes is much better. 

Earlier this month, Bugatti announced a claimed world speed record for convertibles in its Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse. The 1,183-hp open-topped Veyron screamed down Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessein track and was clocked in at 254.04 mph by the German inspection and certification aficianados at TUV. Bugatti followed the feat up by revealing a Grand Sport Vitesse "World Record Car" special edition at the Shanghai Auto Show. 

For anyone who has never laid eyes on a Lamborghini, a small piece of advice:  Find one. Sure, pictures are nice, and stats are fun to read, but there is nothing – repeat, nothing that compares to the visual presence of a Lamborghini in living color. If you happen to get your choice of which Lambo to view as your first raging bull, may we suggest the 2013 Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster. Sure, the name is a mouthful, but trust us there will be plenty of room to fill when your jaw drops.  

Supercars are all about imagination. Impossibilities made possible, then wrapped in bodywork that was designed by a 12-year-old on the back of a math book. They don’t have to make sense; they have to make us excited. Hopeful that one day, we’ll be able to buy one for ourselves. And if we win the lottery any time soon, the McLaren P1 will be at the top of our shopping list.

Unveiled a few months ago at the Paris Motor Show, the McLaren P1 has slashes and swoops, butterfly doors, and the coolest orange paintjob that you’ll ever see. This car defies logic, and challenges everything that you normally associate with supercars. It’s a gas-electric hybrid (yep - just like a Prius), but it has a top speed of 218 mph. You can drive it for 6-12 mi (at reasonable speeds) on electricity alone, then the twin-turbo 3.8L V8 will spool up to charge the battery pack (it even comes with a plug-in charger for some extra ‘green-ness’).

Mercedes AMG cars aren’t exactly slow. When Daimler acquired the tuning company in 1999, they had been turning Mercedes street cars into Hedge Fund Fun Machines since the late-1960’s. Now with the full backing of Daimler-Benz, AMG has the financial and engineering ability to create some properly mind-blowing automobiles. Their new SL65 AMG for example, spits out 621-hp / 738 lb-ft from a twin-turbo V12. And that’s enough magic to propel this hedonistic hell raiser to a top speed of 186 mph. Ferraris were barely capable of that 20 years ago, so who could possibly top Mercedes’ own tuning company? Why Brabus of course.

For shame.

Welcome to my latest web series on “Things That Should Earn You Serious and Prolonged Beatings.” Here you will read about the worst things people have done to otherwise perfectly-good cars—and yes, that includes crushing them—in the pursuit of fame, glory, money or the aforementioned threat of physical harm.

This installment covers the “1984 Aspt Custom GTO”, a vehicle that stained the rolls at Mecum Auction’s Kissimmee, FL, sale Jan. 18-27, and the many, MANY questions such a monstrosity presents. [Mass hysteria? Head injury? Anything?]

Forged on Mount Olympus, and trimmed in the finest calfskins, and exotic woods from faraway lands. Behold Bentley’s latest creation: the 2014 Bentley Continental Flying Spur!

The gods are truly pleased with their new chariot. From inside its decadent chamber, they can feast upon ambrosia from the heated and cooled thrones, whilst their divine nectar is chilled to perfection in the rear bottle cooler. Entertainment is provided by cherubs strumming harp music across the 1,100 watt Naim audio system, and video can be enjoyed on the optional 10-inch rear screens.

Need proof that the economy is getting back on track? How about the first eBay Top Five list in history to boast a value in excess of two million dollars? That’s right, folks, this is the first time in (my) recorded history that a.) any car’s been reported sold on eBay for nearly $1M; and, b.) the five highest claimed automotive auction sales prices (within two consecutive months) have exceeded $2M.

Oddly enough, however—especially in the Lamborghini’s case—the top four here are in the most boring color schemes their respective manufacturers have to offer (not that #5’s hue is all that exciting, either). Then again, this may reflect buyers’ desires to remain a little less conspicuous in their consumption, at least until the average American can afford their own guilty automotive pleasures.

Unleash the (late-model, near-new) hounds!