Official Safety Car for 2009 FIA GT : Wiesmann GT MF5

The BMW V10-powered Wiesmann GT MF5 sports coupe will be setting the pace for the racecars participating at the 2009 FIA GT Championship season that kicks off this weekend on May 3 in Silverstone Circuit in Britain. The limited production German sports coupe boasts a 507HP 5.0-liter V10 engine from the BMW M5/M6, coupled to a seven-speed sequential automatic transmission and a variable differential lock. The rear-wheel drive GT MF5 can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 310km/h or 193mph.

Future collectors : Pontiac G8 GXP, Solstice Coupe

Just a day has passed since the news about the death of Pontiac, to be phased out in 2010. As happens at other passings, however, some of you already may be tempted to see it as an opportunity.

But one outfit, Auto Trader Classic, warns against rushing out to buy a new Pontiac because you think it will jump in value as a collectible in coming decades. Says General Manager Rob Huting: the Pontiac G8 GT may be a super value for the performance, but almost 12,000 have been produced over two years. It's not rare. And, he adds, it's not significant to collectors like, say, a Corvette, so it won't necessarily be worth a lot more down the road. He says the same goes for the nifty little Solstice roadster. Buy these if you want a good car, not if you're looking for an investment.

Open Road doesn't see any current model even matching the collectible interest of Pontiac's vintage Fiero, GTO, Firebird or Grand Prix.

Audi R8 Spyder coming in 2011

Audi insiders have confirmed that a convertible version of its stunning R8 supercar is on the way.

Details are sketchy, but our sources tell us that the new model should reach showrooms during 2011.

We understand that it will have a full-length convertible roof. This is likely to be made of fabric, in sympathy with the R8's mid-engined layout - which restricts the use of hard-tops - and Audi's preference for soft tops.

Audi hasn't confirmed whether the R8 Cabriolet will use the V8 or V10 engine from the car's current line-up.

There's no word on prices, but we don't think you're likely to see much change from £85,000.

Key rivals for the R8 Cabriolet will be the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster and the replacement for Ferrari's F430 Spider.

GTA Motors launches new Spano Spain’s supercar

Fans of video gaming might associate the letters GTA with a long-running series of mayhem and madness - and more than a little automotive hoonage. But in this case it's the name of a Spanish motorsports company that runs a pair of cars in the Formula 3 championship. Racing is a great way to build a reputation, but to reach a global audience a production car is the only way to go. In that case, we will be hearing a lot more about GTA Motor as the company has just launched a brand new supercar called the Spano.

Production will be limited to 99 units, although after the initial run a handful of special edition models are expected to be launched.

The experience in motorsport has been a key ingredient for the development of the car, and this can be seen in its chassis, which has been created by combining Kevlar and carbon-fiber with a mix of titanium thrown in as well. The engine, on the other hand, is totally unique. It's a V10 unit mounted in a longitudinal rear position, sending 780hp (582kW) and 679lb-ft (920Nm) of torque to the rear wheels via a seven-speed sequential-manual gearbox.

Other race car derived technologies include the geometry of the car’s double wishbone suspension configuration and adjustable shock absorbers. The tires are also similar to the units used in racing - in this case a specially developed Pirelli PZero unit which measures 255mm on 19in wheels at the front and 335mm on 20in wheels at the rear. Braking hardware consists of 380mm carbon-ceramic discs with six-piston calipers from AP Racing.

Initial testing has shown that the new supercar will be able to accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than three seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 350km/h, but we’ll have to wait until the first independent tests come out until we can determine if the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini should be feeling a little threatened.

http://gtaconcept.com/

Bugatti Royal : four-door Veyron

It's the Veyron for all the family! This is our best look yet at the stunning Bugatti Royale – a four-door four-seater that’s set to take the famous firm into a new market.

With the £900,000, 253mph Veyron 16.4 already crowned the world’s most expensive and fastest supercar, Bugatti is seeking to go a step further: it will celebrate its 100th anniversary by unveiling this hyper-saloon at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Inspired by the legendary 1927 Type 41 Royale, the new model would be as expensive as its brother and be available in a very limited production run for the company’s most loyal customers. As you can see, the exterior echoes the Veyron’s, while inside the cabin will offer unparalleled luxury, with the finest leather, suede and metal trim in addition to seating for four people and a luggage compartment at the rear.

Bugatti won’t be embarking on the project alone, though. It’s rumoured that the firm will team up with fellow VW Group luxury manufacturer Bentley in developing a new front-engined limousine platform. As well as underpinning the Royale, the chassis would be used on the next Arnage. However, the new Bugatti will keep much of the technology seen on the Veyron, such as its four-wheel-drive set-up and 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 engine, although this will be mounted at the front.

With the same 987bhp and 1,250Nm of torque, the Royale should cover 0-60mph in three seconds and hit a 250mph top speed, making it the fastest four-seater in the world. It will also feature the same seven-speed twin-clutch transmission – developed by UK firm Ricardo – along with that Haldex clutch-equipped all-wheel drive. There will be active aerodynamics, a Veyron-style hydraulic rear wing that rises at speed, huge carbon composite brake discs and adaptive dampers, too.

The current economic downturn means the Royale is still some way off. But with McLaren Automotive boss Ron Dennis predicting a return to growth in 2011, just in time for the launch of his company’s P11 supercar, expect the four-door to go on sale in three years’ time.

In further celebration of its 100th birthday, Bugattiis also planning to launch a 1,350bhp ‘super’ Veyron later this year, along with additional special editions.

Saab Fashionista Concept: Volt-Based Hybrid Coupe

At this point, it's not a certainty that Saab or even parent company General Motors will still be in the car business in the year 2012, but let's not let that tidbit get in the way of an interesting concept car. Authored by Mayeul Walser, a fourth year design student at Creapole-ESDI, the Saab Fashionista is a 2+2 sport coupe that is reportedly inspired by the designs of Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel.

More importantly, this concept is based on the underpinnings of the Chevrolet Volt, which means there's a range-extended electric powertrain hiding under its shapely bodywork. Since it only exists on paper, Walser took some liberties by ditching the eco-friendly drivetrain's stock four-cylinder engine and replacing it with a more powerful V6.

In reality, a more powerful internal combustion engine wouldn't make the Fashionista any faster than the Volt since the electric motor is the only power source driving the front wheels. No matter, it's an interesting concept nonetheless. We especially like the nine-spoke blade-like carbon fiber rims.

G-POWER BMW M6 Hurricane CS: Fastest BMW Coupe in the World Achieves 370km/h - 231mph

For BMW tuning aficionado G-Power, there's no such thing as enough power or too much speed. Having already pushed the limits on the M5 Sedan and more recently, the X5 SUV, the German tuner focused its resources on the development of an even more extreme and powerful edition of the 635HP M6 Hurricane. Called the Hurricane CS, the M6 Coupe-based model uses an upgraded version of the M5 Hurricane's 730HP twin-turbocharged V10 that delivers an output of 750HP allowing the supercar to reach a top speed of 370km/h or 231mph.

To achieve the record breaking speed (for a production BMW coupe), Michelin provided a set of special high performance Pilot Sport PS2 in sizes 255/35 ZR 19 in front and 305/30 ZR 19 on the rear axle. For everyday use, G-Power offers the M6 with 21-inch Silverstone Diamond wheels shod in 255/30 ZR 21 (front) and 295/25 ZR 21 (rear) tires that are for use up to 340 km/h or 211mph.

Further development of the M5 Hurricane's V10 engine that included optimized mapping of the ECU and redesigned superchargers contributed to the increased power output of 750 horsepower available between 7,500 and 8,000 rpm, and the peak torque of 800Nm or 590 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm.

At the same time G-POWER put the BMW M6 on a diet by replacing the entire exhaust system with one made from titanium that allegedly weighs 24 kg or 53lbs less than the factory exhaust while the new carbon fiber seats in the interior, save another 24kg (12kg or 26.5 lbs each seat).

The 750Hp V10 and the weight saving measures help the Hurricane CS sprint from zero to 100km/h or 62mph in 4.4 seconds, to 200km/h or 124mph in 9.6 seconds and to 300 km/h or 187mph in just 26 seconds.

Stopping power is provided by a Carbon-Ceramic break system with 6-piston calibres and brake discs with 380 mm in diameter, that is 50% lighter than the standard brakes. There's also a height-adjustable G-POWER coil-over RS suspension with nine selectable settings each for bound and rebound and the G-POWER anit-roll-bar kit for the front and rear axles.

Other modifications on the G-Power M6 Hurricane CS include the multipart widebody aero kit that consists of new fenders, restyled bumpers, hood vents, carbon fiber spoilers and rear diffuser.

In the cabin, aside from the carbon-fiber sports seats, the Hurricane CS also gets a new speedometer with 400-km/h scale, clear-coated carbon-fiber panels for the dash, center console and doors, as well as a new sport steering wheel dressed in perforated Kjerba Nappa leather.

And the price for all of this? According to G-Power, a fully converted Hurricane CS starts at €360,000 or the equivalent of US$477,500.

No Way Tesla's Model S Will Cost $57,400

Tesla Motors' charismatic frontman, Elon Musk, will be showing up on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight to dazzle America's TV audience with his gorgeous all-electric sedan. Tesla says that when the Model S goes on sale at an undefined point in the future, the cost for the base model will be just under $50,000 – $49,900 to be exact – after a $7,500 government tax break. Business Insider has a word for that: Horsefeathers.

BI teamed up with Mark Boyadjis, an auto analyst at iSuppli, and they did some math based on actual numbers used in the auto industry and a lot of educated guesses. The result? They didn't exactly find a lot of room for profit if the car sells for $57,400. Their math is based on at least one error – they say the replacement battery for the Roadster is $36,000, but that's a carry-over mistake from Edmunds – it's actually $30,000. Still, that's the equivalent to the base price of an entire "near luxury" sedan – one that conventional automakers have trouble making margins on. That big, sexy touchscreen? Estimated to cost $4,000. Add everything from chassis and body panel costs to in distribution, marketing, further engineering, and lest we forget – building a factory, and Musk's price target starts to look more and more implausible.

BI has a good point here – Tesla needs to be careful with their pricing predictions. The ambitious startup made big financial mistakes when pricing the original Roadster – which didn't make everyone happy – and there's not a lot of room left to goof up a second time.