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Thread: New drop-tops from Audi and MINI, more news from Essen and three unusual racing cars

  1. #1
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    New drop-tops from Audi and MINI, more news from Essen and three unusual racing cars

    Dear Ultimatecarpage.com visitor,

    Just as winter has arrived across the Northern hemisphere both Audi and MINI bring back a hint of summer with two brand new convertibles. From the Germany luxury manufacturer comes the S5 Cabriolet. It is not simply a drop-top version of the S5 Coupe as it features the new direct injection, twin-turbo V6 engine that was debuted earlier this year in the closely related S4. MINI completed the roll-out of the second generation of the 'new MINI' with an open version. Topping the line-up is this Cooper S Convertible. Like the Audi, it uses a direct injection turbocharged engine. The new four cylinder engine produces a hefty 172 bhp from a displacement of just 1.6 litre.
    With most major manufacturers absent in Essen the specialist tuners could take center stage. The most powerful car present was the 9ff GT9-R. Powered by a 1120 bhp engine, it promises to accelerate to 300 km/h in under 16 seconds and it does not stop accelerating until it reaches an incredible 'V-max' of 414 km/h. Brabus also grabbed headlines by revealing the first tuned electric car. Their interpretation of the Tesla Roadster boasts a sound system that can imitate an internal combustion engines to provide the soundtrack to match the Tesla's performance.
    To conclude today's update we would like to highlight three somewhat unusual racing cars. First up is one of only very few straight-six engined Ferraris ever built; the 121 LM. Built as a Works racer for the 1955 season, this specific example was raced by some of the great drivers of the era like Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby. After a lengthy ownership by an avid French historic racer, it will be auctioned later this month at the Bonhams Gstaad Auction. Not nearly as well known is this Attila Mk3 Chevrolet. It was designed and constructed by former Lotus designer Val Dare-Bryan and raced with some success in period. In recent years the rare racer resurfaced and has since been raced extensively. The March GTP racers of the early 1980s were nick-named 'lobster-claw' for their striking appearance. So most fittingly this 83G Chevrolet was liveried in 'Red Lobster' colours.

    Enjoy the links:

    2008 9ff GT9-R - Images, Specifications and Information

    1964 Attila Mk3 Chevrolet - Images, Specifications and Information

    2009 Audi S5 Cabriolet - Images, Specifications and Information

    2008 Brabus Tesla Roadster - Images, Specifications and Information

    2009 Chevrolet Cruze WTCC - Images, Specifications and Information

    1955 Ferrari 121 LM Scaglietti Spyder - Images, Specifications and Information

    1983 March 83G Chevrolet - Images, Specifications and Information

    2009 MINI Cooper S Convertible - Images, Specifications and Information

    Regards,
    Wouter Melissen
    If you should see a man walking down a crowded street talking aloud to himself, don't run in the opposite direction, but run towards him, because he's a poet. You have nothing to fear from the poet - but the truth.

    (Ted Joans)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Nice work - dug the three racers. The 83G was quite interesting to read about - the amount of engines it and it's variants used was quite large and as I learned it was quite successful - something you gotta give props for especially considering they are not a big dollar manufacturer.

    I never knew there even was a straight 6 Ferrari either - the 121 article was good.

    Ditto the Atilla - cool to read about such an advanced design aerodynamically and suspension-wise at the time.

    Good as usual W.

  3. #3
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    i appreciate that 9ff had the decency to put a back end on their car this time.
    Honor. Courage. Commitment. Etcetera.

  4. #4
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    and some bonus shots of the Lobster Claw.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    1,486
    Quote Originally Posted by cmcpokey View Post
    i appreciate that 9ff had the decency to put a back end on their car this time.
    Yeah, I noticed the same thing.

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