Ahead of the official launch at the Geneva Motor Show next week, Aston Martin have released the DBS Volante. As the name suggests, it is the drop-top version of the DBS V12. Composite materials were used throughout to keep the weight gain over the fixed-head model to a minimum. The 510 bhp engine can propel the car to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and to a top-speed of 307 km/h. The roof can be opened at speeds of up to 48 km/h.
German manufacturer Audi are set to expand their line-up in Geneva with a high performance version of the TT. Dubbed the TT RS, it is powered by a 2.5 litre five cylinder engine that uses direct injection and turbocharging to pump out a staggering 340 bhp. The aluminum machine is available in both Coupe and Roadster versions. More details have not been released other than an expected 0-60 mph time of under 5 seconds.
Originally code-named the 'Extreme', the new super Bentley has also broken cover. It will bear the name Continental Supersports, which is a reference to the high performance model of the 3-Litre model of the 1920s. Compared to the 'standard' Continental GT Speed, the new Supersports is slightly more powerful and considerably lighter. Additionally it has 'FlexFuel' capability, which means that it can run on biofuel and regular petrol. The new Bentley will enter the showroom in the autumn of 2009.

Another week, another set of Geneva previews. This week's update is more of a mixed bag than the previous ones. The most interesting car is the Rolls-Royce 200EX. This concept is the first major clue of a brand new, smaller Rolls-Royce model. The four-sedan incorporates many of the Phantom's styling cues but the package is a lot more elegant. A new V12 will power the production version. Another niche manufacturer expected to announce an expansion of their range is Koenigsegg. For now all we have is one picture and the name 'Quant'.
The car that will certainly be one of our 'Geneva' favourites is the Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA Concept. The high performance model of the beautiful hatchback packs an 1.8 litre engine that produces an amazing 240 bhp.
Mercedes tuner Brabus have worked their magic on the German company's old work-horse; the G-Class. Instead of the supercharged V8 found in the G's AMG version, the Brabus G V12 S Biturbo uses a 690 bhp twin-turbo V12. According to Brabus it is the most powerful off-roader available and we have no reason to doubt that. Mercedes-Benz themselves will take the wraps off the E 500 Coupe, which will replace the current CLK class.
Infiniti has leaked a teaser of the Essence Concept, which will serve to add momentum to the marque's European introduction.

There are few cars that have more deservedly received the label 'rolling sculpture' than the Talbo Lago T150 Teardrop Coup� built between 1937 and 1939. Inspired by the drawings from French artist Geo Ham, the shape of these master pieces was penned by Joseph Figoni. A large majority of the 16 examples sported the competition derived T150C SS chassis. Actually considering the various examples' exploits on the track a more appropriate label would be 'racing sculpture.' At the same time as one car was raced at Le Mans others won awards at a variety of concours d'elegance. Only one was destroyed because most of them were bought by the Hollywood jet-set before the War. Legendary Los Angeles playboy Tommy Lee at one point owned three at the same time. We have dug deep in our archive and found images of new fewer than six examples with the best loved 'New York' style body of which only 11 were built.
Perhaps not quite as good looking as the Talbot Lago, the other feature car of today's update, the Ferrari 312 PB was considerably more successful on the race track. First raced in the 1971 season, the 312 PB was basically the sports car version of Ferrari's contemporary Formula 1 cars. The car's debut season was far from successful but a fully focused approach brought the World Sportscar Championship in 1972 with the maximum amount of points. What also helped was that drivers like Jacky Ickx, Mario Andretti and Brian Redman were behind the wheel of the cars. Our detailed feature includes five of the surviving examples.

After the first 'spy shots' were revealed last Wednesday, Audi hurried to publish the first 'official' picture of the all-new R15 TDI. When motorsport chief Dr Wolfgang Ulrich first confirmed the development of the new Le Mans racer he explained that it would be a revolutionary car. Interestingly he referred to the R10, the first ever diesel powered Le Mans winner, as an evolutionary car. The released picture clearly show that Ulrich spoke the truth. The aero-package is a complete departure from the norm and more specifically from the very successful R8 and R10. No technical details have been revealed but it is believed that a compact V10 diesel engine will power the R15 at its Sebring debut next month. However outlandish the new Audi may be, it still reminded us of an already existing racing car; the WR LMP 2008 Zytek. Penned by Peugeot/Citro�n road car designers in their free time, it was raced in the Le Mans Series in 2008. Although it bears a remarkable resemblance to the R15, the WR was not very successful in its first season of racing. In 2009 French rising star Tristan Gommendy will be one of its drivers, so perhaps better results can be achieved.
It must be a coincidence but it seems that each week different manufacturers decide to preview the same type of cars before their Geneva launch. This week, it's the SUV/estate cross-over that takes center stage. The Audi A4 Allroad Quattro and Saab 9-3X will hit the showrooms shortly while the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo is still a concept car.
Not fitting in this theme and certainly more interesting are the Fiat 500C, the Maybach 62S Zeppelin and Gumpert Apollo Speed. There are still two weeks to go before the show opens and we expect to see even more exciting previews in the coming days.
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In our quest to bring you the best features possible, we have now added a new section to our car articles with detailed information on the individual cars pictured. In addition to providing more information, this will also enable us to include more examples of the same model without the article becoming too chaotic. To celebrate the expansion we today take a renewed look at two of the biggest stars of the popular Group C era of endurance racing; the Porsche 956 and the Jaguar XJR-9.
Completed early in 1982, the 956 was one of the very first Group C cars built. It was also the very first time Porsche used a monocoque chassis in a sports racing car. The 956's career was kicked off with a class win in the Silverstone 6 Hours. That was the start of a four-year domination of the World Championship. Included in the many victories are four consecutive wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Our article includes pictures of two Works cars and one of the seventeen customer examples.
Porsche's dominance at Le Mans was ended by the TWR Jaguar team in 1988. It was the culmination of a highly successful season that saw the XJR-9 also win the Daytona 24 Hours and the World Championship. Two years later the virtually identical XJR-12 would score another win for the TWR Jaguar squad. Pictured in the XJR-9 feature are three of the six new cars built for the 1988 season, including the Le Mans winning 'J12-C-488.'
Currently only very few articles feature the detailed chassis sections but that number will grow rapidly over the next few months. We have opened this forum thread for feedback and/or suggestions.

Already one of the fastest four-door cars available, Vauxhall today announced a further performance upgrade for the VXR8. A clear nod to the machine's origin, the new 560 bhp version is dubbed the Bathurst S Edition. The S in the name refers to the Walkinshaw Performance supercharger that is responsible for the boost in engine performance. Available for �44,995, few cars can rival the supercharged VXR8 in the bang for buck category. Although not quite as powerful we are equally impressed with the new Ford Taurus SHO. Available this Summer, the SHO version of the new Taurus is powered by a highly efficient V6 engine. By utilising direct injection and twin-turbos the V6 is both green and at 365 bhp, very powerful.
'Geneva' is still nearly a month away and the interesting previews keep coming in at a rapid pace. This week seems reserved for small cars. Together with a brand new badge, Citro�n revealed the DS Inside Concept. It signals the return of the DS name, which will be used for the most luxurious versions of the French manufacturer's model. With the new Mazda 3 MPS, Renault Clio III GT and the MINI Cooper S Convertible JCW, the Geneva show will also host its share of 'hot' small car introductions.
Earlier this week, Red Bull Racing revealed the RB5 Renault. Like all of the other 2009 Formula 1 cars already shown to the public, the new 'Red Bull' sports the unusual aero-package dictated by the new regulations. The Adrian Newey penned RB5 features relatively large rear wing end-plates and certainly promises to be one of the better looking cars on the grid this year.

One of the shows we most look forward to every year is Retromobile in Paris. The annual event always boasts many rare and exceptional machinery and with a high quality/quantity ratio is very visitor friendly. This year's edition opened its doors at noon last Friday. We were on the showfloor a few hours earlier to capture all the highlights before the crowd flocked in. And as always there was plenty to capture.
Before the show Bonhams had already grabbed headlines in the mainstream media with the barn-find Bugatti Type 57S to be auctioned during Retromobile. Thanks to its unique condition, it more than met the high expectations set. In addition to the multi million Euro 'Bonhams Bugatti' there were a whole host of evocative classic road and racing cars on display. Among them was the 1932 Le Mans winning Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, the 1939 Tripoli GP winning Mercedes-Benz W165, Alberto Ascari's 1952 and 1953 World Championship winning Ferrari 500 F2 and the ex-Rob Walker Lotus 18 driven to victory in the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix by Stirling Moss. In addition to the traditional dealer, club and manufacturer booths, there was a special display with vehicles powered by alternative methods including a 1947 Hybrid car and a 1931 Electric Bugatti.
Still somewhat in awe of what Retromobile served us this year we have compiled all our impressions in a full report and a spectacular 130-shot slideshow. Naturally many of the great cars on display in Paris will be looked at in much greater detail in the near future.

Despite the grim state of the automotive industry, the upcoming Geneva Motor Show promises to be one of the best yet. This week the ever growing list of exciting releases was expanded with the production version of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage. Powered by the same V12 engine as the range topping DBS, the compact Vantage model should provide plenty of driving thrills. It will be displayed alongside the production version of the Rapide four door saloon.
We will of course be in Geneva to capture all the excitement for you but first we will travel to Paris for Retromobile. Opening its doors tomorrow, the annual show always produces some very special displays despite its relatively small size. These are provided by manufacturers, clubs, dealers and auctioneer Bonhams. This year we particularly look forward to the Vanderbilt Cup winning Alfa Romeo Tipo 12C 36 and the magnificent Mercedes Benz W165 that was driven to victory in the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix. Bonhams' auction is highlighted by a fine collection of Bugattis including the barn-find Type 57S Atalante and the very early Type 13 and Type 18. To get you in the mood we have assembled a list of some of our favourite machinery that has been displayed in the past few years.
Much like the barn-find Bugatti this year, the Auto Union Type D to be auctioned in 2007 grabbed the attention of the world media. Set to break the world record, it had to be withdrawn prior to the sale over new information that surfaced on the car's identity. It is nevertheless a genuine example and Retromobile provided a rare opportunity for enthusiasts to examine it up close. The museums of the Fiat Group always sent out something special and provided the stands of the French clubs with the Alfa Romeo 2000 Sportiva in 2004 and one just two surviving Lancia D50s in 2005. The stand we always look out for the most is that of Swiss classic car dealer Lukas Huni. Last year he brought out Juan Manuel Fangio's 1957 'Ring winning Maserati 250F and a few years earlier offered the super rare Pegaso Z102 BS 3.2 Touring Spyder. Surprises like this Jaguar XK120 Ghia Supersonic and Bugatti EB 110 SS Le Mans can be found around every corner.
A full report of this year's Retromobile and associated auction will be published early next week, of course illustrated by a packed gallery.

Even though the Geneva Motor Show is still more than a month away, some of the show's highlights have already been previewed. One of the most interesting releases promises to be the so called Extreme Bentley. The little information available suggests it will be the most powerful production Bentley ever but also one of the greener ones. Hot on the heels of the new RSR, Porsche unveiled a revised 997 GT3. The slightly larger engine is sufficient to boost the power by 20 horses to 435 bhp. At Geneva Honda will bid a final farewell to the S2000 with the S2000 Ultimate Edition. Unfortunately it does not seem likely that the high revving two-seater will be replaced any time soon.
At the annual Wheels Down Winter Test at Sebring, the all new Acura ARX-02a made its public debut. Signaling the Japanese company's move up to the LMP1 class, it will likely fight for overall victories in the American Le Mans Series, starting next month with the Sebring 12 Hours. Another manufacturing moving up to the LMP1 category is Aston Martin. Building on the experience gathered with the V12 engined Lola in 2008, the British company will compete in the Le Mans Series and at Le Mans with two Gulf liveried machines. It will be the first time that the 1959 winners will return to Le Mans with a sports car since the promising but ill-fated effort with the AMR1 in 1989.
While most other championships will not start for another two months, the Rolex Sports Car Series kicked off their 2009 season last week with the Daytona 24 Hours. The classic race is open to both 'Daytona Prototypes' and production based GT machines. The victory was grabbed by the Porsche Riley Mk XX entered by Brumos Racing.