Following the race-bred Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa launched last year at Villa d'Este, Zagato have now announced the road-going TZ3 Stradale. Apart from the Alfa Romeo TZ2 inspired design the two variants share very little; the competition machine used the underpinnings from the Gillet Vertigo racing car, while the new road car is based on the Dodge Viper ACR. The easily adaptable and potent American chassis has been clothed a visually very appealing carbon-fibre body that has all the Zagato hallmarks with a 'double-bubble' roof and a cut off 'Kamm' tail. Zagato have expressed the intention to build a total of nine Stradales, which limits the total TZ3 run to just ten examples.
The first TZ3 Stradale has been commissioned by an American enthusiast and the next two examples will head for Japan and Europe respectively.

Last weekend's Le Mans Test was our first opportunity to capture the all new Ferrari 458 Italia GT2. Developed over the winter by experts Michelotto, the GT2 racer has very big shoes to fill; it replaces the F430 GTC, which won its class in every major race and championship at least once. The striking 458 Italia road car formed the starting point for the new car, which is equipped with a very aggressive body-kit. The performance of the 4.5 litre V8 has been cut to 'just' 465 bhp due to the mandatory restrictors on the air intakes. That nevertheless did not prevent the 458 Italia GT2 from clocking the fastest time in the GTE class; the Farnbacher entered machine was the only GT to break the four-minute barrier.
Making its debut at the Test was the even newer Lotus Evora GTE. It represents, Lotus' first foray into top level sports car racing in over a decade and is part of the company's very ambitious plans for the future. The two Evoras at the test were clearly still very fresh and had only been briefly shaken down before coming to Le Mans. There had not even been time to apply the lovely blue and white livery of the JetAlliance Racing team that runs the cars for Lotus. The quickest Evora GTE was just under ten seconds adrift from the Ferrari but we expect there is a lot more to come from the very compact Lotus.
Porsche, today, announced another addition to the company's road car range; the 997 GT3 RS 4.0. As the name suggests it uses a larger, four litre version of the venerable flat six engine, which is also found in the various 997 competition cars. It produces just under 500 bhp and is installed in a very hardcore 997 chassis with carbon fibre body-panels and a plexiglass rear window to keep it as light as possible. The car even sports competition-inspired deflection vanes on the sides of the front bumper that create additional downforce. The 997 GT3 RS 4.0 will be available from July and production will be limited to just 600 examples.

On Sunday the roads just south of the French city of Le Mans were closed to the regular traffic and opened to 54 sports racers for the official test. To ease the financial burden on the teams during the economic crisis, the annual test had been called off the last two years. It was a welcome return as many of the teams lined up with either brand new or heavily modified cars as a result of drastic rule changes. Among the new cars were the Audi R18 TDI and Peugeot 908, which are the most likely candidates for the victory in June. The test was the first opportunity to see how these two stacked up and as it turned out there is little to separate the two. Ahead of the season the only real rival from the petrol camp was believed to be Aston Martin Racing but their recent performances have put that hope to bed for now. In the GT class the battle is equally close but with more manufacturers vying for the same piece of the pie. The familiar BMWs, Porsches and Corvettes are joined this year by new cars from Ferrari and Lotus with the former looking the most likely to challenge for the top positions.
It was with great anticipation that we looked ahead to the 54 cars rolling onto the track at 9 am on Sunday morning. Eight hours later we were a little wiser and even more confident that the race will be another cracker. The result of a weekend's work in Le Mans can be found in this detailed report, illustrated by an exclusive 150-shot gallery.
In the coming days you can expect up close features of all of the new cars that will compete in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as a full report of the May 7th Spa Six Hours, which will feature many of the top runners.

This weekend the decades old tradition of the official Le Mans Test day has been revived after a few years absence due to the economic crisis. Although the test is not mandatory, new cars and drivers that have not raced here in the last three years need to complete laps in order to qualify to participate in the race in June. Due to rule changes quite a few brand new cars have turned up. All eyes are of course on the latest episode of the Audi vs Peugeot battle, which will feature two clean-sheet designs. The test will be the first time the R18 TDI and 908, respectively, will face off. Whether the full pace will be shown tomorrow remains doubtful but at least we will get some indication of the lap times under the new regulations. It is also the second public outing of the Aston Martin AMR-One, which had a very difficult debut at Paul Ricard a few weeks ago.
To get your attention away from easter eggs briefly, we have compiled a 50-shot preview gallery with the first glimpses of the cars in the pitlane. Also included are various samples from shoots organised up and down the front straight this afternoon. A full report from the test will be ready in a few days, followed by detailed pieces on all the new machinery.

Hot on the heels of Auto Shanghai, the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) opened its doors yesterday. A large number of manufacturers lined up with an interesting mix of green and/or high performance models. Scion surprised with the FR-S Sports Coupe Concept. The compact rear wheel driven coupe is another interpretation of the highly anticipated sports car that is currently being developed by Subaru and Toyota. Like the Toyota FT-86 II shown earlier this year in Geneva, the FR-S looks ready to hit the roads.
Ford revealed a revised version of the highly acclaimed Taurus introduced a few years ago. The range will once again be topped by the SHO, powered by a 365 bhp V6 engine. Just like its predecessor the sophisticated machines comes standard with all wheel drive and a six-speed gearbox.
Over at the Chrysler Group, the SRT8 range was expanded with two new models, both using a 465 bhp V8. Jeep added its most powerful car yet; the Grand Cherokee SRT8, while Chrysler introduced the 300 SRT8 based on the second generation 300.
Meanwhile Bentley announced a limited production run of the Continental Supersports Convertible ISR. ISR is short of Ice Speed Record and is a reference to the record speed of 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h) clocked by rally Juha Kankkunen in a similar car on a frozen lake earlier this year. Among the revisions compared to the 'standard' version are tweaks to the engine that bring the power up to a neck-snapping 631 bhp.
Sister companies Opel and Vauxhall announced extra spicy versions of the already hot Corsa. Dubbed the OPC and VXR Nurburgring Editions respectively, the small pocket rockets feature a diminutive four cylinder engine that thanks to turbo still produces a commendable 210 bhp.

Today more news from the 2011 Shanghai Auto reached our desks and we decided to round it up before the New York show kicks off in earnest tomorrow.
Audi followed up on the A3 Concept shown in Geneva with the similarly styled A3 e-tron Concept. Under the shapely panels the two show cars differ substantially; the e-tron uses a sophisticated plug-in hybrid system that consists of a 208 bhp TFSI engine and a 27 bhp electric motor. Using just the lithium-ion batteries, the Audi has a range of up to 34 miles.
Meeting a particularly Asian demand, Rolls-Royce took the wraps of the long wheelbase version of the popular Ghost. The car features a 17 cm longer wheelbase, which is all used to provide the rear passengers with additional space.
Subaru provided a preview of an upcoming compact crossover model by revealing the XV Concept in the Chinese metropole. Like most Subarus in the current line-up, the XV sports a four cylinder boxer engine and an all-wheel drive system.
One of the boldest releases in Shanghai was this Volvo Concept Universe. The large sedan features an unusually low mounted grill and an engine cover that is almost shaped like the bow on a ship. The profile and rear-end of the Concept Universe are considerably more appealing to the eye.

In a remarkable turn-around performance, Lewis Hamilton took a well deserved win with his McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes in yesterday's Chinese Grand Prix. In one of the most exciting races in recent history, the 2008 World Champion made the most of a cunning strategy and put in a stellar drive to grab the lead in the final laps of the race. This victory came barely a month after the final official tests ahead of the season, which had been close to disastrous for the British team. The MP4-26 lacked both speed and reliability, and very few believed that the silver and red machine would be a force in the opening races. A plethora of new parts fitted to the MP4-26 turned McLaren's fortunes around ahead of the opening Grand Prix, where Hamilton clinched a surprise second.
Less than 24 hours after the checkered flag was shown, the local motor show opened its doors for the gathered media. PSA grabbed headlines with the Citroen DS5 and the Peugeot SxC Concept. The former is the third model in the popular 'DS' line-up and is powered by a hybrid-diesel drivetrain that produces a combined 200 bhp. The Peugeot show car has been completely designed in China; by the Peugeot Style Studio of the China Tech Centre in Shanghai. Like the DS5, it features a hybrid system but this time combined with a petrol engine. This very potent configuration is good for an impressive 313 bhp.
In a few days the New York Auto Show will also kick off and the latest preview we received is this Nissan Leaf Nismo RC. As the Nismo reference suggests, this is a competition version of the fully electric Leaf. Not built to a specific set of regulations, the car will be demonstrated at a variety race meets in the coming months.

In 1989 the fabulous Maranello Rosso museum in San Marino celebrated its grand opening. Featuring a premier collection of Ferraris and Abarths, the museum was later honoured by the Italian President for its "significant contribution of the image of 'Made in Italy' in the world." Several decades in the making the collection was the product of the enthusiasm of the late Fabrizio Violati. He bought his first Ferrari, a 250 GTO no less, in 1965 and gradually added more road and racing cars to his collection. He was also an avid racer of both his classic and contemporary Ferraris. We had the pleasure of visiting the museum on the outskirts of San Marino last year. The result is an 80-shot gallery, which illustrates a detailed history of the museum and its creator.
One of the most controversial cars in the collection is the 330 P with chassis number 0818. Until February it was subject of a lawsuit filed by another person claiming to own the car. The Italian judge ruled in favour of the Violati estate and had already been awarded a Ferrari certificate of origin. In addition to 0818, we were also treated to a rare on-track appearance of 0820 at the Le Mans Classic. It was driven very quickly, with massive slides, by professional Claudia Hurtgen. Both cars are pictured in this 24-shot gallery.

Today we celebrate the 80th birthday of one of America's greatest racing legends, Dan Gurney. The tall Californian has had both a successful career as a driver and as a manufacturer of racing cars. At the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix held on the legendary Spa Francorchamps track, Gurney combined the two by winning the race in his own Eagle Mark 1 Weslake. This was an historic victory as it was the very first Grand Prix win for an American car since Jimmy Murphy won the 1921 French Grand Prix in this Duesenberg. The specific car used by Gurney was one of the most sophisticated on the track as it was constructed from exotic, lightweight metals like magnesium and titanium. He was close to a second win that year but the poor reliability of the beautiful Weslake engine once again played up. Gurney was forced to end his Formula 1 program a year later but Eagles continued to star in American racing for decades to come. All three V12 engined Eagles still exist to this day and we have been fortunate to capture all three in the last couple of years. They are featured in an 18-shot gallery, which illustrated a detailed article of what is one of the most beautiful Grand Prix cars ever constructed.
Aston Martin Racing has just announced the latest addition to their line-up; the Vantage GT3. Based on the V12-engine Vantage road car, it is set to replace the DBRS9 next season. The 6-litre V12 engine is tweaked to produce over 600 bhp and 700 Nm of torque. A prototype is expected to be ready this summer and early in 2012 Aston Martin Racing hopes to deliver the first ten Vantage GT3s to customers.

Shortly after acquiring Maserati in the late 1930s, the Orsi family changed the company's strategy to ensure its survival; no longer would the Italian manufacturer focus exclusively on racing cars. For obvious reasons there were some delays but by 1946 Maserati's very first road car was launched. Known as the 1500 Gran Turismo or Tipo A6, it was a bigger sales success than any Maserati that came before. Its immediate replacement, complete with two litre engine, was not a big hit but the A6's third incarnation, the Tipo A6G54 once again attracted many customers. Of the the coach-builders offering bodies for the sophisticated Maserati, Allemano was the most understated. Their 2+2 Coupe combined elegant lines with a relatively luxurious interior. Just over 20 examples were clothed by Allemano between 1955 and 1957. We captured the featured example at the 2010 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este fresh from a thorough restoration.
Despite taking an impressive victory in the Dubai 24 Hours in January, BMW have revised the Z4 GT3 originally launched just a year ago. The 'new' Z4 GT3 features a 4.4 litre of the high-revving V8 engine that is also found in the M3 GTS road car. This is mated to a six-speed gearbox that is actuated by paddles behind the steering wheel. The competition package also includes a very wide carbon-fibre bodykit and a full roll-cage.
Caterham today announced the addition to the line-up of the Supersport. It is based on the car used in the popular Caterham Supersport Championship. Powered by a tweaked Ford engine, the very affordable Supersport is available as a complete car or in kit form.
At Auto Shanghai Subaru will unveil the XV crossover concept. The Japanese company also announced the introduction of the new generation Impreza scheduled for the New York Auto Show a day later.

Chevrolet marked its introduction to the Korean market in great style at this week's Seoul Motor Show by introducing the very funky Mi-ray Roadster Concept. Korean for 'future' the Mi-ray is also part of Chevrolet's centenary celebrations. The two-seater roadster is constructed around an aluminium chassis and sports an all carbon fibre composite body. Underneath the lightweight skin, the car packs a sophisticated hybrid drivetrain with mid-mounted petrol and two 20 bhp electric motors fitted to the front axle. Energy generated under braking is stored in a lithium-ion battery that is also fitted behind the passenger compartment. Unfortunately no performance details of the 1.5 litre petrol engine have been released, so we can't say if the Mi-ray is as quick as it looks. We certainly would not mind seeing the compact sports car hit the streets in the very near 'future'.
With a visit from Formula 1 and many of the major manufacturers for the local auto show, Shanghai will briefly be the motoring capital of the world later this month. Mercedes-Benz will use this opportunity to reveal the Concept A-Class. If, as the name suggests, this is in fact a preview of the next generation A-Class, then the model is in for a drastic change. Gone is the compact MPV design, replaced instead by a hatckback shape more akin to the BMW 1-Series. Power of this show-car comes from a new four cylinder engine of the 'M270' family. Fitted with all the latest technologies, this two litre unit promises to be good for 210 bhp. The Concept A-Class is also equipped with a dual-clutch transmission.

At the final Grand Prix before Maserati retired from international racing, the Italian manufacturer debuted the most powerful variant of the familiar 250F yet; the 250F T2 'V12'. Piloted by French works driver Jean Behra, it sported a brand new V12 engine. The sophisticated unit featured twin overhead camshafts and 24 spark plugs, and displaced just under 2.5 litre. On the Maserati test-bench, it produced a staggering 320 bhp at 12,000. The V12 had to be slightly toned down to keep the rear tyres in one piece. Behra's car could be very easily recognised by the low profile interrupted only by a pair of bumps on the engine cover to clear the two batteries of Weber carburettors. At its only appearance, the 250F T2 'V12' impressed in practice but dropped back in the race after a pit stop for fresh tyres and eventually retired with lubrication issues. This was not the last appearance of the beautiful V12 engine as it was later used in the Tipo 64 sports racer and the Grand Prix winning Cooper T81.
Although sold by Maserati less engine, the ex-Behra machine once again features a V12. We ran into the car last year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and have compiled a 12-shot gallery to illustrate a detailed history of the most powerful car of F1's 2.5 litre era.
In a fortnight the New York International Auto Show will open its doors. One of the highlights could very well be the Lexus LF-Gh Concept. To build excitement, the Japanese manufacturer has released these two teaser shots.

Until the start of the 1972 season, the hugely popular Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) was dominated by the Chevrolet V8 engined McLarens. Their stronghold was finally broken by the absolutely ferocious Porsche 917/10K. Compared to the double Le Mans winning machine it was based on, the 917/10K featured a sophisticated open body that generated enormous amounts of downforce and most importantly a turbocharged version of the flat 12 engine. Depending on the boost levels this massive unit was capable of over 1000 bhp and quite reliably as well. This was the first really successful use of turbo technology in racing. The 1972 Can-Am was dominated by George Follmer and Mark Donohue and the European equivalent, the Interserie, also saw the potent Porsche dominate. For 1973 an even more powerful version was developed with a slightly larger engine and a longer body.
We have captured three different chassis that were sold to customers Willi Kauhsen, Brumos Racing and Georg Loos. Our detailed feature is illustrated by an 18-shot gallery of the three cars.
Ahead of the official launch at Auto Shanghai later in the month BMW have today released the first details of the Concept M5. As the name suggests, the car itself is also a preview of the production model. If past M Concepts are anything to go by, the final version will be virtually identical. As expected, the new M5 will be powered by the twin-turbo, direct-injection V8 that is also found on the M versions of the X5 and X6. A dual-clutch, seven-speed automatic gearbox will transfer the power to the rear wheels. Unfortunately, BMW has not yet reveal the new M5's expected performance figures.

On Wednesday the Messe Essen exhibition centre opened its doors for 2011 edition of the annual Techno Classica. Attracting well over a 1,000 exhibitors to fill the venue's 20 halls, it is easily the biggest in-door classic car show in the world. Among the exhibitors are many of the major manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, the Volkswagen Group, BMW and also the likes of Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Porsche. The remaining space is filled to the brim with clubs and vendors of anything loosely related to the classic car world.
It took some time and a lot of walking but we managed to find some interesting machines in the sea of cars. The result of our effort can be found in this brief report and 150 shot gallery.
Surprisingly few 'unusual' press releases hit our desk this morning. One exception was a BMW mailing with news of the all new M3 Pickup. Combining the best of both worlds this drop-top machine sports the familiar high-revving V8 but also a luggage compartment big enough to transport 20 golf bags. It is also the first M3 ever equipped with a trailer tow hitch. To ensure that customers will reach the golf course in record time, the BMW engineers have honed the car's suspension setup on the 'Ring. We look forward to seeing the M3 Pickup in the metal soon but we have a sneaking suspicion that today will be the last we'll hear of this machine.