Following the Coupe model announced earlier this year, MINI have further extended the company's range with a drop-top version; the Roadster. Like its fixed-head counterpart the latest addition to the British manufacturer's line-up is strictly a two-seater. Other changes compared to the four-seater Convertible include a more steeply raked front windshield. The Roadster is available with three versions of the 1.6 litre, four cylinder engine ranging from the 121 bhp Cooper to the 208 bhp John Cooper Works model. Luxuriously appointed, the Roadster also features all the typical MINI traits like the centrally mounted speedometer.
One day before it officially opens in Las Vegas, we look ahead to this year's SEMA Show for the final time. Toyota sub-brand Scion asked various specialists to take a stab at the iQ and the most extreme is this iQ-MR by Tatsu. Rebuilt by Mavrik Motorsports, Tatsu's iQ very much provides what the name suggests; a mid-mounted engine. Although no specifics on this engine have been released, we understand it is the same four-cylinder unit found in the iQ Concept shown a few years ago. Although unlikely to hit production, the iQ-MR is a fitting tribute to one of the original superminis; the Fiat 500.
Certain to strike a chord with the Mopar fans is this Dodge Challenger SRT8 ACR. Based on the '392' version of the Challenger SRT8, the show car features many performance and visual upgrades that warrant the 'American Club Racer' moniker. Most of the bits fitted to the ACR are directly available from Mopar.

In the 1950s, small sports cars emerged from almost every corner of Britain and were particularly high in demand on the American West Coast. One of the least known of these is the Swallow Doretti. Using a bespoke chassis and body combined with Triumph TR2 running gear, it was in production for less than a year. Although 276 examples were built, it was long believed that the lovely little machine was axed because it was a failure. Ironically and contradictory, the opposite proved to be case. All this and much more can be found in our in-depth article on what could have been the first of a great line of sports cars. The report is illustrated by a 12-shot gallery of a meticulously restored example that we captured during this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and last year's Concours on the Avenue in Carmel.
One of the stars of General Motors' vast display at next week's SEMA show will very likely be this Camaro 1LE Concept. It combines the running gear of the naturally aspirated Camaro SS with many of the goodies that come standard on the top-of-the-range ZL1 like the magnetic ride control suspension as well as Corvette specific bits. The show car also features a hand-built version of the LS3 engine that comes with dry-sump lubrication. A production version of the track-ready machine may follow.
Definitely entering production is this Nissan 370Z Nismo RC; in this case 'RC' is short for Racing Car'. Developed by Nismo, the V6-engined machine has been built to GT4 regulations and as a result is eligible for a variety of championships including the International FIA GT4 and World Challenge GTS series. With relatively little room for modifications, most of the changes focus on additional safety features. The 3.7 litre engine is slightly tweaked to produce 355 bhp. Interested parties can order the 370Z Nismo RC directly from Nissan Motorsports.

Today news reached us of the latest addition to the supercar ranks; the CCG customGT. Built in Germany, it features an American sourced steel spaceframe chassis and a choice of GM V8 engines with a 550 hp version topping the line. The very low body is available in fibreglass or carbon-fibre. In its lightest configuration the car tips the scales at under 1,000 kg An interesting option is the LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) installation, which brings the cost per kilometre of this 300+ km/h supercar down considerably. The customGT is available immediately from just over 100,000 Euro.
At the end of next month, Mazda will reveal this Takeri Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. Using the 'Kodo' design language, the four-door sedan is packed with high-tech systems that are labelled by Mazda as 'Skyactive'. If the company's previous show cars are anything to go by, the Takeri should look stunning in the metal.
Next week, the United States' massive aftermarket industry will once again descend on Las Vegas for the annual SEMA Show. The event has in recent years gained momentum and now many major manufacturers will make an official appearance. Among them is Lexus, who will show the F-Sport version of the recently introduced GS. Available on both standard and hybrid versions of the mid-size sedan, the extensive package features upgrades inside and out.
At an event in Spain, Nissan have released the first picture of the completed Juke-R. Hopefully more angles of this crazy 'hybrid' will be made available soon.

This weekend Jamie Green won the final DTM race of the season, which inspired us to look back at a golden era of the German touring car championship; the mid-1990s. Between 1993 and 1996, the series used the so-called 'FIA Class 1' regulations, which gave manufacturers considerable freedom in both aerodynamics and electronics. For the 1994 season, Mercedes-Benz introduced the C-Class DTM, which was based on the recently introduced 'W202' road car. It was powered by a very compact yet powerful V6 and incorporated many of the electronic tricks that had been outlawed that year in Formula 1 like ABS and traction control. Fielding six cars for a squad of very quick drivers, the C-Class took on defending champions Alfa Romeo with great verve. Even though the Italians had a one year head-start with their 155 V6 TI DTM, Mercedes-Benz driver Klaus Ludwig managed to claim the title. Bernd Schneider repeated that feat in the following year but by 1996, Opel had caught on. It would be the final DTM season until the arrival of the current formula in 2000.
Our feature car was raced in the 1994 season by Ellen Lohr, who was the team-mate of champion Klaus Ludwig. In recent years, the highly complicated machine was meticulously restored by Dawn Treader Performance. We captured the striking machine at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it was one of the fastest cars up the hill.

At RM Auctions' London sale on October 26th, two rare machines will cross the block. Rarest of the two is the unique Ferrari Pinin, which was built in 1980 to celebrate Pininfarina's 50th anniversary. Styled by Leonardo Fioravanti, it was the first ever four-door Ferrari. For most of its life, the car has been a show piece only and was fitted with a non-running flat-12 engine. This has been rectified since the current owner acquired the car back in 2008. In charge of 'completing' the car was legendary ex-Ferrari engineer Mauro Forghieri, working for Oral Engineering in Italy. The work was completed in March of 2010 and RM's London sale offers the opportunity to buy the famous show car in full running order.
Also on offer is this Voisin C25 Cimier, which is the two-door version of the Aerodyne that won 'Best of Show' at Pebble Beach earlier this year. It is believed that only 28 examples of the C25 chassis were built in period and for various reasons only very few remain. This particular Cimier boasts all the features that make Voisins so special and it has also survived in remarkably original condition. Unfortunately with an estimate of at least 470,000 Pounds, it is slightly over our budget.
Following the launch of the brand's first hybrid-only model, Lexus have now introduced the F-Sport version of the CT 200h. Mechanically, the car is identical to the base model but it features sportier exterior and interior trim. Lexus do ensure that the changes will not affect the emission or consumption figures.
Earlier this week we reported on Holden's very first concept car and yesterday our friend Daan Hoffmann went to the Motorclassica himself to get a closer look. He returned with a full complement of shots that reveals every detail of this wonderful machine.
Speaking of photography, you can still submit you entry for this week's automotive photography competition and challenge for a complimentary premium subscription.

At the time few could have imagined that debut of the Renault RS 01 at the 1977 British Grand Prix would form the start of the revolution. Nearly two years in the making, Renault's first Formula 1 racer also featured the sport's first turbo-charged engine. Although forced induction engines had already made a successful comeback in sports car and Indy racing, the conservative F1 world had stuck with naturally aspirated V8s and V12s even though turbos had been permitted since the introduction of the 3-litre regulations back in 1967. In the first seasons with the RS 01, Renault struggled with reliability and drivability problems but the company's bold choice was ultimately vindicated and within a decade all F1 cars used turbos. Scoring the first points for Renault in 1978, the RS 01 was essential in the development of the technology. At this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed we were fortunate enough to shoot the fourth and final example both in action on the hill and in great detail in the paddock. Our 18-shot gallery provides a unique inside the world's first turbo F1 racer.
At the 1969 Holden introduced the manufacturer's very first concept car at the Melbourne Motor Show. Dubbed the Hurricane, the mid-engined machine served as both a styling and engineering showcase. Clearly inspired by the Italian super cars of the time, the car featured a very low, wedge-shaped design. Under the fibreglass body, the Hurricane sported a new V8 engine that would go on to power many Holden production models in the 1970s and highly unusual, oil-cooled disc brakes on the front wheels. Following its show duties, the car did survive but it was in need of a full restoration. Work on that was started in 2006 and the Hurricane is now finally ready to be proudly displayed again. It is scheduled to make an appearance during this weekend's Motorclassica at the Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building.

At last week's Dix Mille Tours, we watched in absolute awe how Bob Berridge and Gareth Evans thundered down Paul Ricard's Mistral Straight in their Sauber Mercedes C11. This inspired us to take another look at the all-conquering Swiss/German Group C racer. Built specifically for the 1990 World Championship, it won seven of the nine races; the last one won by a very young Michael Schumacher. Over the years, we have shot no fewer than four of the six examples built, three of which are owned by private owners. Two of these are regularly raced and must be among the fastest historic racing cars currently campaigned. Our various encounters with these 'Silver Arrows' have resulted in an action-packed 42-shot gallery, which illustrates the detailed article with individual histories on each of the four cars.
Late last week, Japanese manufacturer Toyota confirmed one of the sport's worst kept secrets; the company's return to Le Mans with full works effort. They will use an LMP1 Coupe that is designed and built at Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne. The car will be powered by a hybrid engine, which is under development at Toyota's Japanese headquarters. Ahead of a complete program in 2013, Toyota will compete in select races of the World Endurance Championship in 2012, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This month we have revived the popular photography competitions in our forums. The Automotive Photography competition will run every week with the winners selected for run-offs for best shot of the month and ultimately the year. Run-offs winners will, for the first time, receive prizes, which for now are complimentary Premium Subscriptions. The first poll has already been opened and can be found here. If you want to take part in the next competition, you can submit your entry in this dedicated thread.
Lastly we would like to express our condolences to the family and friends of Dan Wheldon. The winner of this year's Indy 500 very sadly succumbed to injuries sustained in a massive crash at Indy's Las Vegas season finale yesterday; a very grim reminder of the dangers that are also part of the sport we love so much.

While fall and even winter swept over Europe this weekend, there was a small corner of France where summer resisted. The unique Paul Ricard circuit is located right in the middle of that piece of the French Cote d'Azur. Lined by blue and red stripes, the 'High Tech Test Track' was the host of the second edition of the Dix Mille Tours (Ten Thousand Laps) historic race meeting. On the busy schedule for the weekend were all of the Peter Auto championships like the Classic Endurance Racing (CER), Trofeo Nastro Rosso and Sixties' Endurance, complemented by the ever popular Group C series. The three fastest groups used the full length of the 'Mistral' straight with the quickest Group C car topping out at a staggering 330 km/h. In addition to the races, the track was also opened to a variety of clubs and the McLaren MP4-12C celebrated its dynamic debut in France during the weekend.
Our photographers enjoyed the three extra days of summer on offer and have returned with a mouth-watering 200-shot gallery, which covers all of the weekend's action and illustrates a detailed report of the six races.

Ahead of the official launch during next month's Los Angeles Auto Show, Chevrolet released the first details of the Camaro ZL1 Convertible. When it hits the showroom floors in the summer of 2012 as a 2013 model, it will be powered by the same version of the 'LSA' engine as the Coupe that debuted earlier this year. In this specification, with a proprietary intake system, the supercharged V8 produces a staggering 580 bhp and 754 Nm of torque. This not only makes the latest addition to the Chevrolet range, the most powerful convertible Camaro ever but also one of the most potent drop-tops currently available. All this power is transferred to the rear wheel through a modified version of the Camaro six-speed manual gearbox that can cope with 30% more torque than the standard version. Also unique to the ZL1 version of the Camaro is the magnetic ride control suspension, which it shares with high-end Cadillac models and the Corvette. The Camaro ZL1 Convertible also features a reinforced body that ensures the additional loads do not affect the rigidity of the chassis. For now only four images have been released but we are sure more will follow as the LA Show draws nearer.

The Canadian American Challenge Cup's (Can-Am) relatively open rulebook allowed for a wide variety of means to the same end. By 1970 convention was to strap a massive engine in a car that was as large as permitted to allow for maximum downforce. Shadow's Don Nichols had a different idea and conceived a small car, equipped with tiny tyres to minimise the frontal area. For many practical reasons, this did not work out all that well but Nichols refused to entirely let go of his idea. The result was the Shadow Mk II Chevrolet, which was designed by Peter Bryant. More conventional than the original Shadow, it still featured relatively small tyres. The concessions made did add competitiveness and for 1972 the low drag idea was abandoned altogether. Although using the same tub design, the Mk III Shadow almost followed the norm. It was blisteringly quick but like all other Chevrolet-powered machines struggled against the turbo-charged Porsches. Until very recently, only two complete examples of the Bryant designed Shadows existed and both in Mk III specification. This changed when our feature car was built up around the third tub, which was acquired by the owner from Nichols directly in 2009. He chose to restore it to Mk II specification, making it the only one of its type in existence. Much to our delight, it participated in the recent Monterey Motorsports Reunion, and we used the opportunity to shoot every detail of this rare Can-Am racer.
This week Mazda announced that the RX-8 production run will terminate in the Summer of 2012. To mark the end of the model, the company has announced the Japan-only Spirit R. Available as a manual or automatic, only 1,000 of the limited model will be produced. With the RX-8, production of the rotary engine will also cease, although Mazda is adamant that development on the engine will continue. It is nevertheless sad news, especially in the year that Mazda celebrated the 20th anniversary of the rotary-engined 787B's victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This weekend the ever striking Paul Ricard High Speed Test Track will host the Dix Mille Tours historic meeting. Part of the line-up for this exciting event is the Historic Group C Championship. For us it will actually be our second encounter with the series this year. To get you warmed up for our full coverage that will follow early next week, we have highlighted two machines that we already saw in action in May and will again during the Dix Mille Tours.
First up is the Lancia LC2, which was the only real threat to the Porsche 956 in the early years of the popular Group C class. Almost a Lancia by name only, it was built by Abarth following a Gian Paolo Dallara design and powered by a Ferrari derived V8 turbo engine. The Martini liveried machines often managed to match the Porsches on raw pace but poor fuel consumption and reliability let the cars down in the race. The featured chassis '0005' is a very typical example of the type as it qualified on pole for Le Mans in 1984 and led the race until a gearbox issue dropped it down the order. Finishing eighth, it was the first non-Porsche in the final results. Following a long spell in the Rosso Bianco museum, it was recently restored to full order and raced at Spa Francorchamps by its current owner.
Also out at Spa was this ROC 002 Cosworth. Built to the new 3.5 litre regulations, this one-off was raced at Le Mans in 1991. It was the last racing car designed by Chuck Graemiger, whose earlier machines were raced with some success under the more familiar 'Cheetah' name. When he ran out of funds, he sold the design for this car to Fred Statler of ROC, which is why it was raced under the ROC name at Le Mans. In honour of his compatriot, the current, Swiss owner now races the car as a Cheetah. We di not only see the ROC 002 at Spa this year but also at Le Mans in 2010 where it competed in the Group C race that formed part of the support program for the 24 Hours.

British sports car manufacturer today announced a new addition to the company's road car line-up; the G60, which is set to replace the F400. Like its predecessor, the new G60 has its roots in the Farbio originally developed by Chris Marsh some years ago. Ginetta have made substantial changes that warrant the new type name. The key focus was to make the G60 as 'hard core' as possible and this was achieved by stripping almost all amenities from the car. Gone, for example, are the turbocharged engine, ABS brakes and traction control. These have been replaced by a naturally aspirated 310 bhp engine, unassisted brakes and an ATB limited slip differential. As a result the mid-engined machine tips the scales at only 1,080 kg, which allows it to accelerate to 60 mph (96 km/h) in under 5 seconds and should also improve its handling characteristics. Exclusivity is maintained by a strict production limit of just 50 examples per year. The G60 will make its world debut on October 14th at Silverstone during the Ginetta Championship Finals.
A beast of a completely different order currently under development in England is the Nissan Juke-R. As the name might reveal, this is far from an ordinary Juke but one crossed with the hugely potent GT-R platform. This highly unusual 'chop job' is the work of reputed motorsports outfit RML with the help of Nissan. When the car is complete later in the year, the Juke-R will have all the goodies that make the GT-R such a giant slayer.

When Group B was cancelled following the tragic 1986 season, some manufacturers looked for alternatives to race their rally cars. Peugeot turned to Rally Raid and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb with mildly modified versions of the dominant 205 T16. For 1988 the car involved into the 405 T16 courtesy of a fresh set of carbon-fibre and Kevlar body panels. The car's debut in the Paris-Dakar rally was a disappointment, although the day was saved for Peugeot by one of the earlier 205s. For Pikes Peak a special version was prepared with a huge wing and rear-wheel steering. Shattering the existing record, Ari Vatanen won the race, which was captured in the fantastic short movie 'Climb Dance'. The sophisticated machine would go on to take another win at Pikes Peak and back-to-back Paris-Dakar victories before Peugeot turned their attention to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In recent years, Peugeot has sold several of the 405 T16s, including this Pikes Peak version, which finished second in 1988 and took the victory in 1989 in the hands of Robby Unser. We captured the wild Peugeot at the Goodwood Festival of Speed back in 2007 and again in 2011.
Also at Goodwood in 2011 was this rarely seen Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione. It was built in conjunction with Abarth and Boano with an eye on competing in the popular under-1500 chassis class. As a result the 750 features a chassis and body that is unique to this model. It is believed that at least two were constructed but they were only tested in period and never raced. The reason was that the production-based Alfa Romeo racers were already very competitive, so there was no real need for a separate competition car. The 750 Competizione is the sole surviving example and is today part of the Alfa Romeo Museo Storico collection.