BMW M3 2008

Introduction

Since its inception back in the late 1980s, the BMW M3 has been thrilling driving enthusiasts. Throughout the years, the M3's ripping power plants, finely balanced chassis, telepathic steering and daily-driver usability have made this special version of the 3 Series a car to covet.

After the rather limited-production first-generation M3 that sported a pumped-up four-cylinder engine, subsequent iterations employed high-output inline-6s, with the last version making 333 horsepower. But with current countryman rivals sporting V8s, it's not much of a surprise to discover that the new-for-2008 BMW M3 has graduated to V8 power. It's also no news flash that the latest M3 has gotten a bit larger and heavier during its move to the latest 3 Series chassis. But has this "bigger, stronger, faster" design dictum at all hurt the balance and purity of the M3?

The answer's a bit muddled. Of course, the sound and fury of that 414-hp V8 is a big part of the newest M3's engaging personality, and nobody is going to complain about the car's 12.7-second quarter-mile time. And the 2008 M3 still does itself proud when it's time to turn the wheel, as it'll run through a set of twisties like a border collie through the weave poles at a dog agility competition. But drive the new M3 back to back against the previous version and you'll notice something has gone amiss in regard to the level of communication between the driver and the road surface. The car's steering is quick and laser-beam precise, but it lacks the intuitive feel for which older M3s are so well known

Apart from that one minor criticism, the 2008 BMW M3 is hard to fault if you truly enjoy driving -- it goes, stops and steers like a sports car while delivering a respectable measure of functionality, especially if you choose the sedan version. Of course, the same could also be said of the M3's stout competitors, namely Audi's S5 coupe and RS4 sedan and Mercedes-Benz's C63 sedan. Until we perform a comparison test, we're reluctant to pick a winner. Suffice it to say that choosing one is a task as enviable as having to pick something from the dessert menu at the Cheesecake Factory, and we can't imagine anyone's automotive sweet tooth not being satisfied by any of them.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2008 BMW M3 is available as a sport coupe, retractable hardtop convertible or sedan. Based on the compact 3 Series, the high-performance M3 comes in a single trim level.

Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels with performance tires, xenon headlamps, cruise control, automatic climate control, leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable sport seats (with driver memory), split/folding rear seats and a 10-speaker audio system with a CD player and auxiliary audio jack. The convertible also features a retractable hardtop that provides the comfort and security of a coupe when raised, as well as the full top-down experience when stowed. Compared to a regular 3 Series, the M3 also features a carbon-fiber roof (coupe only), more aggressive body styling, an exclusive sport-tuned suspension, more powerful brakes and a limited-slip rear differential.

The optional Premium Package adds power-folding mirrors, BMW Assist and enhanced interior trim. There's also a Technology Package that adds M Drive (a feature that allows the driver to adjust the throttle and steering response/feel), a navigation system, iDrive, keyless entry/start and electronically controlled dampers. Other individual options include 19-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof (no extra cost, but sedan only), heated front seats, rear park assist and a number of audio options (premium sound, HD radio, satellite radio, iPod adapter).

Powertrains and Performance

No less than a 4.0-liter, 414-hp (295 pound-feet of torque) V8 powers the 2008 M3. Redline is a thrilling 8,400 rpm and a six-speed manual transmission sends the power to the rear wheels. A seven-speed automated-clutch sequential-shift manual gearbox is optional. The latter offers manual operation via steering-wheel-mounted paddles as well as a full automatic mode. All M3s feature a specialized locking rear differential to manage the transfer of the thrust to the pavement.

In our track testing, an M3 sport coupe with the traditional six-speed manual leapt to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds and flew through the quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds. The power builds quickly and the somewhat heavy but progressive clutch and precise shifter allow rapid gearchanges. EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined.

Safety

Standard features for the 2008 BMW M3 include full-length side curtain airbags, front seat side airbags, antilock disc brakes, traction control and stability control.

In government crash tests, the BMW 3 Series sedan (on which the M3 sedan is based) scored four stars (out of five) for frontal impacts for both driver and passenger. It rated five stars for side impacts for both front and rear occupants. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, the BMW 3 Series sedan scored "Good" ratings (the highest possible) in that agency's frontal-offset and side-impact tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

The first thing one notices upon entering the M3 is the aggressive design of the front seats. Heavily bolstered, the multi-adjustable (under thigh, side wings) sport seats feel custom-made to your body once you've dialed in your adjustments. They're also very comfortable on a long trip, as they provide proper support all around. The thick-rimmed, small diameter steering wheel adds to the sporty feel. In the coupe, an automatic seatbelt presenter "hands" front occupants the belts, so they don't have to perform torso-twisting maneuvers to secure themselves into the car. The convertible's leather seats feature Sun-Reflective Technology, which keeps the seats from getting scorching hot when the top is down.

Build quality and materials inside the M3 are excellent, as one would expect. The overall design is rather subdued, as the available metallic and wood accents have more of a monotonous effect than one of crisp contrast.

The optional navigation system is unfortunately bundled with BMW's unintuitive iDrive multifunction controller. Without it, the M3's control layout is fairly straightforward and well-marked. However, there is still the annoying process for shutting off the climate control -- one must tap down the fan speed until it shuts off, rather than simply hitting an "off" button.

Driving Impressions

Even now that it's powered by a muscle-bound V8 and has gained some 300 pounds, the M3 is still the automotive equivalent of a lithe decathlete. Acceleration is pin-you-to-the-seat thrilling and the agile handling is so composed that it makes the car feel like it's much smaller. Braking is astounding, as the M3's binders boast powerful yet progressive action and the shortest stopping distance from 60 mph -- just 100 feet -- that we've ever recorded.

When exercised on a winding road, the 2008 BMW M3's response to steering inputs is spot-on and the system is quick without being darty on the freeway. Some staffers felt that this BMW's steering has lost some of its trademark feedback compared to the previous-generation M3, though its polished and precise feel is still appreciated. If the M3 is equipped with the Electronic Damping Control (EDC) option, its three settings (Comfort, Normal, Sport) allow one to set the car up for canyon-carving or commuting duties as needs dictate. Left in Normal mode, the EDC does a fine job of absorbing the bumps while still providing enough body control for enthusiastic driving. One minor complaint involves the optional 19-inch performance tires. While extremely capable, on rougher road surfaces these sticky tires are prone to generating noise ranging from a slight hum to a somewhat annoying drone.

Nissan GT-R (2009)

The good: The 2009 Nissan GT-R is a unique car, employing impressive tech in its engine, suspension, and drive system. But its cabin electronics are also top-notch, with an advanced navigation system, digital music system, and cell phone integration. It tops the cabin tech with an in-dash performance computer.

The bad: The ride is rough in the GT-R for normal street driving, and the mileage stays below 15 mpg.

The bottom line: The 2009 Nissan GT-R is a technical tour de force, with evidence of brilliance throughout. We would have a hard time with the GT-R as an everyday driver, but it offers fun and exhilaration at heart-stopping levels.

It must be Christmas, because a 2009 Nissan GT-R showed up in our garage. Just like how we spent 1973 transfixed by commercials for the Vertibird Rescue Ship toy, we slathered over every specification sheet and photo of the new GT-R since the concept was shown at the 2005 Tokyo Auto Show. And in each case, we finally ended up at the controls of one. The GT-R is definitely the biggest, baddest toy on the block.

The GT-R is essentially a race car made for the street. Production cars don't generally squeeze 480 horsepower out of a V-6, or have the transmission mounted at the rear axle. And the incredibly rigid suspension feels as if it was made for a race car. The car looks impressive and brutish, a theme that carries into the cabin and the driving feel. The Corvette Z06 has some scary competition in the GT-R.

Surprisingly, the GT-R is in no way stripped down, except maybe for the lack of an ipod port. Nissan put all of its excellent cabin electronics in the dashboard, which includes a hard-drive-based navigation system, an impressive stereo with plenty of digital music capability, and even Bluetooth cell phone integration. And those electronics share space with an incredibly detailed performance computer. This Nissan GT-R just doesn't compromise in its car tech.

Test the tech: GT-R versus virtual GT-R
We couldn't wait to drive the real 2009 Nissan GT-R, so months ago we picked up Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, which has a virtual GT-R. We compared the driving experience in each by taking the real GT-R for a drive on back roads north of San Francisco, and the virtual car in the game's Suzuka East track. In the game, we set the physics to Professional, as we figured that should replicate as closely as possible real-world physics.

There's room for a V-8 under the hood, but this twin-turbo V-6 gets the job done.

The first real difference we noticed was with the engine sound. The real GT-R makes an engine sound dominated by its turbos. The 3.8-liter V-6 isn't particularly loud or throaty, but when you give it power, the twin turbochargers whirr up like turbines. In the game, the engine sounds more generic, just a standard engine growl. Other things that just can't be replicated in the game is the hard ride, because of the low-profile tires wrapped around the 20-inch wheels and the rigid suspension, and the general cabin noise and vibration. The GT-R isn't a comfortable ride unless it's on a well-paved surface.

Acceleration between the real and virtual GT-R seems well-replicated. In the game, 60 mph seems slow, and it's difficult to get below that speed. With the real GT-R, we tapped the gas while getting on the freeway, and by the time we glanced at the speedometer, we were already at 60 mph. The GT-R has been clocked to 60 mph at times approaching 3 seconds. The kind of acceleration is really incredible. The big difference here is that it is much easier to modulate the GT-R's gas pedal than a PlayStation 3 controller, making it much easier to control the speed in the real car.

One hundred miles an hour and 6,500rpm in third gear are about right for the virtual and real GT-R.

The speedometer in the real car is much easier to glance at than that of the virtual car, and it helps that you can get a digital speed display on the tachometer and on the performance computer. While driving on public roads, our speedometer needle was generally in the 6 o'clock position, at 40 mph to 60 mph, while 200 mph is up in the 12 o'clock position. You also get a much different sense of speed--we could tell when we were getting up to scary while driving the GT-R down a two-lane blacktop with blind corners and rises.

The handling in the real GT-R truly feels phenomenal, as good as that of the Audi R8 we reviewed a few months ago. To get the real GT-R out of sorts, it takes the kind of driving you can only do in a controlled environment. We threw it into one particularly good corner with some speed, and felt the grip loosen for a fraction of a second, then get taken up by the all-wheel drive. In the game, we spent a lot of time facing backward in the sand as the car wiped out on the sharper turns. Maybe it was the difficulty in controlling our speed in the game, but we had a much harder time maintaining grip. It didn't seem to map well to our experience with the real thing.

There's nothing like open road for testing out the real Nissan GT-R.

As for the transmission, the game's automatic setting is far different than the real car's automatic setting. The GT-R uses a six-speed double-clutch manual transmission. There is no clutch pedal, as the dual clutches are controlled by computer. You can set it for automatic shifting or manual, using the column-mounted paddle shifters. In the game, the car shifts like a sports car, maintaining revs so you can keep power. The real car's automatic mode is designed for economy, rapidly shifting up to sixth gear even when you are only going 25 mph.

In manual mode, the real GT-R's shifts are visceral and solid. You can feel each one through the car as you push the left paddle for down or the right paddle for up. The game does a good job of replicating the match-up between speed, tach, and gear, but you just don't get that same abrupt power change in the virtual experience.

Recovering from yet another spin in the virtual GT-R, we miss the visceral feeling of the real thing.

Although we've spent many hours enjoying the virtual race track, nothing beats the experience of sitting behind the wheel of a real GT-R. For a good look at the Nissan GT-R's performance in a controlled setting, WebRidesTV has video of a Gran Turismo 5 Prologue-inspired match-up between the GT-R and Ford GT

In the cabin
The cabin of the 2009 Nissan GT-R brings in many race car touches, but adapted for a road car. The deep front seats embrace you, but you don't have to mess around with a four-point harness. Although the steering wheel has a bubble in the middle for the airbag, the surrounding area, leading out to the three spokes, is metal and flat. Industrial-looking controls mounted on this flat area don't set torque and traction control, such as on a Formula One car, but handle more mundane features, like the cruise control and audio.

A high-resolution split screen map, with 3D and plan views, is an unexpected luxury of the GT-R.

We recently saw this same package of cabin gadgets in the Infiniti M45x, including navigation with traffic reporting, Bluetooth hands-free cell phone integration, and a stereo system that handles many digital audio sources. The interface between the two cars is different--where the Infiniti has a big multifunction control knob, the GT-R relies on a row of buttons and the touch-screen LCD, which works perfectly well. The GT-R also has the same voice command system as the M45x.

For a detailed look at the navigation and traffic system, take a look at our M45x review. Here we will just point out that, as the system stores its maps on a hard drive, route calculation is fast and the maps refresh quickly. You can look at 3D or plan view maps, or put them both in a split screen. When you have a route programmed, the system will automatically detour around bad traffic. Route guidance is aided by text-to-speech, which reads out the names of streets.

When you rip a CD to the car's hard drive, it automatically tags the songs from its internal Gracenote database.

The audio system is similar, but a little short of, that in the M45x. You can rip music to the GT-R's hard drive, which offers 9.3GB of space for music, or play MP3s from a CompactFlash card inserted in a slot in front of the shifter. There is an auxiliary input, suitable for an MP3 player, but no iPod port. The single CD slot plays MP3 CDs, and there is XM satilite radio.

Sound quality is very good from the 11 Bose speakers around the cabin, although they have a lot of road noise to conquer. The system has a centerfill in the dashboard, two subwoofers, tweeters in the A-pillars, mids in the doors, and most obviously, two woofers between the back seats. This system didn't flinch at heavy bass and reproduced highs nicely, although the sound was slightly compressed, unlike the better separation from the audio system in the M45x.

The hands-free cell phone system is useful, in the sense that you just don't want to take your hands from the wheel. Of course, you might not want to answer the phone at all as you go speeding down country roads. The system can store phone book entries, which is nice, although we had to push them from our phone into the car one at a time.

One feature that would have been nice, especially with the sharply angled rear window, is a rear view camera. This is one car you definitely don't want to back into a pole.

This screen was our favorite on the performance computer, as we like seeing the torque split change in different driving situations.

Under the hood
For such a muscular looking car, it's surprising to only find six cylinders under the hood. But Nissan wrings 480 horsepower at 6,400rpm out of this 3.8-liter V-6 with dual turbochargers. It produces 430 foot-pounds of torque between 3,200rpm and 5,200rpm. Our experience being pressed into the back seat with even 50 percent gas pedal bears these figures out in a qualitative sense.

The architecture of the car is unique, with the engine and transmission at opposite ends to balance the car out. The six-speed dual-clutch manual transmission has a shifter that merely puts it in park, reverse, neutral, manual, and automatic. In manual mode, you can shift up or down with the shifter, but you have to resort to the paddle shifters. In this car, we have no problem with this arrangement.

The downshift paddle is on the left side. You can get the car into manual mode by tapping a paddle or pushing the shifter to the right.

The automatic mode shifts early, getting up to sixth gear at only 25 mph. But with this much horsepower, the engine isn't bothered as it idles along at 1,500rpm, keeping the car moving easily. During one stretch of road, we had the transmission in fifth when we decided to pass a car in front of us. We went from 45 mph to 85 mph without changing gear, although a drop down to fourth gear or third gear would have blasted us by even faster.

We found city driving frustrating, as we could feel how much power we had on tap that couldn't be used. In these low-speed traffic situations, the automatic shifting felt rough, adding to the uncomfortable feeling of the suspension. There is a comfort mode for the suspension, but it doesn't smooth things over that much. We felt the driving experience in traffic was better than in the Audi R8, which suffered a lot from its R-Tronic transmission, but it didn't come close to the BMW M3, which drives easily in stop-and-go traffic or on the track.

The car's very stiff suspension absorbs road imperfections nicely, keeping the car stuck to the pavement, but it doesn't coddle the driver at all. In corners, there is no lean and the steering is very responsive. All-wheel drive, which defaults 100 percent torque to the rear wheels but can shift a full 50 percent to the front, helps keep the car gripping in the corners and under acceleration. This all-wheel-drive system, along with traction control and suspension, uses computer-aided adjustment to keep it at optimum settings no matter the driving conditions.

These switches control torque, suspension, and traction. The red lights indicate R, or track, mode.

Nissan advertises the GT-R as the supercar that anyone can drive, as it is hard to get it out of control. But in hard cornering we felt a small but satisfying amount of slip that got taken up by the car's systems. There are three switches on the instrument panel that let you adjust various settings for torque, suspension, and traction control. Each can be pushed up to R mode, with accompanying red lights. We drove some stretches of highway with the settings in R mode, but didn't notice a huge difference. The track is where these will matter. The torque switch can also be set for snow, the suspension for comfort, and the traction control to off.

As of this review, fuel economy numbers for the 2009 Nissan GT-R haven't been published. But don't expect them to be good, considering the amount of horsepower the engine produces. During our time with the car, we got about 14 mpg. On the plus side, and something we find impressive given the GT-R's supercar status, is that it is expected to meet California's Ultra Low Emmissions Vehicle standard, one better than the minimal LEV requirement.

In sum
The 2009 Nissan GT-R goes for a base price of $69,850 or $71,900 for the premium model, which we had. We don't expect there to be options with this car, although there will be the usual destination charge. Few cars will get you to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds for this kind of money, and none offer the innovative driving tech of the GT-R at this price.

For our Car Tech rating, we give the GT-R near top marks all-around. It's a beautiful exterior design, although there are some odd creases when you get close, such as the joint between the B-pillar and the roof. The cabin tech benefits greatly from Nissan's already excellent hard-drive-based navigation system, stereo and Bluetooth. We can ignore the lack of an iPod adapter, in favor of the brilliant and unique in-dash performance computer. As for the under-the-hood mechanics, it is all very brilliant, only falling down in fuel economy.

Ford GT 2006

Known as the “American supercar reborn”, the Ford GT was originally built in commemoration of the Ford GT40 racecar. As you may (or may not) remember, the GT40 was a legendary racer that swept the competition and beat out the world’s best racecars in the prestigious 24 Hours of LeMans race back in 1966.

What’s truly special about this limited run supercar is the fact that it can be used on the highway or on the racetrack. And since it is known to outperform cars like the Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini, it’s no wonder that the GT has been touted as the ultimate Ford.

Performance Overview
The 2006 Ford GT is very similar in appearance to the original racer. The body style is sleek and curvaceous and has a very low profile. According to Ford, every line of the car is a direct interpretation of the original.

As cool as the car looks on the outside, it is just as cool on the inside. The engine boasts a whopping 550-horsepower kick and the GT is fully capable of reaching 60 miles per hour in only 3.3 seconds. Fully revved, it can exceed 205 miles per hour.

You would think that a car that goes that fast would be hard to handle, but it actually maneuvers very well, taking turns easily and smoothly. Ford has truly built a supercar to be proud of.

Under the Hood
Not short on power, the Ford GT features a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 and a six-speed manual transmission with overdrive.

Fuel Efficiency
The GT is not fuel efficient by any means, getting 13 miles per gallon in the city and 21 miles per gallon on the highway.

Safety
The safety features are rather basic. There are driver and passenger front-impact bags and side-impact bars. The GT also features a four-wheel antilock brake system.

Warranties
The warranty coverage on the GT is very similar to that of most 2006 Ford models:

Bumper to Bumper - 36 months/36,000 miles

Corrosion Perforation - 72 months/100,000 miles

Powertrain - 36 months/36,000 miles

Roadside Assistance - 36 months/36,000 milesColors
As in 2005, the available colors include Speed Yellow, Midnight Blue, Mark II Red, Mark IV Red, Centennial White, and Heritage Blue. The 2006 year brings about a special color- limited edition Tungsten Grey to commemorate the 1966 victory at LeMans.

For an extra charge (approximately $5,000), you can also get various colored racing stripes painted on the hood, roof, rear hatch, decklid, and along the side of the body.

Ferrari F430

I’m not expecting sympathy, but testing a new Ferrari is just about the hardest thing you can do in this job. They fly you to Italy, fill you with pasta, overwhelm you with enthusiasm and then give you a brief session in the car on the road and a yet shorter one on the track.

It is startlingly easy to be overwhelmed by the experience, bamboozled by the volume of raw information to be digested and therefore become inclined to give the car a more comfortable ride than it otherwise might deserve.

And why would it matter? The truth is, Ferrari could produce a car with the dynamics of a wheelie bin, and so long as it bore the badge and looked the part, it would sell. I believe many Ferrari owners neither know nor care whether their cars are good or not: what they want most is to be seen driving a Ferrari.

Happily this attitude has yet to surface in Ferrari’s famed Maranello headquarters. Contrary to the barroom banter, not all Ferraris are great cars and its most recent, the 612 Scaglietti, is unattractive, overpriced and a little disappointing. The new F430 marks a reassuring return to form, however.

Its job is to replace the 360 Modena, a generally overrated car that nevertheless became Ferrari’s strongest seller. Though the F430 uses the 360 as its basis and retains the old car’s wheelbase, steering and suspension, it is 70% new. And being such a step forward it deserves to be thought of as a new rather than evolved machine.

At its heart lies a 4.3 litre V8 motor, a fresh addition to Ferrari but already found in various Maseratis. Once Ferrari has finished tinkering with it, however, just its block and cylinder heads remain unchanged. Every moving part is new, which explains how its power has been raised from Maserati’s 400bhp to Ferrari’s 483bhp.

To put this output into context, in 1987 when Ferrari launched the legendary F40 it was the world’s fastest and most powerful car. Those lucky enough to be invited to own one spoke of performance almost beyond imagining. It had 478bhp. Moreover, the F430 is now Ferrari’s cheapest model.

But the greater significance of the F430 is that it is the first Ferrari to make credible the link between its road and racing cars. Jean Todt, the long-time boss of the Ferrari Formula One team is now also managing director of Ferrari’s road car division, and it does not take much more than a suggestion that the link between road and track is just carefully crafted marketing patter to set him off.

“Lessons we have learnt in Formula One have helped develop our F1-shift gearbox, carbon-ceramic brakes, the electronic differential, the aerodynamics under the car, the switch on the steering wheel to change settings of the car . . .” Todt could probably have continued but felt he had made his point.

So what kind of car does this make the F430? Not a racing car, for sure. Its ride is stiff and its engine suitably loud, but for all its searing performance — this is a vehicle that hits 60mph in under 4sec — it’s not intimidating.

I always suspected psychopathic tendencies lay behind the 360’s smiling face, yet minutes into my drive in the F430 I was confident to turn the steering wheel switch to its “race” setting, all but disabling its stability systems, and give it the boot.

It’s not perfect — the steering is a shade too light, the nose a smidge too eager to run wide of a corner and the tail rather too keen to play fast and loose on the race track — but I’m not sure I want a Ferrari to be easy. I want a challenge, but one where getting it wrong means a red face, not a new car. This is exactly what the F430 provides.

Knowing the F430 gets such fundamentals right makes forgiving its many other faults, such as its offset driving position, atypically messy cabin and awkward rear styling somewhat easier.

The only thing that still gnaws away at me is the nagging suspicion that I’d be just as quick and have at least as much fun in a new Porsche Carrera S, which is near enough £50,000 less than the F430 will cost when it arrives next spring.

What matters more is that I’d go anywhere in a F430 rather than its deadliest rival, Lamborghini’s impressive but antiseptic Gallardo. And rest assured, for sheer sense of occasion the Ferrari blows Porsche and Lamborghini clean off the field.

I’d hoped the F430 would join the Dino 246GT, the 365GTB/4 Daytona and F40 among the greatest of all Ferraris, but it’s not quite there. I’d rate it towards the top of the second division, alongside the 308GTB, the F50 and F355, an exceptional performance by any standards other than the marque’s own.

And of course its success is guaranteed. Though these words are among the very first to be written by a journalist who has driven the car, the waiting list is already over a year and I’d say it deserves to be. Anyone coming out of a 360 Modena into an F430 is not just buying its replacement, they’re buying a car transformed beyond comparison for the better. I just hope they notice.

Liverpool: RAFA AND STEVIE'S PRE-MATCH NOTES

Liverpoolchant.blogspot.com

Pagani Zonda C12 Spider

The Pagani Zonda is a supercar produced by the Italian car manufacturer Pagani. It debuted in 1999 with the C12s with production proceeding at roughly 25 cars per year. It is a mid-engined 2-seat coupe and convertible. Construction is mainly of carbon fiber. Some early Zonda engineering was done by Formula One champion, Juan Manuel Fangio

Pagani Zonda C12 S Specifications:
Make and Model: Pagani Zonda C12 S
Year: 1999
Engine Type: 6.0 Liter AMG V12
Torque: 554lb-ft@4050rpm
Acceleration 0-60: 3.7 s
Suspension: Double Wishbones w/Helical Springs, Hydraulic Dampers, Anti-Roll Bar
Wheel Base: 274.32 inches
List Price: $350,000
Horsepower: 555bhp@5550rpm

Top Speed: 220 mph
Brakes: Brembro Discs with 4-Pot Calipers, Hydraulic Assist, ABS
Transmission: 6 Speed Manual
Weight: 2976 lbs

The C12 S used a 7.0 L (7010 cc) AMG tuned version of the engine producing 550 PS (404 kW/543 hp). It can accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.7 s, to 100 mph in 9.5 s and complete the quarter mile in 11.9 s. Lateral acceleration on the skidpad is 0.98 g (9.6 m/s2). The car is 10 kg (22 lb) lighter than the normal Zonda C12. Top speed is 220 mph (354 km/h) for the coupe and 215 mph (346 km/h) for the roadster. The car's price tag was US$350,000.
The C12 S features an elongated nose and flaps at the rear for improved aerodynamics. New light clusters and exhausts are also used. Fifteen 7.0 L C12 S cars were produced.

That Pagani's $350,000, 200-plus-mph Zonda C12S is built just a stone's throw from Modena comes as no surprise. The car's pure audacity could be born only in central Italy's "Silicon Valley of Speed," the region that produces most of the world's great supercars. But unlike countless others who've dreamed of making their automotive statement in Modena--only to disappear shortly thereafter--the maker of this throwback to the region's golden era of the '60s is well on his way to success.
Zonda interior is an engaging mix of high tech and natural materials. Every inch of the car was passionately designed, even if a few details are over the top.
Who's the man behind the effort, and what makes his car so special? Horacio Pagani was born in Argentina and constantly sketched sports cars during his early teens. He designed and built his first F3 racer at age 20. As his reputation grew, Pagani befriended fellow countryman, and five-time F1 champion, Juan Manuel Fangio. The Maestro soon learned of Horacio's desire to work in Modena, so he wrote a letter of introduction, and the enthusiastic young man headed straight to Italy. Lamborghini's chief engineer, Giulio Alfieri, the mastermind behind Fangio's world-championship Maserati 250F, quickly hired him. Pagani began experimenting with carbon fiber, intuitively recognizing the material's possibilities.

Porsche Carrera GT

Specifications

Brakes & Tires Brakes F/R: ABS, vented disc/vented disc Driveline: Rear Wheel Drive Tires F-R: 265/35 ZR19 - 335/30 ZR20 Engine Displacement cu in (cc): 350 (5733) Power bhp (kW) at RPM: 605(450) / 8000 Redline at RPM: 8400 Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 437(590) / 5750 Type: V10 Exterior Dimensions & Weight Length × Width × Height in: 181.6 × 75.6 × 45.9 Weight lb (kg): 3043 (1380) Performance Acceleration 0-62 mph s: 3.9 Fuel Economy EPA city/highway mpg (l/100 km): 10/16 (n.a.) Top Speed mph (km/h): 205 (330)

With its V10 engine providing more than 600 horsepower and with an array of cutting edge technologies including a ceramic composite clutch and brakes beneath its carbon-reinforced body, the Porsche Carrera GT uses the undiluted qualities of a genuine racecar to provide an unprecedented driving experience on the road.

Beautiful Design and Engineering, and 605 Horsepower

The Porsche Carrera GT, which was introduced as a 2004 model, is a low, sleek, lightweight roadster that is as beautiful to the engineer as it is to the eye. Foul weather protection is also available in the form of two removable panels that can be stored in the front trunk.

Among the car’s unique features are its 5.7-liter, 605-horsepower V10 engine, its monocoque chassis with Porsche-patented engine and transmission mounts made of carbon-reinforced plastic and the first use of a ceramic composite clutch in a production car. The Carrera GT’s aerodynamic and race-bred suspension package provides safe and stable travel at speeds of up to 205 mph (330 km/h). The Carrera GT features the extensive use of lightweight materials, such as magnesium for the car’s substantial wheels and the frames of its special sport seats.

The result of such artistic and athletic equipment is a car that accelerates from a standing start to 62 mph (100 km/h) in only 3.9 seconds, reaches 100 mph (160 km/h) in less than seven seconds, 125 mph (200 km/h) in less than 10 seconds, and can achieve a top test-track speed of 205 mph (330 km/h).

Purebred Racing Engine

Porsche’s development center in Weissach, Germany, built a 5.5-liter, normally aspirated V10 engine for racing, and that engine’s bores have been enlarged to displace 5.7 liters in the Carrera GT. Maximum output is rated at 605 horsepower at 8,000 rpm, with peak torque of 435 lb-ft. The engine has a very low center of gravity, a 68-degree V angle and four valves-per-cylinder heads. The engine block serves as a load-bearing part of the chassis structure, yet is so strong that there is no distortion to the cylinder bores. Using dry-sump lubrication reduces the number of engine components and seals and also helps optimize weight and reliability.

The engine has a closed-deck configuration, a principle carried over from motorsports. This closeddesk architecture enables the cylinders to be cooled by internal water chambers that directly surround the cylinders. Three front-mounted radiators and cross flow cooling ensure optimum heat transfer even under high engine loads.

The engine weighs only 472 pounds (214 kg). The block, crankshaft and camshafts are all made of light alloys. The crankshaft is designed to operate at speeds of up to 8,400 rpm and is both forged and designed for minimum mass inertia and thus offers maximum torsional stiffness.

Race-winning Suspension Design

The chassis and suspension of the Porsche Carrera GT are based on the architecture of the Porsche GT1, the car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1998. For example, as on the GT1, the rear track control arms of the Carrera GT are made of aerodynamically designed steel tubes. However, Porsche engineers did not forget the need for driving comfort on the street when they adapted such racing-bred systems for the road-going supercar.

Like a racecar, the Carrera GT uses pushrod suspension with double-track control arms at all four corners to give the Carrera GT its refined response and behavior, feeding forces smoothly and efficiently into the car’s chassis. Where many cars use MacPherson spring struts, the Carrera GT’s spring and damper elements are operated by stainless steel pushrods and pivot levers, which separate the guidance function from the spring action.

Functional Ambience is Interior Theme

Even with its racing-quality performance, the Porsche Carrera GT has a cockpit characterized by functional ambience and the extensive use of high-tech materials. Carbon, magnesium and leather dominate interior materials, with composite components either in their natural state or painted to match the magnesium pieces.

The car’s center console is made of composite materials covered in galvanized magnesium and features the chassis number imprinted on the surface. The shift lever is positioned about halfway up the console directly next to the steering wheel.

The seats are finished in smooth leather and have manual adjustment (fore, aft and height) because power motors would add unnecessary weight. The seats are made of a composite carbon shell. Each seat weighs only 23.6 pounds (10.7 kg.), compared to 44.1 pounds (20 kg.) for the seats in a typical Porsche 911.

Air conditioning is optimized for weight and the car comes with a standard air filter system. A glass screen is mounted between the supplemental safety bars to help reduce wind buffeting. Even though the Carrera GT is a serious performance car, it can be equipped with many comfort features, including a navigation system and Bose audio. A battery trickle-charger is included as standard equipment.