(BroBible.com)
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
It's Back Again, Only For An Extremely Exclusive Clientel
The legendary Aston Martin DB4 GT is reborn
Twenty five continuation models extend the original 1959-63 run.
The new cars will wear VIN numbers that pick up from the end of the first run in '63. They will use a version of the Tardek Marek-designed straight six-cylinder engine making an SAE-rated 331 horsepower with three twin-choke Weber carburetors. Though it's a straight six like the original, Aston started "from scratch" with the new one, a spokesman said, drawing on the DB11's supplier for the castings. Modern elements, like an FIA-spec roll cage, fire extinguisher, and seat belts will also be added. It will weigh 2,706 pounds.
The DB4 GT employs a four-speed David Brown manual gearbox. The car rides on a tubular frame with an independent front suspension; the rear is a Watts linkage setup and both use coil springs. The fuel tank holds 36 gallons, which should prove useful for racing.
In that vein, these 25 will be track-only models, and buyers will be able to participate in an international driving program that spans two years and visits circuits like Yas Marina. Owners can receive training from Aston experts like Darren Turner, who counts several class victories at Le Mans.
The cost? About $1.9 million at the prevailing exchange rates as of this writing. Aston will begin delivering the DB4 GTs in summer 2017. It joins the growing field of nostalgic continuations, like the Jaguar XKSS, that pick up where the original lineage left off.
(AutoBlog.com)
Twenty five continuation models extend the original 1959-63 run.
The new cars will wear VIN numbers that pick up from the end of the first run in '63. They will use a version of the Tardek Marek-designed straight six-cylinder engine making an SAE-rated 331 horsepower with three twin-choke Weber carburetors. Though it's a straight six like the original, Aston started "from scratch" with the new one, a spokesman said, drawing on the DB11's supplier for the castings. Modern elements, like an FIA-spec roll cage, fire extinguisher, and seat belts will also be added. It will weigh 2,706 pounds.
The DB4 GT employs a four-speed David Brown manual gearbox. The car rides on a tubular frame with an independent front suspension; the rear is a Watts linkage setup and both use coil springs. The fuel tank holds 36 gallons, which should prove useful for racing.
In that vein, these 25 will be track-only models, and buyers will be able to participate in an international driving program that spans two years and visits circuits like Yas Marina. Owners can receive training from Aston experts like Darren Turner, who counts several class victories at Le Mans.
The cost? About $1.9 million at the prevailing exchange rates as of this writing. Aston will begin delivering the DB4 GTs in summer 2017. It joins the growing field of nostalgic continuations, like the Jaguar XKSS, that pick up where the original lineage left off.
(AutoBlog.com)
Fun To Own, Not Fun To Maintain
Here Are Ten Forgotten Supercars You Can Buy For Less Than $35,000
4. 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL600 w/Renntech 7.0 liter V12
4. 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL600 w/Renntech 7.0 liter V12
- This SL600, before any modification, was already an insanely capable cruiser. Its M120 V12 engine was capable of 400 horsepower out of the gate, which meant that it didn’t skip a beat cruising the autobahn at triple digit speeds. With the addition of a $30,000 Renntech 7.0-liter engine and 125 additional horsepower, the value for this car, at this price, is nearly unbeatable.
The Dumbest Finance Decision Of 2016 Gets Even Better
Nevada Approved $335 Million Faraday Future Deal With No Knowledge Of The Company's Finances
Nevada’s State Treasurer Dan Schwartz, who has emerged as a major skeptic of FF, told me today that his department and the Nevada State Legislature—which signed off on the deal—were in the dark.
“The Treasury was not in any hearing,” Schwartz said. “Faraday Future gave financials to Steve Hill [Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development], but he didn’t give them to the legislature.”
Hill did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment from Jalopnik. A Faraday Future spokesman said, “As a private company we do not comment on the details of our finances.”
The news of this lack of information was something of a shock, and it
seemed extraordinary that neither the State Treasury nor the State
Legislature voting to approve the deal got to see any proof of Faraday
Future’s financial health. “That’s exactly right,” Schwartz concurred.
(Jalopnik.com)
Nevada’s State Treasurer Dan Schwartz, who has emerged as a major skeptic of FF, told me today that his department and the Nevada State Legislature—which signed off on the deal—were in the dark.
“The Treasury was not in any hearing,” Schwartz said. “Faraday Future gave financials to Steve Hill [Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development], but he didn’t give them to the legislature.”
Hill did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment from Jalopnik. A Faraday Future spokesman said, “As a private company we do not comment on the details of our finances.”
(Jalopnik.com)
An Interesting Move
The Volkswagen Group switches official language to English
The Volkswagen Group can't be fairly thought of as entirely German anymore, so the news that the company is switching its official language to English to help attract managers and executives is a rational, if surprising, decision. While many VW Group companies are still staidly German in character and culture, consider the other companies that it controls: Bentley (British), Bugatti (French), Ducati and Lamborghini (Italian), Skoda (Czech), Scania trucks (Swedish), and SEAT (Spanish). Not to mention the large Volkswagen Group of America operation, which constructs cars in Chattanooga, TN.
Volkswagen's explicit motivation is to improve management recruitment – making sure the company isn't losing out on candidates for important positions because they can't speak German – and that's inherently sensible in a globalized economy. Particularly considering, like it or lump it, that English is the lingua franca of said global economy. It also should make it inherently easier to communicate between its world-wide subsidiaries and coordinate operations.
(AutoBlog.com)
The Volkswagen Group can't be fairly thought of as entirely German anymore, so the news that the company is switching its official language to English to help attract managers and executives is a rational, if surprising, decision. While many VW Group companies are still staidly German in character and culture, consider the other companies that it controls: Bentley (British), Bugatti (French), Ducati and Lamborghini (Italian), Skoda (Czech), Scania trucks (Swedish), and SEAT (Spanish). Not to mention the large Volkswagen Group of America operation, which constructs cars in Chattanooga, TN.
Volkswagen's explicit motivation is to improve management recruitment – making sure the company isn't losing out on candidates for important positions because they can't speak German – and that's inherently sensible in a globalized economy. Particularly considering, like it or lump it, that English is the lingua franca of said global economy. It also should make it inherently easier to communicate between its world-wide subsidiaries and coordinate operations.
(AutoBlog.com)
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