TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (December 11, 2023) – Hagerty, Inc., an automotive enthusiast brand and leading specialty vehicle insurance provider, announced today its 2024 U.S. Bull Market list, an annual selection of wide-ranging enthusiast vehicles best poised to increase in value over the next year. Now in its 7th year, the list is compiled by the brand’s automotive intelligence team using a suite of data from public and private sales, insurance valuations and historic trends. For more details on Hagerty Bull Market and the cars included, click here. Continue reading
MAHWAH, N.J. (December 8, 2023) – As a proud creator of modern luxury experiences, Range Rover will make its Miami Art Week debut with a thrilling sensory experience installation, “FORCE OF NATURE,” that showcases an ultra-exclusive new run of Range Rover Sport vehicles. Invited guests and clients will experience an uplifting journey conveying the power and dynamism of the natural Miami environment and the very essence of the exclusive new Range Rover Sport SV EDITION ONE MIAMI. Continue reading
MIAMI, Fla. (December 8, 2023) – Ducati and Bentley are proud to jointly announce a new, limited-edition motorcycle that celebrates the best of both iconic brands: the Ducati Diavel for Bentley. Born from a collaboration between the two manufacturers, the project links Ducati and Bentley with a vision of performance, craftsmanship and exclusivity. The result is a striking synthesis of technology, style and performance capable of making enthusiasts dream. The bike will be revealed to the public tonight with a ‘fuorisalone’ event at Art Basel in Miami, the overseas edition of the most prestigious European contemporary art fair. Continue reading
STUTTGART (December 5,2023) – Porsche Motorsport heads into 2024 with big aspirations. Next year, the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart is determined to win titles with its factory teams in the world’s largest endurance championships, at Le Mans, and various esports series. A variety of customer racing activities will supplement this programme. Porsche announced its plans on Saturday (2 December) at the annual “Night of Champions”. As part of the gala in the Weissach development centre, Nicolas Leutwiler from Switzerland was awarded the Porsche Cup as the best amateur driver of the 2023 season. The Frenchman Alessandro Ghiretti took part in the celebrations as the new Porsche Junior. Continue reading
SANT’AGATA BOLOGNESE/Miami, Fla. (December 7, 2023) – Automobili Lamborghini proudly presents ‘Lamborghini: 60 Years of Artistry in Motion’ on the occasion of the iconic marque’s anniversary. This exhibition features a selection of artwork commissioned by Lamborghini dealers from across the Americas in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the brand. The artwork on display varies in concept from spray-painted canvas, custom sneakers and a surfboard to steel and bronze sculptures and a customized digital slot machine. Each piece takes as its inspiration the legendary aura of the people and machines that, together, changed the course of automotive history. Continue reading
The Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic, a timeless Jean Bugatti masterpiece now nearly 90 years old, has long captured the imagination of aesthetes and automotive enthusiasts and is still regarded as the most valuable and exclusive automobile in the world. Many of its design features including the bolted fin that runs the length of its body inspired Bugatti’s modern design DNA. But this car is not just a reference for Bugatti’s design team: one customer wanted to take things a step further, creating her very own tribute to the iconic Atlantic for her first Bugatti car, a Chiron Super Sport¹. This is how the ’57 One of One’ became reality. Continue reading
MT. LYFORD, New Zealand (December 7, 2023) – The stunningly tranquil South Island of New Zealand recently reverberated to the evocative motorsport engine note of the Rodin Cars FZERO hypercar. The concept of the FZERO was first revealed to the world last year, and now the New Zealand-designed-and-manufactured hypercar has entered the test and development phase.
The FZERO rolling onto the brand’s own test track represents a huge milestone not only for the FZERO project but also for Rodin Cars as a whole. Having successfully developed the FZED open-wheel, single-seat track car, Rodin Cars’ next project, the FZERO, is magnitudes more ambitious.
The FZERO project has been designed and developed from Rodin Cars’ state-of-the-art facility near Mount Lyford on New Zealand’s incredibly beautiful South Island. The facility includes three purpose-built test circuits and a high-tech production facility. The driving force behind Rodin Cars, and the designer of the FZERO and its bespoke twin-turbocharged V10, is David Dicker; technology billionaire and keen racer.
Mr Dicker personally took to the wheel of the FZERO for its first outing and was very impressed with the car’s performance and durability; “While there’s a long road ahead of testing and development, running the FZERO for the first time gives me immense pride in what everyone at Rodin Cars has achieved in bringing this programme to life. The test went very well and we were able to work through our programme. We’re excited as the FZERO project enters its next phase. It really is a car like no other.”
After several installation laps, the FZERO returned to the Rodin Cars’ pit complex for a debrief and systems check, before the hypercar took to the circuit again to run throughout the remainder of the day, recording the first of many important development kilometres.
Many of the staff at Rodin Cars lined the circuit during their lunch break to catch a glimpse of the FZERO in action. Of the experience, Emma Duncan, Rodin Cars General Manager said, “Seeing the FZERO effortlessly take to the track was an inspirational moment. The car represents engineering excellence and is truly a masterpiece. This is a pivotal development for the future of Rodin Cars.”
The closed-cockpit FZERO hypercar promises outrageous levels of performance and dynamism, and will challenge established track-only hypercars from Aston Martin, Gordon Murray Automotive and Mercedes-AMG. The primary focus of the FZERO is to deliver a driving experience like no other, tapping into the raw emotion of speed and visceral performance.
The FZERO is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V10 engine designed by Rodin Cars’ founder and CEO, David Dicker. This engine – known as the RC.TEN – develops 1013bhp (755kW) at 9500rpm, while only using 11psi of boost. A naturally aspirated iteration of the RC.TEN is presently in development. The RC.TEN will power the FZERO to a top speed of 360km/h.
After two prototype engines were built in the UK by Neil Brown Engineering, the RC.TEN development and manufacture has moved in-house at Rodin Cars. In a further exciting development, Rodin Cars intends to offer the RC.TEN as a crate motor for motorsport applications.
In conjunction with LINK Engine Management, the Rodin Cars RC.TEN will be displayed at the Performance Racing Industry Show in Indianapolis, December 7-9.
Full specifications of the Rodin Cars FZERO and RC.TEN engine are available at rodin-cars.com
CREWE (December 7, 2023) – The new Speed Six Continuation Series has begun its main testing phase before customer builds begin, after the completion of the final Blower Continuation Series customer car. Continue reading
Mercedes-AMG is sharpening its product portfolio with the new AMG CLE 53 Coupe. The sporty two-door model combines the best of two worlds: agility and sportiness of the AMG C-Class with the interior space and elegance of the AMG E-Class. The AMG-enhanced 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with turbocharging via an exhaust gas turbocharger and an electric auxiliary compressor has been thoroughly modified and now produces 443 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque (443 lb-ft for 12 seconds with overboost). The 48-volt integrated starter generator (ISG) provides support at lower engine speeds with 23 hp and 151 lb-ft. Power is transferred via an AMG SPEEDSHIFT® TCT 9G transmission and AMG Performance 4MATIC+ fully variable all-wheel drive. Continue reading
The death of drifting legend Ken Block shook the entire motorsport world at the beginning of January. The previously unreleased last episode of his famous drift videos is a tribute to the American.
‘Electrikhana TWO’ was filmed with the Audi S1 Hoonitron in November 2022 – just a few weeks before the snowmobile accident in which Ken Block died at the age of 55. It was a matter close to the heart of the American’s family to complete and release the film in his memory.
Ken Block’s fans can experience their idol one last time in breathtaking driving scenes and stunts with the Audi S1 Hoonitron. The all-electric prototype was developed by Audi Sport as a one-off exclusively for Ken Block. It has two electric motors, all-wheel drive, a total output of 500 kW, a carbon fiber chassis and the full safety standard of the highest motorsport authority, the FIA. Following the filming of the first Electrikhana episode in August 2022, the S1 Hoonitron was further developed in close collaboration with Ken Block. This included reducing weight, improving drivability and simulating gear changes.
In the first episode, Ken Block drifted through Las Vegas with the Audi S1 Hoonitron. The spectacular video reached more than 100 million people worldwide via various channels. Electrikhana 2 was filmed in Mexico City. With 22 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area, the capital of Mexico is one of the largest cities in the world and offered the crew of the Hoonigan company, founded by Ken Block, fascinating locations – from the modern airport to a spiral-shaped parking garage.
Together with the engineers from Audi Sport, Ken Block came up with a very special gimmick for Electrikhana TWO – in addition to a new livery – that only an electric vehicle can offer: In one scene of the movie, the front and rear axles pull in opposite directions, causing the Audi S1 Hoonitron to disappear into a large white cloud when stationary – a scene entirely to the taste of the unforgotten drift artist and his loyal fan base.
