The 2013 HBH Bulldog GT

 

Aston Martin's Very First Mid-Engine Supercar Made By The Danish

 

  

 

      For years Aston Martin has stuck to front-engine luxury sports cars such as the DB9 Coupe. Their stubbornness might come to an end due to the works of a Danish design company called HBH. HBH has used the former 1980s Aston Martin Bulldog as a design basis and made a modern take on the Bulldog called the Bulldog GT. And what's better is that it could become Aston Martin's very first mid-engine car since...ever.

     The Bulldog GT is a mid-engine rear-wheel drive luxury supercar equipped with the Aston Martin V-12 Vanquish's 6 liter V-12 that is coupled to a twin-supercharger system to give the car 666 hp. That's scary if you know what I mean. Haha. Anyway the Bulldog GT has a top speed of 186 mph which might seem a little underpowered. Naught to sixty takes 3.9 seconds making things even more worrying. Last time I read about this car the writer said it will weigh between 2,500 to 3,000 pounds. The engine is also coupled to a 6-speed manual transaxle gearbox. 

     The Bulldog GT will be built from hand-beaten aluminum (aluminium for my British viewers).

     The price of the Bulldog GT hasn't been announced yet but it's said that it will be ready for testing within the next 12 months of 2013. The first test drives have been scheduled for early 2013.

     Some people have complained that the Bulldog GT is too low to the ground and I agree with them. However I don't care. If HBH or Aston Martin decides to put this car into production it will change the very face of Aston Martin and how people will view Danish automobile design.

 

 

The 2013 Lotus Elan

 

A Modern Uptake On The Original Elan

 

   

 

     When British Top Gear's Richard (Hamster) Hammond drove an original Lotus Elan he praised it's performance and looks. Well then perhaps Hammond should take a look at Lotus's new version of the Elan they have planned for 2013. Like the 2014 Lotus Esprit I wrote about earlier the new Elan seems to have little of an Italian look to it. I don't know about you but I see some Lamborghini and Ferrari in the design as well as some Lotus Evora in the rear. Anyway let's talk about the new Elan's specifications now.

     The 2013 Lotus Elan is a mid-engine rear-wheel drive supercar equipped with a 4 liter V6 pressure charged engine that produces 450 hp and 465 Nm of torque. A hybrid version of the 2013 Elan is aslo available. Top speed of the petrol powered 2013 Lotus Elan is 192 mph. Naught to sixty takes 3.5 seconds. The engine is coupled to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The rev limit on this car is 7,800 RPM.

     The 2013 Lotus Elan weighs 1,295 kilograms due to the use of lightweight materials which are still unknown at this time. The car also uses hybrid technology with KERS.

     Not much more is known about the 2013 Lotus Elan but what I do know is that it will cost $118,000 making it very cheap for a supercar, especially one from Britain.           

 

 

The 2013 Artega GT Targa

 

A German Sports Car That Looks Italian

 

 

 

     If you thought the Germans only made sports cars with function over form you'd be wrong. Apparently a German company called Artega made an interesting looking sports car that seems to combine function and form equally. The car is called the Artega GT Targa.

     The Artega GT Targa is a mid-engine rear-wheel drive sports car equipped with a 4.6 liter naturally aspirated V6 that produces 300 horsepower at an unknown amount of torque. Top speed of the Artega GT Targa is 167 mph. The engine is coupled to a 6-speed DSG transmission.

     The Artega GT Targa uses a space frame made of high strength steel and carbon fiber reinforced composite materials. It's said the Artega GT Targa is one of the first cars to carry an outer body shell that's made from carbon fiber reinforced polyurethane. The side panels, and fenders, both front and rear, are made from a fiber reinforced micro-cellular construction known as "Elastolit." This material is said to provide excellent strength and impact resistance even in the worst weather conditions.

     Other carbon fiber parts on the Artega GT Targa include the hood, side air intakes, and linings on the panoramic roof.

     The Artega GT Targa includes a stowable panoramic glass roof that is said to be quite easy to stow behind the seats.

     No official price has been made for the Artega GT Targa but it's said it will cost around $100,000 which is actually pretty cheap for a car that looks Italian but isn't. I only wish this amazing looking car was faster like a Ferrari 458 Italia.

 

 

The 2011 Vision SZR

 

A Modern American Muscle Car

   

 

     It may be 2014 but muscle cars haven't gone away yet. There are Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers, and other modern muscles out there, but few muscle cars that are also supercars. A  Japanese-American named John Mizumi created one such car he calls the 2011 Vision SZR.

     The SZR is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive muscle car and supercar currently equipped with a naturally aspirated 6.2 liter V8 that delivers 630 bhp at 6,600 RPM. Sometime in the future Mr. Mizumi plans to introduce a 6 liter V12 that will deliver 700 bhp at 7,500 RPM. Top speed of both versions of the SZR is currently unknown to car enthusiasts as this car hasn't been tested yet. However I can see this car going to 200 mph or above in somewhere around the 3 second range. Naught to sixty for both versions is also unknown. The transmissions available include a 6-speed manual or an electronically-controlled dual-clutch automatic. Torque is at 600 lb-ft at 6,600 RPM. Displacement is 6,200 liters.

     The SZR uses an adjustable height suspension at the front and the back with inboard mounted Koni high pressure nitrogen gas as well as double-adjustable shock absorbers.

     The SZR is built upon a semi-monocoque chassis with aluminum 4,130 chrome molybdenum. It also features a modular construction that has a bonded, riveted, and welded rigid cockpit section as well as interchangeable front and rear extremities that include progressive energy absorbing impact protection zones.

     The SZR has a body made of Hexcel carbon fiber that is reinforced with composite Nomex honeycomb and Nida-Core. This allows the car to have a weight between 2,450 and 2,875 lbs.
     The tires used on the SZR are Custom Forgiato wheels.
     The brakes used consist of 14 inch ventilated/slotted disks and 4 piston aluminum calipers that have stainless steel fluid lines for both the front and rear. Vision will also offer customers an anti-lock braking system and 6-piston calipers with carbon rotors. However Vision doesn't recommend this upgrade for public streets.
     The price of the SZR will be about $2 million which is very expensive.
     While Rutledge Wood from American Top Gear said that an old 1980s Subaru was "your future, but from the past," the Vision SZR could be your future, but from...the future. Haha.