The 2017 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato

Aston Martin And Zagato's 5th Joint-Collaboration

     Yes it's official. British car company Aston Martin and Italian car company and design house Zagato have made a fifth joint-effort sports car and luxury grand tourer. It's called the 2017 Vanquish Zagato, and I don't know about you but I think it's probably the prettiest and most passionate Aston Martin ever created. Let's learn more about this incredibly beautiful half-British, half-Italian car.

     The 2017 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato is a half-British, half-Italian sports car and luxury grand tourer that is equipped with a (wait for it) naturally aspirated V-12 at 5.9 liters that delivers 591 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. (Sorry I couldn't find an engine picture.) That amount of horsepower is 24 more horsepower than the most recent standard Vanquish. This improves the 0 to 60 mph time to 3.5 seconds. Now a possible let down for the purists and those who are old school and like stick shifters. The car uses an 8-speed automatic that remains standard from what I'm guessing is a regular Vanquish. Top speed of the Vanquish Zagato is unknown. The car also uses a unique suspension setup. Let's hope this suspension wasn't developed at the Nurburgring or a certain someone wont be very happy about it. (Hints at James May From Top Gear UK)

     The Vanquish Zagato's exterior includes LED fog lamps at both corners, a new hood, and a big splitter up front to help with downforce. Aston Martin's trademark side strake was recreated to run from the wheel arch to the door just like on the Aston Martin DB11. This inspiration comes from the CC-100 Anniversary Concept. The side mirrors are designed to look similar to that of the Aston Martin One-77's and have a very aerodynamic design. 

     In the rear, the Vanquish Zagato uses a sculpteral design that was borrowed from the DB11. It includes a retractable spoiler and a rear hatch that makes getting the luggage compartment easier. The rear taillights use the classic Zagato for inspiration and are round. There are also bladed LEDs near the rear taillights that were inspired by the Aston Martin Vulcan. The rear is also rounded off by a quad-exhaust layout and a large, diffuser-related piece. The Vanquish Zagato also features a double-bubble roof that has been a Zagato trademark since the early 1950s. The car is made entirely out of carbon fibre.

     As for the interior of the Vanquish Zagato it's somewhat similar to that of a normal Vanquish. However interior differences includes "Herringbone" carbon fiber that has been painted with anodized bronze detailing on the center stack, a "Z" quilt pattern stitch on the seats and door panels, "Z" embossed headrests and a "Z" embossed center console, double contrast stitching on the upper door panels, and aniline leather. The "Z" stitch is also used in the car's headliner. 

     I originally thought the Vanquish Zagato would cost over $1,000,000, but auto journalists say it might cost $400,000 in the United States. I just hope the luxury combined with the performance of the car itself justifies the $400,000 possible price tag.

The 2012 Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept

Another Possibly Good Example Of A Quirky Looking French Car

     For the year 2012, the French car company Renault allowed some journalists and other people to see that it was trying to create a worthy successor to the famous Alpine A110  from 1961 to 1977. This concept dubbed the Alpine A110-50 Concept has met with some development issues. Apparently Renault and their back-up company, which some journalists think is Nissan, can't seem to decide on what they want the Alpine A110-50 Concept to look like. However in 2015 journalists captured a possible Renault test car on the road that seemed to be either another concept or the last concept before production. I saw a picture of this said test car on the internet and it looks sort of like a French version of the Lotus Exige, albeit a little wider, longer, and taller. I don't know if you viewers will think that's either a good or bad thing but enough of this. Let's talk about the Alpine A110-50 Concept some more. 

     The Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept is a French supercar equipped with a 3.5 liter, 24-valve V-6 that delivers 400 hp. Hopefully the car is light enough to make that 400 hp powerful enough to make the car go fast. Top speed of the A110-50 Concept is unknown. Zero to sixty is also unknown. The engine is expected to be coupled to a 6-speed sequential gearbox, and a twin-plate clutch that the driver can control with either the clutch pedal or a paddle located on the steering wheel. 

      Renault Sport Technologies was responsible for building the car itself and gave it plenty of race car inspired technology. The A110-50 Concept is based on the Megane Trophy race car platform but the A110-50 Concept has had its bracing in the engine bay and the roll cage lowered. The wheelbase was also modified but remains similar. However the track is now wider at 1,680mm in the front, and 1,690mm in the rear. The A110-50 Concept uses 21'' wheels that have been combined with Sachs dampers that the driver can adjust for better compression and extension. The car is apparently made of carbon fiber elements.

     Since this car is still in a concept stage there is no price for the car as of now. 

     While this car isn't flashy like a Ferrari or Lamborghini it certainly has its own unique good looks.

    

The 2017 Faralli and Mazzanti Evantra Millecavalli

A Faster And Better Looking Improvement Of The Original Evantra

 

(Comparison pictures of the new Evantra to the old one. The one on the left and below is the Evantra Millecavalli.)

     Hello viewers. You may have seen an older article I did on the original Mazzanti Evantra. Well it turns out that Mazzanti might want to show that an obscure Italian company can build a car to compete with Sweden's Koenigsegg cars at the Nurburgring. The new car called the Mazzanti Evantra Millecavalli looks similar to its father except that certain areas such as the grille have been redesigned for improved aerodynamics. When I learned that one of my favorite and obscure Italian companies made an Evantra successor I just had to write about it. Let's see if Mazzanti made a good successor or a fail.

     The 2017 Faralli and Mazzanti Evantra Millecavalli is an Italian hypercar equipped with a 7.2 liter bi-turbo V-8 that is either Chevrolet sourced or made by Faralli and Mazzanti themselves that delivers 1,000 hp exactly, hence the name Millecavalli which means one thousand in Italian. Top speed of the Evantra Millecavalli is 250 mph. Naught to sixty takes 2.7 seconds. The engine is coupled to an unknown gearbox, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's exactly the same one as in the old Evantra.

     Not only has the engine been changed on the Evantra Millecavalli, but the exterior has changed as well in certain areas of the car. The lower bumper of the car has been given a larger diffuser, and race-inspired canards. The front hood now has three large vents as well as two downforce increasing elements in the design. The roof scoop from the original Evantra has been lengthened toward the windscreen and is wider and flatter.

     The sides of the Evantra Millecavalli have also seen some changes. The wheels are now multi-spoked and are both lighter and seem to be wrapped around track-ready tires. There are also flared wheel arches that makes one wonder if the rims are wider. The side vents are larger and the side skirts have been extended. Moving on to the rear of the car now.

     The Evantra Millecavalli now has a race-inspired rear wing for downforce aid. The rear fenders are larger and include additional vents towards the rear of the car. As opposed to the old Evantra, the Evantra Millecavalli has four rear exhausts as opposed to two. A race-spec diffuser also exists at the car's rear. The body extensions on the side of the car have also been removed for better aerodynamics. Many automobile journalists beleive the Millecavalli will only be offered in carbon this time.

     Not much is known about the interior of the Millecavalli. Some expect the speedometer to be directly in front of the driver this time as opposed to being in the center of the driver's area.

     As for the cost of an Evantra Millecavalli, it is likely to cost $1.2 million. The main competition will likely come from the Pagani Huayra BC, a more track-ready version of the Huayra.

     I really hope this car gets more love than hate since the original Evantra got a lot of hate from people who saw it.

The 2016 Ford Shelby GT350R

The Mustang To Redefine All Mustangs From The Past

 

      I'm taking a massive risk with all Mustang haters on the internet who think Camaros and Dodge/SRT Hellcats are significantly better.  They probably think that since Ford decides to place Ecoboost engines in most of their cars that they're terrible. I'm not a fan of Ecoboost technology either in terms of sound but there are at least two new Mustangs that will give a big fat N and O to the idea of using an Ecoboost engine. One of these new Mustangs dubbed the Ford Shelby GT350R uses (wait for it) a naturally aspirated flat-plane crank 5.2 liter naturally aspirated V-8 as opposed to an Ecoboost engine like the turbocharged V-6 in the very much hated 2017 Ford GT. But enough of that Ecoboost stuff. Let's see how good Carroll Shelby's legacy has become with the GT350R.

      The 2016 Ford Shelby GT350R is an American pony car that I personally don't consider to be such a pony car anymore due to it's performance. The GT350R uses a flat-plane crank 5.2 liter naturally aspirated V-8  as mentioned above that delivers 526 hp, and a top speed of 190 mph estimated. While it may or may not be able to oust a Hellcat in performance that is still pretty decent for a Mustang. Naught to sixty takes less than 3.5 seconds, hence my belief that this is not truly a pony car. The engine is coupled to a 6-speed manual with, yes you heard it, a stick that lets you change gears. That will make the purists happy I think.

      The GT350R uses pretty much the same exterior elements as the GT350 such as a redesigned nose, vented wheel wells, a new rear diffuser, and turbulence-reducing fender vents. However unlike the GT350, the GT350R also uses underbody belly panels on the front and rear, a new and improved front splitter, and a carbon fiber rear wing. Carbon fiber? Ford have you gone mad, or are you secretly hiring defectors from Ferrari!? Haha. Anyway I don't know about my viewers but I welcome that carbon fiber rear wing.
      As for the brake calipers they're bright red; possibly to mock Ferrari, and from Brembo. The brakes themselves use custom-tuned independent suspension that have MagneRide magnetic dampers, increased spring rates, a lower ride height, and a wider front track. The really good news comes in the form of the wheels for the tires which like the rear wing are also made of carbon fiber. And they're standard. I think the answer to my previous question to Ford going mad with design is yes. I'm not sure about hiring former Ferrari mechanics though. Haha.  
      Let's talk about the optional extras you'll be presented with when buying a GT350R. The options include the R package, Navigation package, a painted black roof, over the top stripes, and an SVT Touring Package. All this combined will cost you $7,465.
     Would Carroll Shelby be proud of what his legacy has achieved with the GT350R. I think so. If only that V-8 went into the 2017 Ford GT too.