The 2018 TVR Griffith

TVR Has Returned 

     Hello viewers. Today I'll be writing about a car from a company I feel you wanted me to write about. That company is the British car company TVR. The car I'll be writing about is their latest hit, and the car that marked their return to the world. That car is the TVR Griffith. Let's learn more.

     The 2018 TVR Griffith is a British sports car or supercar equipped with a 5.0 liter naturally aspirated V-8, and a six-speed standard manual with a stick. Whether or not this is true I honestly don't know, but I do know the fact about the 5.0 liter V-8 is correct. The car can reach an estimated top speed of 200 mph. Naught to sixty takes an estimated 4 seconds which may seem slow in 2017 or even 2018. The amount of horsepower the Griffith has is 500 hp. Despite the numbers I feel this car will be popular even to Americans such as myself simply due to the fact it has a V-8 and a stick to change gears. Better yet especially for my British viewers the engine is a Cosworth. 

     The TVR Griffith has large and deep recesses that help with aerodynamics. In addition to this is that the front mounted exhaust outlets behind the front wheels eject gas from the Cosworth V-8 at 45 degrees from the doors. 

     The Griffith's mirrors were intentionally created and shaped to stop drag at high speeds. What's more is that the Griffith has true-to-life electric doors. There aren't any door handles on the doors at all. 

     At the rear of the Griffith there is a large slant that channels air under the spoiler which kills a great deal of unwanted downforce in the rear.

     The Griffith has multiple low-slung fins that from each side, and a mesh in the corners that increases the air flow from below the car and provides better performance. 

 

     The price for a new TVR Griffith will be 90,000 pounds in the UK, and $118,819 in the US. Whether or not the Griffith will be available in the States is currently unknown. I get a feeling that American demand for the car will be so demanding that TVR will very likely sell the car in the States. But that is just a theory. If TVR does sell the Griffith in the States how many Americans will actually want one? 

    I almost forgot to mention the main competitors for this car will be the Aston Martin DB11, and the Jaguar F-Type SVR. 

The 2020 Mercedes-AMG Project One

The Car To Celebrate AMG's 50th Anniversary

 

     As a kid have you ever dreamed of driving a Formula 1 car on public roads. Well guess what kids. You're dream came true, sort of. In the Autumn or Fall of 2017, Mercedes-AMG finally unveiled it's latest most insane car of all time. That car is the Formula 1 based 2020 Mercedes-AMG Project One. And I really do mean Formula 1 based because it has a Formula 1 V-6 from one of Mercedes's Formula 1 cars. How on Earth did AMG manage to make a car with a Formula 1 V-6 in it street-legal? Let's find out.

     The Mercedes-AMG Project One is a German hypercar equipped with a 1.6 liter Formula 1 V-6 that delivers an estimated 217 mph. Naught to sixty takes an estimated 2.5 seconds. Horsepower is at 1,000. The power to RPM is a massive 11,000 RPM. What in the world!? Despite the high RPM the Project One is not a terribly loud screaming hypercar, but loud nonetheless. The gearbox used is an  Automated AMG SPEEDSHIFT 8-Speed Manual Transmission that is hydraulically activated. There is also a flappy paddle shift manual.

     The Project One uses a carbon fiber monocoque chassis. Both the engine and transmission are integrated as load-bearing components inside the chassis. They also act to help the rear suspension in keeping the car's tail in line. The use of a multi-link set-up with pushrods is used in all four of the corners, with the springs and dampers replacing a traditional tubular cross member.

     The Project One uses an AWD drivetrain, as well as AMG carbon ceramic brakes. The phrase "AMG Carbon Ceramic" has been branded on the brake calipers. Cool.

     And now a surprise about the car. It is a hybrid hypercar which means it is currently the 5th member to join the hybrid hypercar family that consists of the McLaren P1, the Porsche 918 Spyder, the Ferrari LaFerrari, and the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Let's learn more about the Project One's hybrid setup. 

     A lithium-ion battery pack is coupled to the F1 V-6 in the Project One. It shares many similarities with Mercedes's Formula 1 car, such as the cooling system. However the Project One contains more batteries than its Formula 1 cousin. This also makes it cleaner for Earth's enviroment. That seems like a good win-win. The electric range is 25 kilometers.

     The are also multiple driving modes for the Project One. There is an all-electric mode and a maximum power mode. An onboard computer automatically switches between all-electric and gas-powered modes depending on the driver's input. 

     Now for the bad news kids. Every single Project One car has already been sold. Worse is that even if they weren't you would have to pay $2.7 billion just to get one. That's the price you must pay to get a Formula 1 car for public roads.

The 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

The Cover Car For Forza Motorsport 7

 

      Recently in 2017, Porsche decided to unveil a new 911 for the year 2018 for both the road and the racetrack. However this was no mere 911. It is probably the best 911 ever made, and the fastest. That would be the new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS. How did Porsche make a naturally aspirated flat-six engine produce so much power for the GT2 RS, and how did they make it the ultimate 911 to begin with? Let's find out.

      The 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is a German supercar equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.8 liter flat-six engine that delivers a very surprising amount of horsepower. That amount of horsepower is 700 to be exact which is more than what the Ford GT delivers. Naught to sixty takes 2.7 seconds. From a flat-six that is incredible, even if it is twin-turbocharged. Top speed is a whopping 211 mph. Torque is at 553 lb-ft. Maximum RPM is 7,000. Don't worry about the addition of the turbos. Porsche assures us that the sound from the engine is still very good, and some. 

      How does the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS differ from other 911s besides power, maximum speed, and zero to sixty times? To start the front bumper has been raised higher than some 911s, such as the previous 911 GT2 RS. The bumper is also closer to the ground possibly to increase downforce and the ability to turn through corners with ease. There are also bigger air vents on both sides of the center grille. A new front splitter was also added. Also there are two additional vents in the carbon fiber trunk lid to increase the cooling effect.

      As for the sides of the car, Porsche added new side skirts and new vents in the rear fenders. The rear area of the car is also wider than any Porsche made today. But the most interesting feature is that the 2018 911 GT2 RS uses it's own custom-built tires. They are also lightweight. 

      In the back of the car's exterior, Porsche installed taillights from the 991.2 generation 911, which are a bit thinner. 

      On to the interior. Like the previous 911 GT2 RS there is a rollcage behind the driver's seat and the passenger's seat. The seats have a fixed-back design and a carbon fiber outer shell. The side bolsters were made to be big to better cope with lateral support while cornering. The seats themselves have red Alcantara leather, black leather, and more composite trim in them.

      Unfortunately to anyone who wants to buy the new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS they wont be able to as they have all been pre-ordered and sold. Those who bought the 2018 911 GT2 RS were all given a free exclusive titanium watch, probably to record lap times on a racetrack.

       I almost forgot to mention how much this car weighs. It weighs just 3,241 pounds due to the use of materials such as magnesium, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic. But if your still not sure about the 3,241 pound weight of the car you can buy a Weissach package that takes 40 pounds off the car.

       The 2018 911 GT2 RS has some electronic driver's aids that can easily be turned on or off to increase or decrease the difficulty, or should I say fun of driving the car. The suspension use rear-axle steering. The brakes used are Porsche's own Porsche Ceramic Carbon Brakes.

       On to the price the customers had to pay to get the ultimate 911. It cost them $293,200 to purchase the regular version, and an extra $31,000 if they got the Weissach package. 

       So the question is whether the buyers of the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS wasted their money on buying this car. The answer is no. As for those who bought the Weissach package with their car, I'm not so sure.

The 1971 to 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV

A Car That Started The Mid-Engine Craze

 

 

 

     Hello everyone. Today is perhaps your favorite time of day again; classic car day. Today I'll be writing about some models of the sports car that started the mid-engine craze back in the early 1970s. Those cars are the 1971 and 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV. Let's learn more.

      First a history lesson. The first Lamborghini Miura ever made was created by a small team of engineers with the youngest being only in his twenties. The doors were intentionally designed to look like a bull's horns when opened. Now on to engine information.

   The 1971 and 1972 Lamborghini Miuras are Italian Supercars. Both the 1971 and 1972 Lamborghini Miuras used a 4.0 liter naturally aspirated V-12 from 1966.  However later Miura SV models would use a limited-slip differential that needed a split sump. The Miura SVs used a 5-speed manual gearbox that used it's own lubrication system, which allowed the car to accept appropriate types of oil for the gearbox and engine. This improved the Miura SVs reliability and eased peoples' concerns that metal shavings directly from the gearbox could travel into and hurt the engine.

     On to power. The Miura SVs had a top speed of 170 mph despite the people at Lamborghini saying it would reach 180 mph. Oh well. Naught to sixty took 5.7 seconds which was legendary for it's time. Not only that but the Miura SVs were the fastest production cars of their time; a fact that I'm sure made Enzo Ferrari very angry. Horsepower was at 380. Torque was at 295.0 lb-ft of torque. Maximum RPM was 7,850. Let's talk price now. 

     In the past a Lamborghini Miura SV would cost up to $13,000. Today it would cost up to $110,000 for a pristine model. This places it near top of the line Dodge/SRT Vipers and the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. If you're a fan of classics and want something Italian and somewhat affordable the Miura SV is the car for you.

    

    

A Note To My Blog Viewers:

I had to remove some pictures on the blog due to copyright claims. I apologize for this. I'll try to be more careful with the pictures I post on the blog.

The 2018 McLaren 720S

McLaren's 650S And F1 Successor

     After 3 years of selling the amazing McLarens known as the Super Series, such as the 650S, McLaren decided to create a car for 2018. This car, intended to succeed these Super Series car as well as the legendary F1 has been called the 720S. When McLaren fans saw the car the majority of them complained about the new look of the car, especially the new headlights. Despite its looks this car is said to have the performance capable of eating a Ferrari for breakfast. How does it have this kind of performance. Let's find out.

     The McLaren 720S is a British supercar equipped with a twin-turbocharged 4.0 liter V-8 that actually delivers 710 hp for the United States versions at least. I think McLaren can be forgiven for this. Top speed of the 720S is 212 mph. Naught to sixty takes 2.8 seconds putting it near hypercar territory. The engine is coupled to a 7-speed SSG transmission.

     What's different about this McLaren from its fellow Super Series cars. The air intakes behind the door are gone to allow the installation of dihedral doors sort of like those on a Koenigsegg. But perhaps the biggest and most important change is that the 720S uses a new carbon-fiber (carbon-fibre for any British person reading this) called Monocage II. It is a single piece and has helped the 720S decrease a little in weight as well as helping with overall performance. The headlamps don't go into the upper fenders. Instead they sit at a lower height inside large carvings at each corner. The daytime lights have been transformed into separate units. There is also a body colored bumper. The only thing on the 720S's exterior that isn't new is the carbon-fiber splitter.

     Now to the interior features. McLaren installed a new "Folding Drive Display" that gives basic data while standing up straight, and more race car style data when flat. This is referred to Slim Display Mode. This also allows rapid access to such features as the radio. 

     As for the cost of the 720S it will cost $284,000 in the United States when it arrives to be sold to people there. My question is whether you think McLaren made a worthy F1 successor. You decide.

The 2017 Audi R8 V-10 Plus

Audi's New Questionable R8

 

     In the year 2017, Audi decided to do a remake or refresh of the Audi R8 from 2015. The results have received mixed reviews from critics, and auto journalists. If you look at the center grille you might agree that it looks borderline Jaguar-ish. In my mind a German car should be its own thing and that is it. Some may think otherwise, and that it ok with me. Let's learn about what Audi did with the new R8 they're calling the V-10 Plus.

     The 2017 Audi R8 V-10 Plus is a German supercar and grand tourer equipped with a naturally aspirated 5.2 liter V-10 that delivers 610 hp and a top speed of 205 mph. That's a plus (pun intended). LOL! Naught to sixty takes 3.2 seconds. The engine is coupled to a 7-speed 8 tronic transmission with flappy paddles. This will anger some Audi R8 purists unfortunately.

     As for the new exterior changes such as a new spoiler for improved downforce, the interior of this car has changed dramatically. The steering wheel has a wide array of switches and buttons like a Ferrari 458 or 488, and the dashboard screen is now virtual and even features a g-force meter in the center. The Audi R8 V-10 Plus's air vents have also been reshaped for better AC quality. 

     The Audi R8 V-10 Plus has also undergone a diet so to speak. It now weighs 3,428 pounds. 

     Now to the cost of an Audi R8 V-10 Plus. In the United States it costs $162,900 which is almost cheap Ferrari money, and slightly more expensive than the latest Chevrolet Corvettes like the Z06.

     Now for the scary news. When this car was driven around a racetrack by Randy Pobst on Motor Trend he noticed some understeer from the car due to the V-10 Plus's tires which he said were "too thin." His passenger Johnny Liebermann did soften the blow by saying that as a driver's car it was excellent though. Question is are you willing to drive regularly or go to racetracks with such a car provided you bought one? Also are you willing to deal with the new Audi R8 look? Despite the Jaguar-ish look of the new center grille I can honestly say I can.

The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR

Dodge's Last Production Viper

     When I heard that Dodge and SRT were going to stop making production Vipers for good I was sad. The Viper is one of my favorite American supercars/muscle cars and solid proof that America can make great cars, much to the annoyance of the British. My main reason for this is that the original Viper was created using obsolete parts and yet it worked almost perfectly when finished. I honestly think the British owe us more than just an apology for relentlessly bashing our cars. Haha! So instead of an apology or more from the British I decided to write a tribute article on Dodge's latest and last production Viper. Behold the Dodge Viper ACR for the year 2016.

     Before Dodge and SRT were told my Fiat to stop Viper production, Dodge was allowed to make one last limited-production Viper with a very classic name. Behold the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR. In my mind this is probably the best production Viper if not the best Viper ever made, and I'm about to tell you why through some facts.

     The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR is an American supercar/muscle car equipped with an 8.4 liter naturally aspirated V-10 that delivers 645 hp and 600 torque @ RPM. Top speed is 193 mph which may sound weak to you but apparently is enough for this wonderful American creation. Naught to sixty is still questioned and believed to come in at 3.1 seconds. The engine is coupled to a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission with a stick. That will keep the Viper purists happy.

      Exterior differences from a regular Viper include a racing derived front splitter, a large spoiler, and new and revised air intakes and ducts for as much aerodynamic efficiency as possible. Other than that it's difficult to tell this Viper from a normal one. 

      The brakes used on the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR are Brembo carbon ceramic Matrix brakes. The tires used are Kuhmo Ecsta V720 high-performance tires. These tires carry with them a unique tread pattern as well as compounds for the front and rear. Testing by Dodge revealed that the tires reduce 1.5 seconds of lap time as opposed to regular racing tires. 

     Let's talk suspension now. The 2016 Viper ACR uses aluminum-bodied, double-adjustable coil-over Bilstein race shocks that are unique to this Viper, and this Viper alone. The suspension allows for 3 feet of ride height adjustment and are fully adjustable. The 2016 Viper ACR's ABS and it's five-mode ESC system was specially tuned for the ACR's extreme grip and aerodynamic package.

     You'd probably expect Dodge to stray away from the typical affordable price of Vipers with this car but no. It only costs $117,895 in the United States. This cost excludes gas guzzler and destination taxes. 

     Now for the ultimate fun fact. The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR managed to lap Laguna Seca faster than a Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar. That car went around Laguna in 1:29.89. 

     So there's the tribute story. Dodge didn't just create their last production Viper. They created their best production Viper ever.

The 2020 Jaguar J-Type

Jaguar's Ferrari-Looking New Car Concept

(I couldn't find any pictures I could put up safely. You'll have to look up images of the 2020 Jaguar J-Type on an image site. Sorry.)

      Hello viewers. Today is a surprise from one of our favorite British car companies in the form of the new 2020 Jaguar J-Type concept car. And if you look at the car it would seem that Jaguar finally got fed up with Ferrari stealing their thunder and made a 458 Italia look-alike. While I personally prefer the looks of the 458 Italia from Ferrari, this car comes very close in how good it looks. And there is more good news from Jaguar which I will get to very soon. Let's learn more about this car that looks like a very good mix of Ferrari 458 Italia and Jaguar F-Type combined.

     The Jaguar J-Type is a British sports car that borders on being a pure supercar. Jaguar and some auto journalists claim that the car will have either a 5.0 liter supercharged V-8 from the F-Type SVR or a brand new V-12 with either natural aspiration, a turbo or turbos, or maybe even a positive-displacement twin screw supercharger, or a centrifugal supercharger. Either way I'm more of a V-12 fan so I hope that Jaguar uses the latter for their new car that might become a reality. However Jaguar should be careful putting a V-12 in the middle of the car out of fear that it wouldn't fit or that it would severely effect the car's balance. If they do decide on the V-12 I think Jaguar should pay a visit to the Italian company Pagani for advice and help.

     However Jaguar's JLR has already thought of purchasing turbocharged V-8s from BMW to power their new J-Type. A twin-turbo 6.6 liter V-12 from BMW is also an idea for the J-Type. I certainly hope this doesn't happen as turbochargers in my mind tend to make engines give off a less exciting sound. If it does it will most likely mean Jaguar cares more for fuel economy than pleasing it's customers and fan base. If Jaguar wanted to make a naturally aspirated or even a good supercharged V-8 they can go to Ford via Shelby for the former and Chevrolet for the latter, but that's just what I think. As for a naturally aspirated or supercharged V-12 I'm currently at a loss as to where Jaguar can go to for advice and help.

      As for the gearbox of the J-Type it's currently an unknown gearbox at the time. I wouldn't be surprised if Jaguar makes a double-clutch flappy-paddle automatic or manual gearbox for the J-Type in order to cope with turbo lag. 

     Jaguar claims the J-Type will use an aluminum chassis or body or both.

     Nobody at Jaguar has revealed whether the J-Type will use either RWD or AWD. Expect the Latter for handling and grip.

     Depending on whether the Jaguar J-Type is created expect a $250,000 price tag.

     Currently the suspected rivals of the J-Type will be the Audi R8 V-10 and V-10 Plus, Ferrari 488 GTB, Lamborghini Huracan, and a surprise, the speculated mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette Zora. 

     My only question to you is would it be funny if former Tonight Show host Jay Leno bought a Jaguar J-Type for himself? I think so.