The lamborghini Murcielago Lp640 - Italian car bully

There exist only a number of vehicles that will stop streets like a Murcielago . Supercars like the Murcielago are now getting rare so we should enjoy in the insanity while we can.

Even though the seating position of the LP640 has come a long way from the ‘long arms, short legs' Old Lambo's , the Murcielago is still a big, noisy, tiring supercar.

The performance can be described in one in a word: mind-blowing . Four-wheel drive and 630bhp, combined with a torque figure of 487lb ft mean that you can take the Murcielago to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds. You're looking at 211mph of pure speeeeeed. It's Amazing.

When you think about how cool the Murcielago is, it is as all  things outrageous equipped with a little bubble of cool all around them.

Now let's talk about handling. Reverse parking is possible, but not recomendable. Similarly there is enough space to store a weekend's worth of dirty laundry, but you'd probably be better off sending them on. Scissor doors become necessary when you consider just how wide the Murcielago really is - if you parked next to other cars with normal doors, you'd never get out. Solution is to never park next to other cars.


Production       2001-2010
                           4,099 built
Assembly          Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
Predecessor    Lamborghini Diablo
Successor        Lamborghini Aventador
Engine               Mid-engine, four-wheel drive
                            6.2&L V12(572 HP)
                            6.5;L V12(630 HP)
Transmission  6-speed manual
                            6-speed e-Gear semi-automatic

Read More

The Lancia Stratos - Italian car blast from the past

Wearing a Italian Lancia Stratos is like wearing a bell helmet – as Stig Blomqvist noted a few years back : ‘The car is like my clotheses,’ he said, ‘it’s got smaller.’
The men behind its rising to stardom were Cesare Fiorio, Lancia’s team manager, Italian designers Gianpaolo Dallara, Marcello Gandini, Danielle Audetto and ace driver Sandro Munari.

The Lancia Stratos was so small that the two crew members almost didn't fit inside , but it soon became the car other teams had to beat from the heat of Africa to the snows of Scandinavia.
Only 492 were built. But the Stratos captured the imagination like none other.
Infamously twitchy down to that crazy-short wheelbase, the Stratos had to have a special kind of driver to get the best out of it. Markku Alen adored it. Sandro Munari is considered a  deity today, but Bernard Darniche won more rallies than anyone else with the Stratos. He is the most successful Stratos driver ever, with 33 victories to Munari’s 13.

The glassfibre front and rear flip front fit where they touch, it wears a truly terrifying pair of megaphones and it’s almost too wide to fit in the trailer. But nobody ever said a world-beater had to be practical.



Engine
2444cc 65 deg transverse iron-block alloy heads V6
& carbs
265bhp@7800rpm
28kg/m@ 4500rpm

Transmission
five-speed driving rear wheels

Dimensions
3710x1750-1810x1114mm
790 kg

Performance
0-60mph 4.1-5.8 secs
top speed 95-140mph depending on gearing

Read More

The Ferrari 308 GTB - Italian car classic

If the world of Italian carmaker Ferrari was turned upside down when Bertone’s angular Ferrari 308 GT4 in 1973 appeared, things were righted when Pininfarina’s beautiful two-seat Ferrari 308 GTB made its debut couple years later.

“Based on the 308 Dino GT4 with only two seats is regarded by many as the more natural successor to the much-loved Dino 246,” England’s Motor summed up for many. “The styling is the best to come out of Ferrari for a long time.”

“Like the 206/246 Dino,” acknowledged Sergio Pininfarina, “the inspiration for the 308’s lines came from the Dino Berlinetta Speciale we exhibited at Paris in 1965.” The Ferrari 308 GTB was important because it was the first non-12-cylinder Ferrari to wear the prancing horse sign. And it was the first Ferrari with a fiberglass body. Its underpinnings were identical to the Ferrari 308 GT4’s, but its wheelbase was shortened about eight inches (210mm) to 92.1 inches (2340mm). As with that 2+2, horsepower was quoted at 255, and the European version used a dry-sump oiling system. Emissions regulations limited the first GTBs in America to 240 horsepower.

Production: 1975–1977 Fiberglass, 1977–1985 steel

Assembly: Maranello, Italy

Predecessor: Dino 246

Class: Sports car

Body style: Berlinetta

Layout: RMR layout

Engine: 3.0 L Tipo F105A V8
3.0&L FI V8 (GTBi/GTSi)
3.0L 4v V8 (QV)

If you like this, you may also like The Ferrari 458 Italia...

Read More

The Maserati Bora - Icon, Legend, Superstar

The mid-engined Maserati Bora was the absolute epitomy of Modena exotic, a rare animal, a production car in which the stylist was given absolute freedom to design anything he wanted, and he ended up designing one of the most iconic car of all time.

The shape of the Bora is as good as it can get when talking about passenger car aerodynamics, a maximum speed of more than 170 mph combined with grip and handling ensured there was hardly an equal off the racing circuit.

There was a scary amount of engineering fines sitting above the four wheels of the Maserati. In addition to the abundance of attributes the Bora has, was the fact that it was also one of the most practical mid-engined production cars  in terms of luggage capacity. Unfortunately though the front passenger's foot well-being was a bit compromised.

Somehow the designer acquired a lot of space for the 4.7-litre V8 engine and adequate luggage in the front boot within the confines of the 14 ft. 2 in. length but when he had done that he remembered that a heavy duty battery and a heater unit had to be accommodated somewhere. Rather than encroach on boot space he moved the vertical bulkhead rearwards into the passenger footwell, leaving space between it and the boot to accommodate bulky items.

Access to the battery was gained by removing a panel in the carpeted boot, allowing the battery to be slid out easily on its tray. The engine and seats were positioned within the monocoque and the 8 ft. 6 in. wheelbase as to give 42 per cent load on the front axle and 58 per cent on the rear, with a consequently low polar moment of inertia resulting in neutral handling. It had independent wishbone suspension all round with coil spring damper units and anti-roll bars front and rear.

Production            1971-1978 (Bora 4.7 L)
                               289 produced
                               1974-1978 (Bora 4.9 L)
                               275 produced
Predecessor        Maserati Ghibli
Successor           Maserati MC12
Body style            2-door coupe
Layout                  RMR layout
Engine                 4.7 L 4719 cc V8
                              4.9 L 4930 cc V8
Transmission     5-speed manual
Wheelbase         2,600 mm (102.4 in)
Length                  4,335 mm (170.7 in)
Width                   1,730 mm (68.1 in)
Height                 1,134 mm (44.6 in)

If you like this, you may also like The Maserati GranCabrio...

Read More

We are starting the countdown - Top 10 Italian cars ever

In the next 10 articles we will be listing the top ten most popular Italian cars of all time.

We will start the countdown with the Maserati Bora and for the most popular Italian car of all time - you'll just have to wait.

Read More

The Ferrari 458 Italia - Italian menace

If there’s anything better than a gorgeous Ferrari 458 Italia, it’s that same gorgeous Ferrari 458 Italia with its roof taken off.A few months age we received confirmation that Ferrari was planning on producing a Spider version of one of their highly successful new models back in 2009 from none other than Luca di Montezemolo himself and now the covers have finally been pulled off.

While most of the Ferrari’s appearance looks pretty much the same to that of the hard-top version of the 458, the biggest difference between the two is obvious: the Italia comes with a retractable roof.

The top is made from aluminum materials and was designed to ergonomically fit just in front of the rear engine without compromising both the car’s aerodynamic and the overall performance as well. With the roof mechanism being small, the 458 Italia Spider even has room to have a small storage space just behind the two seats of the supercar.

The front of the Italian icon remains untouched, but the rear end has been given a few tweaks to go well with the car’s new aerodynamic set-up, specifically in the optimization of air flow towards the cooling ducts, oil cooler, and gearbox. There is also  an adjustable wind deflector, which has been designed so that the wind does not interfere with the interior cabin of the prancing horse, making conversations between driver and passenger less of a struggle than it would have been. 

Additionally to the exterior engineering done to the 458 Italia Spider, Ferrari also adjusted the car's engine mapping and suspension, as well as tuning the engine sound to ensure optimal performance capabilities without compromising the ride experience of the car.

 

Assembly                 Maranello, Italy
Predecessor            Ferrari F430
Body style                 2-seat Berlinetta
Layout Rear             mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine                      4.5 L V8
Transmission          7-speed dual-clutch
Wheelbase               2,650 mm (104.3 in)
Length                       4,527 mm (178.2 in)
Width                         1,937 mm (76.3 in)
Height                        1,213 mm (47.8 in)
Curb weight               1,485 kg (3,274 lb)
Designer                    Pininfarina

Read More

Lambo Sesto Elemento - It's out of this world

Lamborghini has confirmed that the new Sesto Elemento will be headed to the production line, albeit in a very limited run. The task of purchasing an Lambo Elemento got even harder as a high-end dealership in La Jolla confirmed that Lamborghini was already accepting orders for the Sesto and that only three units were headed over to the U.S.

The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento will be offered at a princely sum and rumors suggest that payment will be taken in three equal payments of $300,000 or higher with the rest being paid at the end. That kind of payment will bring its owner a 570 BHP V10 engine and a power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kilograms per HP! This allows the Sesto Elemento to fly from 0 to 60 mph in an amazing 2.5 seconds, while the top speed will be greater than 186 mph.


Manufacturer       Lamborghini
Production           2011 (20 Units)
Assembly             Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
Class                    Sports car
Body style            2-door coupé
Layout                  Mid-engine, four-wheel drive
Engine                  5.2 L V10
Transmission     6-speed paddle-shift, semi-automatic
Curb weight         999 kg (2,200 lb)

     If you like this, you may also like The Lamborghini Aventador J...

Read More

Maserati GranCabrio - Elegance is all

Imagine the billionaire scene of a luxury convertible and a sun-drenched road winding to a chic Mediterranean hotel...
The film rolling in your mind will probably involve you and a loving partner, or maybe you alone, and almost certainly won't feature anyone on your fantasy wheels' back bench.
But the reality is that many of us need the convenience of multiple seats, even when living the dream, which is why Maserati's strategy is always selling glamorous cars with room for four, and quite generous room at that.
So the Modenese company's latest GranCabrio has four seats and enough space around them to render the back pair genuinely comfortable.
True, the boot will struggle to swallow the luggage of one light packer, but this convertible is more usable than most in its class.


You can find full technical specifications here http://www.maserati.com/maserati/en/en/index/models/GranCabrio/Tech-specs.html


If you like this, you may also like The Limited Edition Maserati GranTurismo S...

Read More

The Ferrari 458 Spider - It's just a Prancing horse

Besides shaving the 458’s head, Ferrari changed it's throttle mapping, suspension tuning, and “engine soundtrack”. The Spider’s soundtrack should be very pleasing, produced as it's by the same 562- bhp engine as is used in the Ferrari 458 Italia. That power is routed through exactly the same seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as is used in the coupe to the same torque-vectoring differential. Ferrari claims the Spider will run to 62 mph from a standstill in less than 3.5 seconds before gaining a top speed in excess of 198 mph. In a recent comparison test, we kicked a 458 Italia to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds, so the Spider’s figure is probably a bit conservative.

You can find full technical specifications here http://www.458spider.com/english/#/tech

Read More

The Fiat 500 Abarth - A zinger with a stinger

 

The Italian Abarth 500 is small, so the back seats are also in the same way. But up front you will be fine, although a bit bounced to death thanks to stiff suspension. You can get away with the Fiat most of the time though - especially in town where you can scoot about like a maniac.

It's a relatively small 1.4-litre turbo but with a decent 135bhp and 133lb ft of torque. A ‘Sport' button slightly raises the torque available, but not by a big amount; it goes up to 152lb ft for the purpose of overtaking . It means that the tiny 500 is not blistering, but an exceptional joy to thrash. This isn't a car to win a drag race, but through the turns it is great fun. 

Quality is ok. The 500 generally has some fine touches that kick it up above average, but the quality has been shaved in some bits. Not to say that it is bad, but start poking around and you will find some marginally ropey finishes.

All in all, the Italian scorp' is a small car that can do BIG things. Really.

You can find specific technical information about the Italian Fiat 500 Abarth here http://www.fiatusa.com/abarth/#

Read More