Showing posts with label Automotive new sport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Automotive new sport. Show all posts

Friday, December 17, 2010

Romeo Ferraris and Fenice Milano pay tribute to Monza with limited edition Abarth 500



web630 abarth500monza260hp 07 450x298 Romeo Ferraris and Fenice Milano pay tribute to Monza with limited edition Abarth 500
Like weddings in the Deep South, everything with cars is relative. For instance, we’d strain to call most cars with racing stripes running every which way “subtle.” But when the treatment comes from Fenice Milano, anything short of gold chrome is understated. See? Relative.
The Milanese design house is the same that has gilded everything from the Fiat 500C to the Rolls-Royce Ghost. But for this special edition, they’ve teamed up with Romeo Ferraris, the Italian tuning house that’s given us custom Corvettes, Land Rovers and of course… Fiat 500s. Okay, so between them there’s no lack of love for the retro hatchback, and this is the embodiment of their shared passion: the Abarth 500 Monza.
A limited-edition tribute to the legendary grand prix circuit, the Monza edition is limited to just ten examples. So what makes it so special? Well it’s got red and blue racing stripes – the track’s official colors – that do a wicked Herby the Love Bug impression, sans Lindsay Lohan (for better or worse). But while the stripes continue into the white leather interior, this isn’t just a trim package.
Romeo Ferraris stepped in to nearly double the engine’s output, upping the horsepower figure from 135 to 260. They also threw in 280mm Brembo disc brakes, 205/40-R17 Yokohama tires and a full aero kit. And in case that wasn’t enough with the special treatment, each example gets a brass plaque with the owner’s name, an edition number on the shifter and a whole mess of Monza logos all over the place. Which may seem a little over the top, but again: think relative. And while you’re mulling that over, check out the high-resolution images in the gallery below.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Report: Two new models coming from Morgan



01 lifecar 630 402x300 Report: Two new models coming from Morgan
We suppose it was only a matter of time before mighty Morgan threw its cap into the electric car realm. With everyone from Mercedes-Benz to Audi toying around with motor-powered supercars, the eclectic purveyor of long-hood wonders was bound to follow suit. According to Autocar, we can expect to see a pair of new models to emerge from Morgan in short order. The first, called the LIFEcar 2, is especially mouth watering. The svelte coupe supposedly gets its power from a diesel-electric powertrain and will pack a range of around 1,000 miles. Despite its city car name, the LIFEcar 2 will be a sports car above all else.
As for the second model, Autocar was able to drum up very few details, other than it will be more extreme with a focus on entertainment.
If you’re thinking this sounds like the standard Brit-pub rumor mongering, think again. Morgan says it will bring the LIFEcar 2 from prototype to production, and that it will weight a scant 1,700 pounds when it hits the road. Hit the jump for the press release.