John Hennessey is a true petrol head. He’s dedicated his life to going fast. And perhaps the is well know for creating the Venom GT. It’s not every day that someone goes and builds a car that’s faster than the Bugatti Veyron. The Venom GT managed to hit 270.4 mph while flying down a NASA runway. Watch the video below.
There is a good chance you may never have heard of Dallara…thought so. Dallara are similar to Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani, they make performance cars, and are based in northern Italy. They focus on racing cars and don’t produce any cars for the road, but that could all be about to change.
Car magazine’s company founder Gian Paolo Dallara has made it known that Dallara is working on its own sports car project that will go on sale in 2017. We know very little about it at the moment, but they may make around 100 units a year for around £70,000 a piece. It’s tipped to use a carbon monocoque chassis and super light weight turbos, and they may offer an open roof design, as you might expect from an out and out race car.
Dallara have been involved in building chassis for many types of racing cars including Formula 3, Formula E, and even helped develop the Alfa Romeo 4C, Bugatti Veyron, and Maserati MC12.
Source: AutoBlog
Gran Turismo is celebrating their 15th anniversary of the world famous game. The game has come a long way over the years, and now big manufactures, such as Aston Martin, have started to design their own virtual cars for the game.
Meet the Aston Martin DP-100. The DP-100 is one of the ‘Vision Gran Turismo’ cars that are available for download for all GT6 owners. Other cars include those from Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi, and even Nissan.
The Vision Gran Turismo cars are an expression of what manufactures might one day be able to produce, the cars are at the top end of futuristic design and as you can see here the real life concepts look like nothing seen before.
XCARFILM went behind the scenes to take a closer look at the Aston Martin DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo car, watch the video below.
Source – XCARFilms
Renault have been teasing us with snippets of it’s new mid engined racer for a little while now but nothing prepared us for what they have delivered. Built specifically for a one-make racing series called the ‘Renaultsport Trophy’ the new R.S. 01 is an incredible example of what Renault can do when they put their mind to it.
The engine from a Nismo tuned Nissan GT-R will provide 500+bhp though it will not quite match the 542bhp produced by the big GT-R. the body will be bolted to a Carbon Fibre monocoque chassis produced by Dallara – a company you will be seeing more of very soon. The big V6 will be strapped into a stunning package weighing less than 1,100kg which will be sure to provide some eye-watering statistics when they are finally released.
Although it is built for a one-make series, the car will be built to such high spec it could easily start popping up in other events in the future. Notably, it meets all the LMP1 requirements to potentially compete in Le Mans 24 hour. However, it will more than likely be smaller, more specialist events that it appears in first. Either way, this is one stunning looking car and at just shy of £300k – there are going to be some very happy private racers out there itching to get their hands on one of the beauties!
Take a look at the video below of Max Verstappen. Max has been signed to drive for Toro Rosso next year which will make him the youngest F1 driver of all time. He is 16 at the moment and by the time he makes his F1 debut he will be a mere 17 years old.
Currently Max is signed to Red Bull’s junior programme, and after graduating from kart racing is completing his first year driving a single seater.
Red Bull consider Max to be one of the most skilled young drivers of the new generation and we believe he has the necessary maturity and mental strength to take on this challenge successfully
Source: Red Bull
Not that many special editions make big motoring news, but when it’s Bugatti calling the shots at Pebble Beach celebrations, it’s time to listen up and pay attention. You are looking at the sixth and final special edition of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4.
With a price tag from £1.86 million, 1,184bhp output, and a 0-62mph time of 2.6 seconds, the Bugatti certainly has some impressive numbers.
All 6 of the Bugatti Legends series’ are based, as you might expect, on the open-top Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. As a reminder that’s the roadster version of the more powerful Super Sport.
The Ettore Bugatti edition, named after Bugatti’s founder, follows suit. The 8.0-litre W16 has some extra grunt and comes in at 1,106lb/ft of torque, available with 3,000 to 5,000rpm. Buggati say it will do 254mph top speed with the roof down! Meaning the Veyron ‘Ettore Bugatti’ Legend is the world’s fastest production roadster.
Source: Bugatti
Watch a BMW M4 drift around 5 generations of BMW M cars. Don’t we all wish we could drive like this.
The internet rumour mill is churning away, and flying out of the mill are whispers that Ferrari are planning to release four hundred and fifty eight ‘Speciale Spiders’. This is the kind of news that gets motoring journalists very hot under the collar!
The news is apparently leaked from a special previewing at Pebble Beach, and the 458 Speciale Spiders would be offered to select customers who I’m sure will snap the lot up very quickly. After all, this is effectively adding the cherry on the top of an incredible car, by taking the top off of it! An official release could potentially come later this year at the Paris Motorshow.
The 458 Speciale Spider would be a ‘Best of’ the 458 range with the 458 Spider’s beautiful folding roof being the party piece and the 600bhp and other ‘speciale‘ bits creating the thrust in what will be an incredible addition to an amazing range of cars.
Following seven days with the Bentley Continental GT Convertible V8, here are my thoughts on the car.
Patiently waiting for the Bentley to be delivered, I was very pleased when I heard it coming up the road, before I could even see it. And once I could see it I was blown away by its road presence.
Taking a look around the car on delivery, I was impressed at first sight, and looking up close at all the details left me a little dazzled. The first trip out with the car was actually dropping the driver to New Street Station in Birmingham. It was a great opportunity to spend a little bit of time with someone who drives various Bentleys for a living, it worked out well and I got a cheeky demo of the car’s features on the way. One of the things I noticed fairly instantly was just how well isolated the cabin is from outside noise, for a soft top convertible it is pretty impressive.
After spending a day with the Bentley Continental I was starting to enjoy the car even more, and was able to start to explore its capabilities a bit more. The GT convertible is powered by a 4.0-litre, twin turbocharged, V8 engine that creates 500bhp and 660Nm of torque. The car will get from 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds and will go up to a top speed of 187mph. All of that power is very impressive, but when it is put through an eight speed ZF gearbox to all four wheels is when things really start to get a bit more exciting.
From the driver’s seat you are fully aware that you’re in a luxury car, but the performance is still as exciting and as thrilling as a less refined track car. Start the car using the start button on the carbon fibre covered central console and put the car into drive using the automatic gear selector, then simply drop the electric handbrake and you’re off. With the roof down you will hear that engine in full surround sound. The V8 creates a powerful low grumble, that is to die for when you have your foot to the floor, and even when you’re gently moving along the note is pitch perfect.
The GT is lightening quick, the engine puts out lots of usable torque to all four wheels and the shift times are in the milliseconds before you’re back on the power. Brilliant!
The Bentley GT interior design is absolutely amazing, there is just so much to like about it. For me one of the best features on the inside is the Diamond quilted leather seats; front and back. It’s a sign that you are in a Bentley, but also really just helps give a premium look and feel to the whole interior. Once you touch the leather you notice it is super soft and is an absolute premium luxury to compliment a very special brand.
There are a few more special touches inside the car including a £4,040 option to have elements of the dashboard replaced with carbon fibre, I think this also really helps create the perfect interior feel and I definitely prefer it over the gloss black or wood effects. The Bentley is absolutely ram-packed with technology, I guess as you would expect for the price tag. But there are a couple of key features which, from my point of view, really were fantastic.
One of my favourite features of the car was the adaptive cruise control system. Once enabled, the system automatically detects the car in front of you and is able to track the speed of that car to keep a set gap, in seconds, between you and it. This means that whether you’re on the motorway or going to town in 20mph traffic, you really only have to steer the car in the right direction and the adaptive cruise control system will brake and accelerate for you up to the set speed. Driving just got a whole lot easier!
Other features included the electrically operated boot that will open and close for you at the press of a button, a rear parking camera and parking sensors, and keyless entry and start meaning that you can just keep the key in your pocket and forget about it. And these are on top of standard features that we have come to expect such as automatic lights, automatic wipers, and adaptive air suspension.
I’m not typically a fan of convertibles, maybe because I’m 6’4” and my head tends to stick out a bit, but somehow the Bentley won me over. I have previously driven the Bentley GT speed coupe and I simply loved the design and usability of the coupe version of the car. But I didn’t realise what I was missing was the ability to listen to the exhaust and its full wrath. The convertible removes barriers between your ears and the exhaust and whether you have the V8 or the W12 engine the noise that comes out of the rear is toe curlingly good. So I found myself with the roof down as much as possible, mainly to listen to that exhaust note.
The conversion process of roof on, to roof off is very simple; press and hold one button when the ignition is running, or use the key fob when outside the car, and it only takes around 20 seconds to complete the transformation. With the roof removed the design is even more spectacular, and there are no ugly components that are left exposed that might put you off the convertible version.
I still think I would have the coupe, but I think I would find it difficult to choose between the two now.
At £195,270 the Bentley GT convertible V8 is not a cheap car by any standards. The design concept looks just as premium as the price tag, and people are very aware when they see the Bentley GT that it is at the very top end of the market.
During my time with the car I had a lot of conversations with various different people, some I knew, and some who had just come to talk to me about the car. One of these conversations was with a trolley assistant at a supermarket, he approached me as I got back to the car wanting to discuss the car with me, he repeated what many other people had said to me in other conversations, that the Bentley GT is his dream car, and it is something that many people aspire to own one day, and I think he’s right.
I’m quite certain that it could possibly be the staple car people look to be able to afford one day, almost as if you can picture it pinned on people’s walls as they plan their way to earn it. It takes a great brand to create something that powerful.
Getting up at 4am to go and take pictures of a Bentley is not everyone’s idea of fun. However, myself and Ross Jukes don’t mind it so much. On-site by 4.30am with cameras set up and waiting for the correct lighting was a great opportunity to spend some time looking at the car and contemplating the thought process of each design detail. You can see from the pictures just how good the car looks; with the roof on or off, the GTC is a wonderful example of automotive design.
With the right lighting, the Bentley looks absolutely fantastic and you can really appreciate why so many people aspire to own one of these cars one day, including me.
With one photo shoot left to do with the car, we took it to a working farm to get some interesting shots of the car. Bringing the car into this type of environment was a great way to express how dynamic the car can be in any environment.
Taking the car home from this photo shoot was my most memorable time in the Bentley Continental GT V8. It was around 9pm, the sun had gone down, the air was still warm, and the roof was off. It being the last day with the car, we did what any two young car enthusiasts would have done; we went the long way home. With the roof off and listing to that V8 roar as we sped up and slowed down through the country lanes it was a really fantastic experience and really helped to bring home the whole reason for buying a convertible. The thrill of being in the open-air, listening to that V8, and taking in the environment around you is just unbelievable.
Supplied by: Bentley
I have been shooting for Motor Verso for over twelve months now and every couple of weeks, I receive a call from Paul, the Editor, requesting my services to shoot the latest feature car. These cars have ranged from the little Citroen C1 to the stunning Audi R8 V10, as well as many more. I was very fortunate in my early days to shoot a Rolls-Royce Ghost, a car that still haunts me to this day as one of the best cars I’ve ever shot, and also the car that made me sit up and take things seriously. Shooting cars became an obsession and made me want to push myself hard to get better with every shoot.
As a photographer, and all round car-lover, it is never really a problem to go and shoot whatever is on offer. However, when Paul called me and said ‘would you mind shooting a Rolls-Royce Wraith?’ I pretty much had to restrain myself from shouting obscenities down the phone at him! Deep breath, ‘Yes old chap, I would be much obliged’… to say I was excited was probably an understatement. My thoughts shot back to how excited I was shooting the Ghost, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the big coupe!
When I shoot a car, I follow quite a simple process. I do my research, study the look of the car, and get a feel for what the car is about. I storyboard and come up with ideas of ‘what’ I want from a shoot and then go about finding locations. The Wraith automatically posed a few problems, the biggest being, well, its size! This thing is huge! The locations were going to have to be large, and that meant somewhere with a lot of open space!
When we shoot a feature car, we generally have a few days to do it, which is great, as it allows plenty of time to have a good look at a car and pick out all of those little details that can sometimes be missed. The first time I saw the Wraith, I think I was so in awe of the car that for once in my life I didn’t even take any pictures, I just stared. The staring was something that seemed to be infectious as everywhere we went crowds of people seemed to be magnetised to the car, which caused us another headache.
We hit the road and found a great piece of the black stuff surrounded by fields and decided to get some ‘moving’ shots. Most car photography that you see in magazines or adverts will be ‘rig shots’. This is basically strapping a large pole to your expensive car and dangling your prized photographic equipment off the end of it and if that isn’t risky enough for you, the poles themselves are upwards of £1000 and some go all the way up to £30-£40k – that’s out of this photographers budget, so we enlisted the help of an assistant and shot car-to-car instead.
Getting the settings right for this kind of shot are crucial, you need a slow enough shutter speed to get those nice blurry backgrounds but fast enough so that your shaky hands don’t blur the car as well. Throw this in with some adventurous seating arrangements in the boot of a Mini ‘Cooper S’ to get those low down close to the road shots without burning your hand on the exhaust and it’s a wonder that any of them came out at all – risking life, limb and a very expensive camera is all in a day’s work for a car photographer.
After shooting on the same piece of road for nearly an hour, we decided to go further afield, literally, to a field! Now I’m not just saying this in case there are any prying eyes from Rolls around, but when you’re reversing quarter of a million pounds worth of motor into a field, you check the ground! I mean you check it like you’re searching for a hacked off finger in a crime scene, not a single inch is left unturned. Even with the largest of crews, but particularly with our small crew, lifting a car the size of the moon out of a hole was not something I fancied doing. Quick tip – When photographing cars, wear comfy clothes, I would never normally dress like this!
So much of photography is about good light, and the times just after dawn and around dusk provide the best of it, hence being called the ‘Golden Hour’. I wasted no time snapping some beautiful golden exterior shots before moving into the luxurious innards of the big beast.
We headed back into Birmingham City Centre to grab some ‘night-life’ shots. I had the idea in my head of a real high action ‘panning’ shot, which is focusing on the car as it goes past with the intent of blurring out the background – something you will see a lot of in Motrorsport photography.
On the way home, we happened come across a couple of friendly guys in a pleasant Gallardo who wanted a close look at the Rolls-Royce Wraith, they knew it had all the performance of a supercar but with the kind of interior finish you find in a stately home.
Over the coming days we shot the car in several different locations. I like to find a mixture of plain backgrounds such as brick walls, and some juxtaposition; basically putting a car in the kind of place you would never really find it. It is all too easy to put a car like the Wraith in front of a mansion but you don’t see many shots of it in front of some old factories in the West Midlands, not that I’ve seen anyway.
Overall, the experience of shooting the Wraith was a bit mind-blowing. You can’t really put into words the other-worldliness of the size, expense, and quality of a car like this. At the end of the day though, you still have to get the shot. Looking back there are always things that I would have done differently but I’m pretty pleased with the results. The strange thing is that it kind of left me feeling a bit empty inside afterwards, I mean, where do you go from there? (Phantom, Phantom, Phantom….)
Author & Photographer: Ross Jukes
Behind the scenes shots – Paul Hadley & Ross Morgan
