Oct 01
Lamborghini have made an announcement about the replacement for the Gallardo. The car is to be called the Cabrera (yet another fighting bull’s name) LP600-4. Lamborghini’s Director of Communications, Rafaello Porro, has hinted that the car could be powered by a twin-turbo V10 engine.
The most likely donor is the 5.2L V10 from the Audi group with twin-turbos strapped on, ala RS6. Figures of 448kW/600hp are floating around the Lamborghini factories.
Oct 01
Admittedly I am not much of a movie critic and rarely catch the deep significant under meanings of movies. So I mainly stick to two kinds of a movies, funny movies, or movies with cars in them. So that brings me to Boys of Bonneville which is a documentary of sorts about Ab Jenkins who was the original land speed record champion and his quest to go faster. The movie features narration by Patrick Dempsey and has interviews with several well known car people and features Ab’s children and friends who would carry on his legacy. It is chalked full of historical video and photos.
Sep 30
There was some question as to whether the Impala would service going forward. With the new Chevy SS coming soon and the Malibu creeping up in price it seemed the Impala might be obsolete. However GM has given the Impala a redux for 2014 with completely new styling inside and out. Let’s take a closer look.
Sep 29
This is the third write-up of cars present on our “Aussie Built” drive day.
There was a time when the XR8 and it’s rival from Holden, the SS Commodore, would battle it out for dominance of Australian streets for model after model. In June of 2010, the XR8 was dropped from the lineup, thanks to it’s 5.4L engine failing to meet tightening emissions regulations.
Ford fans have been waiting for the XR8 nameplate to return and take it’s place in the contest again. Now, Ford Australia boss, Bob Graziano, says they’re struggling to make a business case for the XR8 to return. This may be the death knell for the icon.
In some ways, the XR8 has been a victim of the success of it’s Falcon-based siblings.
The XR6 Turbo, introduced with the BA range in late 2002, is a hugely acclaimed vehicle. A vehicle that matched the XR8 in standing start performance and easily beat the XR8 for flexible, usable torque down low in the rev range. It also outpointed it’s big brother in the twisty stuff just to add insult to injury.
Then, in 2009, FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) introduced the GS model. An entry level FPV model that offered blistering performance for a price that was temptingly close to that of the XR8.
These days, with used 2003 BA model XR8s floating around the $13-18,000 mark, depending on their condition and the number of ks on the clock, they present an interesting buy for Ford V8 fans. As possibly the last V8 engined Falcons to be sold under the main Ford badge instead of the FPV one, the BA-FG model XR8s may well end up being historically significant cars.
Enough about history though, how does this thing drive?
Sep 28
In the second of our “Aussie Built” cars series, we drive a Holden Caprice.
Since the death of Ford Australia’s Fairlane and LTD twins in December of 2007 and the similar demise of Holden’s Statesman badge in September, 2010, the Holden Caprice stands alone as Australia’s extra-long-wheelbase sedan.
Our test Caprice V8, in Phantom Black Metallic colour, is a fine looking machine. A handsome, stately looking sedan with a nice wide stance, Audi-esque rear roofline curves and just enough chrome highlights in select places to leave it looking special, without being garrish.
