The Reveal of the Aston Martin CC100 Sports Car

This is the Aston Martin CC100, an amazing one-off sports car built to celebrate Aston Martin's anniversary in style. The speedster not only pays compliment to the company’s racing achievement – including the DBR1 that won the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours – but also hints at what approaching Astons will look like.

Chief exterior designer Miles Nurnberg explained: “The brief was very simple, yet extremely testing: create amazing that reflects the 100 years of Aston Martin legacy and signals the prospect direction of the brand. “The idea of a speedster that waggles to the Le Mans-winning car of 1959 soon came. We had absolute freedom to shape it.”

 

The CC100 is powered by the latest edition of Aston’s 6.0-litre V12, and is even support on the same Vertical Horizontal platform as the Vanquish. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a sequential automatic manual gearbox with shift paddles, and the car can do 0-62mph in approximately four seconds and remain accelerating to 180mph.

There’s a large lattice grille to help remain the engine cool, and company insiders say this characteristic will emerge on future Aston road cars, as it provides improved airflow than the current slatted grille.

Extensive use of carbon-fibre hints at plans for augmented use of the lightweight substance in future – and the new Vanquish previously has an all-carbon body.

The CC100’s cabin is easy and driver-focused, with a few switches over the spread tunnel and an LCD screen following the wheel. Driver and passenger sit in carbon-fibre bucket seats and are alienated by bodywork that runs from the fedora all the way to the back of the car.

First Drive of Audi S3 Hatchback - 2013

The 2013 Audi S3 hatchback is a car for the authority, a nod and a wink to those in the know. Unlike the obvious bluster of the Ford Focus ST, or even the soon-to-be-launched Mercedes CLA45 AMG, this S3 doesn't create big promises with its styling.

The Volkswagen territory has not developed rich by overcomplicating matters. Not only does the 2013 Audi S3 traverse on the MQB platform that also underpins models from Seat, Skoda and VW, it also utilizes the company's recognizable 2.0-liter turbo engine.

With traction support by the standard Quattro four-wheel-drive system, Audi claims a 0-62-mph gallop time of 5.2 seconds for the six-speed manual transmission. When prepared with the S-tronic double-clutch transmission, the only gearbox that will be obtainable in the States, that time drops to 4.8 seconds according to Audi.

On the road, there's no refute the S3 is quick, but its performance is so missing in drama that it never feels very quick. The engine emphasizes torque over raw power, relying more on midrange drag than high-rpm zing. And, despite the enclosure of both an electromechanical sound actuator and a sports fatigue system, it simply doesn't match the acoustic urgency of the 2013 Ford Focus ST.

The S3 places its confidence in lightweight technologies and deception electronics to deliver its fun. General use of aluminum has reduced its curb weight by 132 pounds, which puts it at an unassuming 3,075 pounds. The electronics focuses on Audi's Drive Select system, which permit you to control the steering, throttle, gearbox and even the damping if you opt for the attractive ride constraint control system.

For all the technological improvements intrinsic in this car, the support character of the S3 hasn't changed. It is a handsome, fast, sophisticated and comfortable car that's easy to live with.

The Alpine Trails Rolls Royce - 2014

Rolls Royce showed off a unique edition ghost in Shanghai devotion Rolls Royce’s four car contribution – three works cars and one private entry – in the 1913 Alpine Rally anywhere it earned the sobriquet, ‘The Best Car in the World’. The private entry car for 1913 was piloted by James Radley, who had contributed in the 1912 Alpine trials in a Rolls Royce.

Radley’s experience in the 1912 Alpine trials led to alteration in all four cars entered in 1913, not the least of which was a lesser (numerically higher) first gear. While the Rolls Royce entry did well in 1913, they did come in after the Audi works team (and Audi at the time was a very distant precursor of the Audi we know today).

So the special version Ghost will be orderly with black radiator slats, black wheels, bespoke blue paint, and a silver fedora, echoing the trim of Radley’s car. And on the outside that’s a nice little respect to a time long, long, ago and a car that few populace have seen.

But the 1910 – 1914 Alpine trials were important tests of the premature motor car. The 1914 trial took place on a 1660 mile loop of chiefly alpine roads – and these were not runway or concrete roads, but extend alpine goat paths. Inter-alpine roads were comparatively new – most having been built in the 19th century. And terra-forming, on an American scale, was unfeasible with the machinery obtainable. These roads were steep, torturous, and badly preserved.

The Alpine trial was the forerunner of hill-climbs and rallying. Manufacturers were enthusiastic to highlight their cars ability and the Alpine trials were tough location to compete in, high risk, and high payment. While the trials first years were episodic by World War I, the trials revisit in the inter-war years and another company used them to establish the ability of their newest automotive products.