2011 Ferrari 599 GTB GTO

The 599 GTO is Ferrari's fastest road car, ever. In fact the 599 GTO is based on the 599XX, the advanced experimental track car, and can be considered almost a road-going version.




The 599 GTO is reserved for just 599 clients whom seek the maximum expression of high-performance driving. The 599 GTO benefits directly from Ferrari’s racing technology and has set a record lap time at Fiorano of one minute and 24 seconds; a full second faster than the Ferrari Enzo.





The 599 GTO's engine is directly derived from the 599XX unit implementing, however, the necessary modifications for road-going usage. The 5999cc 65-degree V-12 engine offers a smooth, constant rush of power all the way to its redline, with no loss of flexibility even at medium and low revs. This result was obtained by working on the fluid-dynamics and components to reduce internal friction.

The 599 GTO uses the six-speed sequential found in the 599XX with the same 60-millisecond shift times and the possibility to make multiple downshifts.





Apart from new springs and a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, the car also features a second generation magnetorheological suspension control system. The suspension works in tandem with the Vehicle Dynamic Control and latest-generation F1-Trac traction control. This makes the car extremely responsive to driver inputs—thanks in part to the adoption of a very direct steering ratio—but also very stable under braking, sharper on turn-in, more precise in cornering, and quicker out of corners.





The 599 GTO inherits much of the development work—using the same principles as employed in F1—that went into making the 599XX such an extreme performance car. Reducing weight was a vital objective and the result was the widespread use of composite materials. The areas involved include the bodywork with thinner gauge aluminum and thinner glass, the brakes, transmission and exhaust system. The result is a dry weight of 3,295 pounds and a weight-to-power ratio of just 4.9 lbs. per horsepower, a very significant figure that underlines the GTO's performance potential.

The 599 GTO's aerodynamics have benefited significantly from Ferrari engineers' experience in F1 and with the 599XX, which allowed downforce to be greatly increased without impacting on drag. Thanks to solutions transferred from the track car to the road-going version, the GTO generates 317 pounds of downforce at 125 mph. The GTO counts on improved ducting to the brake discs and pads, and the adoption of wheel doughnuts—a disc positioned outside the brake disc that ensure that hot air exiting the wheelarch stays as close to the body of the car as possible to reduce drag.





The difference in size between the front and rear tires has also changed. The GTO's front tires are now 285/30 on a 9.5-inch rim with 315/35 on an 11.5-inch rim at the rear.

The new braking system is lighter and even more consistent in high-performance situations. The 599 GTO boasts an excellent 62-to-zero mph braking distance of just 106 feet.





The car-driver interface was designed to maximize car-and-driver performance with a layout of the main commands that ensures absolute efficiency and minimum distraction. The Racing manettino also puts the emphasis firmly on sporty track-specific driving settings. The GTO also features the Virtual Race Engineer, a system that monitors the status of the car and gives the driver immediate visibility of vehicle performance.

Vehicle Specs


List Price $400,000 (estimated)

Engine 6.0-liter V-12

Horsepower 661 hp @ 8,250 rpm

Torque 457 lbs.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm

Transmission 6-speed sequential

0-60 mph 3.3 seconds

Top Speed 208 mph

Weight 3,295 lbs.

Length 185 inches

Tires Front: 285/30ZR-20, Rear: 315/35ZR-20

FOR Ferrari's fastest road car, ever

AGAINST Only 599 people will be so lucky

Cadillac W.T.F Concept

Here's another one from the world of unlimited conceptual design: the Cadillac World Thorium Fuel concept. Otherwise known as the Cadillac WTF. Created by Loren Kulesus, everything about the WTF has been created to last 100 years without maintenance. That's the reason for the element number ninety, thorium: to act as a nuclear fuel powering batteries that would power the car.

Elsewhere, every major system is redundant in case of a failure. And the wheels don't have individual tires - in fact, what's located at each corner is one combined unit made up of six individual wheels. That gives you 24 wheels in total,

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
and each wheel has its own induction motor. Said Kulesus, "The vehicle would require the tires to be adjusted every five years, but no material would need to be added or subtracted

Ugur Sahin dreams up Aston Martin Gauntlet concept

Some of you might remember Ugur Sahin. He's a designer that we've featured
before, specializing in grand touring cars that make our mouths water. Starting with already beautiful designs, he somehow manages to make shapely Chevrolet Corvettes and Ferraris look even better. From the Corvette Z03 to the Ferrari Dino and Ferrari-599-based USD GT-S Passionata, he's created some of the most exotic and graceful shapes we've ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on.

The latest automaker to earn Sahin's attention is Aston Martin. His latest design, the Gauntlet, blends some of our favorite design cues into a wholly unique package that's simultaneously sensual and brutal. Study the images and you might see a bit of One-77 in the mix, along with a dash of DB AR1, or perhaps you are carried back to the old DB3S, a car that Ugur mentions specifically as inspiration for the Gauntlet.

There's also some Maserati GranTurismo mixed with a little Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione as well, but we're definitely not complaining. It's a terrific design that has us wishing that Aston is looking at Sahin's designs for the next DBS and V12 Vantage. For those who still lament the loss of the Vanquish, with its broad shoulders and studly swagger, this might be the car for you. It's definitely earned a spot in our dream car garage

2011 HENNESSEY Venom GT

Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) is pleased to introduce the first official images of its Venom GT supercar. Based upon the Lotus Elise, the Venom GT combines a high-tech lightweight British chassis with a powerful American V-8.

In the case of the Venom GT, less weight means more performance. The Venom GT will have a production curb weight of less than 2,400 lbs. aided by its lightweight carbon fiber bodywork and carbon fiber wheels. Stopping power is delivered via Brembo brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in rear clamping down on 15-inch carbon ceramic rotors.





The Venom GT’s base power plant is the supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V-8 (the same as in the Corvette ZR1) tweaked by HPE to 725 hp. The company will also be offering 1,000 hp and 1,200 hp twin-turbo V-8 engine variants. The mid-engine V-8 will transmit its power to the rear tires via a Ricardo 6-speed gearbox.





Hennessey plans to manage power output by using a programmable traction control system. CFD (computational fluid dynamic) tested bodywork and down force will also help keep the Venom stable at speed. An active aero system with adjustable rear wing will deploy under varying conditions on both the road and racetrack. An adjustable suspension system will allow ride height adjustments according to speed and driving conditions. Finally, power will be put to the ground via massive Michelin PS2 tires at all four corners.



Hennessey will be building the power plants at its Texas facility. The engines will then be air freighted to the company's assembly facility near Silverstone, England, where the Venom GT is built and tested. Venom GT buyer will be offered a one-day driver orientation and instruction program by a Hennessey factory test driver, at a track in the UK or USA prior to delivery.





The company plans to establish a network of Venom GT dealers and distributors in the Middle East, Europe, Russia, Australia, and Asia. Production is limited to just 10 vehicles per year and the company already has orders for four Venom GTs.

The 750-hp Hennessey Venom GT price starts at $600,000, while the 1,200-hp version starts at $725,000. If you want the car in Europe, the Hennessey Venom GT price goes up by another $25,000.