Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Ford
It’s been nearly a year since SMS Supercars first showed us a rendering of their proposed 460 Mustang. And we had nearly given up hope that it would ever come out. But sure enough, Steve Saleen and the rest of his crew have been hard at work developing the new SMS Mustang. That car, now named the 302 Mustang due to the V8’s displacement change for 2011, was officially unveiled today at the company’s headquarters in Corona, CA.
Two separate versions of the 302 Mustang will be offered, including a naturally aspirated base 4V model and a supercharged 302SC Mustang. The 4V will produce 440 horsepower thanks to a few powertrain tweaks, while the supercharged model will boast 535 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque.
Both Mustangs will have a slew of standard features including the new SMS body kit, hood with heat-extracting grilles, 20-inch wheels and tires, upgraded suspension and brakes, and numerous interior appointments including Alcantara seats, 200 mph gauges, short-throw shifter and more. The styling appears to be a mix of the previous generation Saleen Mustang, also penned by SMS designer Phil Frank, along with the new design language featured on the SMS 570 Challenger. We especially like the elongated rear end that helps hide the awkward taillights, although we would probably do away with the massive spoiler.
As you’d expect from a Steve Saleen product, each model will offer impressive performance figures. SMS quotes a 0-60 mph time of under 4.5 seconds for the base 302 Mustang while the supercharged version can perform the same task in just 4.3 seconds. A higher performance model is also in the works, named the 351X Mustang, which we should learn more about in just a few months.
Pricing for both models is just about what we would expect, which is fairly expensive. The 302 4V starts at $54,990 while the 302SC Mustang will cost $64,990. Follow the jump for more details on both cars or browse through both of the live galleries below.
Gallery: 2011 SMS 302 Mustang
Gallery: 2011 SMS 302 Mustang Unveiling
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading SMS Supercars pulls the wraps off 2011 302 Mustang
SMS Supercars pulls the wraps off 2011 302 Mustang originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Maserati, Racing
While perhaps not as well known or instantly recognizable as the Ferrari 250 TR or the Jaguar D-Type, the Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage is one of great racecars in that same era. Named for its intricate tubular space frame, the Birdcage was built by Maserati as a privateer racecar. With a weight of just over 1300 pounds and 250 horsepower from the 2.9-liter inline four, the little Maserati proved to be a force to be reckoned with on the racetrack. The car’s most famous wins include victories at the 1960 and 1961 at the Nurburgring 1000km race.
With just 17 built, the Tipo 61 Birdcage is a rare and desirable collector car, and it’s big news when one comes up for sale. RM Auctions, however, has announced that one will be offered at their upcoming Monaco auction next month, and prominent car collectors are sure to take note. The car, chassis #2470, was originally raced in the United States throughout the 1960s with great success before being sold to a European owner in the 1970s. The current owner purchased the car in 2004 and has competed in several vintage racing events since. According to RM, this particular Birdcage is one of the most original in existence and even comes with a spare racing engine in addition to the original motor. The estimated price? €2,400,000 to €2,600,000. Hit the jump for more details on the Tipo 61 Birdcage and a detailed history of the particular example up for sale courtesy of RM.
Gallery: 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage
[Source: RM Auctions | Image: RM Auctions, Michael Zumbrunn]
Continue reading Stunning 1960 Maserati Birdcage up for grabs at RM Monaco
Stunning 1960 Maserati Birdcage up for grabs at RM Monaco originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Ferrari, Racing
Without a doubt, the highlight of our trip to Miller Motorsports Park for the Ferrari Challenge this past weekend was seeing the brand new 599XX on track. This is only the second and last time the cars will be in North America for 2010, so it was a special treat to see the cars driven in anger. We gushed earlier about how beautiful the cars look in person, but there’s nothing like seeing a 599XX fly down the front straight then hearing the transaxle pull off successive downshifts before the car dives into turn one.
Audio and visuals aside, part of the intrigue of 
watching the 599XX is knowing how much incredible technology is in the car. For example, there are fans in the back of the car that pull air from the underside and out of ducts near the taillights to increase downforce. How much? The 599XX produces 1,389 pounds of downforce at 186 mph, and after looking through our photos we could actually see the rear spoiler at work, turbulent air swirling up behind the car. There are nine different traction control settings, the 6.0-liter V12 can rev to 9,000 rpm and the new sequential gearbox can bang off shifts in a mere 60 milliseconds.
Of course, we knew we could never get away with just showing you photos (which we have plenty of in the gallery below). So we brought out a video camera to capture some footage of the 599XX on track. Turn up the volume and follow the jump to enjoy the wail of a Ferrari V12.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading 2010 Ferrari Challenge at MMP: The sights and sounds of the Ferrari 599XX
2010 Ferrari Challenge at MMP: The sights and sounds of the Ferrari 599XX originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing
We were pretty impressed after initially watching the Ferrari F430 Challenge cars turn laps at Miller Motorsports Park this past weekend. After all, each of the cars boasts a 490 horsepower V8 and is set up specifically for racing. You can imagine that they’re quite capable of turning insanely quick laps. Then a trio of FXXs took to the track and our definition of “fast” was altered forever.
Despite the fact that it will never turn a competitive lap, the Ferrari FXX is a brutally impressive racecar. The second generation Evoluzione version (pictured above), is Ferrari’s most advanced GT car ever built with an 860 horsepower V12, a sequential gearbox that can perform shifts in just 60 milliseconds and a curb weight of just over 2,500 pounds. We might have preferred the beauty of the 599XX, but there was no doubt which car was the most capable of the lowest lap times.
In addition to our photos of the FXXs in the pit lane garages, we also came away from the weekend with plenty of shots of the cars on track. Have a look for yourself in the high-res gallery below.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
2010 Ferrari Challenge at MMP: Ferrari FXX is king of the track originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing
Oh, to be wealthy. We’re not talking about slightly rich, either. We’re talking about having your own Ferrari racecar with factory support wealthy. Such a program actually exists, known as Corse Clienti (translated from Italian as “Racing Clients”). Imagine showing up to the racetrack with your car already there, which was flown in from the Ferrari factory earlier that week. There’s no need to to get the car prepared, as Ferrari’s very own mechanics are already on the job. Just sit back and relax until it’s your time to get on the track, then hop in and take off.
The Ferrari 599XX, the latest member of the Corse Clienti stable, is brand new for this year and only made its debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway last month. We were eager to see them up close, and the first thing we did upon arriving at Miller Motorsports Park on Saturday morning was to go looking for the Corse Clienti cars. It didn’t take long to find them, as they were all safely stored in the garages along pit row. There were no less than seven 599XXs, plus an additional three FXXs as a bonus.
In person, the 599XX is a sight to behold. It’s not nearly as dramatic looking as the FXX, but that’s a good thing in our opinion. In fact, it’s one of the most beautiful modern racecars we’ve ever seen. Unlike the FXX, which seems to be a little rough around the edges, the 599XX has beautifully crafted details both inside and out. For instance, the inside of the door has “599XX” worked into the design of the carbon fiber, and the interior actually seems like a fairly hospitable place to be. The engine bay, like all other Ferraris, is a work of art, and even the functional aspects of the car like the splitters, winglets and diffuser all have an aesthetic appeal.
You can see all of the details of the 599XX, like the largest paddle shifters we’ve ever seen, the F1-like wheel donuts and more in the gallery below along with an additional gallery of the FXX.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
2010 Ferrari Challenge at MMP: A look inside the Corse Clienti garages originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing
The Ferrari F430 Challenge isn’t on our normal scope of motorsports coverage, but when we heard that the series, along with the Corse Clienti cars, were going to be at Miller Motorsports Park we immediately started checking on flights. This year is the first time the series has come to the state-of-the-art track outside Salt Lake City, and hopefully it won’t be the last.
If you aren’t familiar with the F430 Challenge, it’s a spec racing series put on by Ferrari specifically for owners. Professional drivers, instructors or anyone involved in the sale of Ferraris or parts can’t drive in the series. Since each of the cars is exactly the same – a race-prepped Ferrari F430 coupe with 490 horsepower – the playing field is level. Think the races are a bunch of rich guys doing parade laps around the track? Think again. The drivers are extremely competitive and it’s not uncommon to see the cars bumping fenders and jostling for position. That was the case at Miller Motorsports Park, where there were several off-track excursions into the Tooele sand and various bits of body panels, splitters and diffusers left on the tarmac.
It makes for good entertainment, and we highly recommend attending any of the four remaining F430 Challenge races in North America this year – Infineon Raceway, Montreal, New Jersey Motorsports Park and Watkins Glen. If you can’t make it, then you’ll just have to settle for our high-res gallery below.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Ferrari F430 Challenge makes first appearance at Miller Motorsports Park originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ferrari
Chances are you probably haven’t seen the 458 Italia in person in the United States. The company’s newest mid-engined V8 coupe missed out on expected appearances due to Ferrari’s absence at the major auto shows this year, and only top clients and celebrities were invited to the private party and auction held for the 458 Italia in Southern California last month.
Ferrari did finally show off the 458 Italia to the public this past weekend – not at a major auto show or concours event but rather near the small town of Tooele, Utah. The decision wasn’t completely random, however, as Miller Motorsports Park was hosting the second Ferrari Challenge event of the year.
The 458 Italia was prominently on display next to the garage filled with Corse Clienti and F430 Challenge cars, and it definitely attracted its fare share of attention. Check out the gallery of live photos below, and check back soon for more coverage from the Ferrari Challenge.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Ferrari 458 Italia makes North American public debut in…Tooele, UT originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Classics, Performance, Ferrari
There’s something special about seeing a supercar in person, and it’s a once in a lifetime event to see several in the same place. It’s for that reason we’re big fans of supercar reunions. Last year, as part of the Monterey Classic Car Week festivities, Concorso Italiano hosted a Ferrari 288 GTO reunion as part of the car’s 25th anniversary, and an incredible fifteen examples showed up, making it the largest gathering ever.
Concorso plans to outdo itself this year with another Ferrari reunion, this time with the F40. More than a dozen owners have already signed on to bring their cars, and we fully expect plenty more to be on hand come August 13th. In fact, the event organizers hope to have more than 40 examples in attendance. The F40’s project director, Leonardo Fioravanti, is also scheduled to make an appearance.
If you’re a big fan of the F40 or even just Italian supercars in general, then start making your plans to be in Monterey in a little over four months. Until then, take a look at what you missed out on last year in the galleries below.
Gallery: 2009 Concorso Italiano
Photos by Drew Phillips and Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
Ferrari F40 reunion planned for 2010 Concorso Italiano originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Ford, Racing
A few days ago, Vaughn Gittin Jr. gave a sneak peak of his new 2011 Mustang and hinted that a new sponsor would be involved for the 2010 Formula Drift season. Judging by the green wheels and that the car’s unveiling would be held at Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory in Los Angeles, it was an easy assumption that Monster Energy Drink would be involved. The company is most famous in the motorsports world for sponsoring Ken Block, and both Gittin Jr. and Formula Drift seem like an easy fit. Sure enough, when the wraps were pulled off the new livery featured Monster’s green and black theme.
Like the production 2011 Mustang, Vaughn’s new ride features several new upgrades. The chassis and suspension have been updated using the knowledge gained from the 2009 season, and the looks have been tweaked to match Gitton’s ponycar for the street, the RTR-C Mustang. Falken Tire remains as a sponsor and has provided their brand new RT-615K tires to be sacrificed on track, and a version of Ford Racing’s 4.6-liter supercharged V8 is still under the hood. So what will happen to the 2010 Falken Mustang? Justin Pawlak, who finished ninth last year with a Mazda RX-8 last year, is joining the Falken team and will take over Vaughn’s old Mustang.
We were fortunate enough to receive an invite to the unveiling, and made sure to have cameras in hand. A dark, crowded warehouse isn’t our favorite place to photograph a car, but we did the best we could and have put the resulting images in the high-res gallery below.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Vaughn Gittin Jr. unveils new 2011 Mustang drifter, announces new sponsor originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Racing
Although Laguna Seca has never hosted a Formula 1 race, the storied race track has still seen plenty of F1 cars go around its 2.2 miles of tarmac. Dozens of vintage F1 racers can be seen at the historic races every August, and even a handful of modern F1 cars have even made brief yet impressive appearances.
Come this August, however, there will be an unusual amount of Formula 1 race cars at Laguna Seca. The newly renamed Monterey Motorsports Reunion plans to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the world’s greatest racing series by hosting some of the most legendary race cars of all time. The 1976 Tyrrell P34 “six-wheeler,” a 1967 Lotus 49, a 1969 Ferrari 312 and a 1980 Ferrari 312T5 will be among those on track. Hit the jump for full details or check out the bonus gallery below of Ferrari F1 cars at the 2004 Monterey Historics.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca]
Continue reading Monterey Motorsports Reunion to celebrate 60th anniversary of Formula 1
Monterey Motorsports Reunion to celebrate 60th anniversary of Formula 1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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