Premier Performance Group - Tim's Ramblings

More electric car goodness

Never in a million years did I think that I would be writing about electric cars.  I absolutely love the sound and smell of 8 and 12 cylinder engines and the tactile sensation of driving a stick shift, but the momentum around electric cars is picking up.

Two more companies have jumped on the electric car bandwagon in the last couple of months with pure electric versions of their exotic cars.

My affection for the Tesla Roadster is well documented on this blog, so I am now absolutely fascinated whenever I hear about new electric performance vehicles.

The more recent of the announcements is from Mercedes Benz who is going to be releasing (albeit in limited numbers) the SLS AMG E-CELL.  Performance will be very similar to the original SLS with sub 4 second 60 mph times.  I hope there will be another color available because the green/yellow one on the announcement car is enough to make you hurl, but the thought of hammering this car around in abject silence is quite appealing.

The older announcement comes from Audi with the e-tron.  Not the greatest name in the world, but an interesting extension of the R8 shape to create something like it stepped out of a science fiction movie. They subsequently are rumored to be building an electric R4, a smaller version of the R8.

I think sports cars make the perfect platform for proving the electric car concept, and as battery power becomes smaller and more compact over time, some really interesting vehicles are going to be made and moving that technology over to more useful platforms will lead to some very interesting vehicles in the future.

As much as I love an 8 cylinder engine, and a stick shift, we're going to be seeing more and more of these types of cars in the future.  Electric Ferrari?  Stranger things have happened.

Driving the Nordschleife - Video Friday Fun

The Nordschleife circuit at the Nurburgring in Germany is one of the most revered circuits in the world.  Car companies use it to develop the handling on their cars as over its 14 mile lap, there are lots of corners, straights, undulations and other imperfections that can be used to tune a car's suspension for "spirited" driving.

Manufacturers take an inordinate amount of joy in telling the world how fast their "production" car goes around the Green Hell.  Pagani is the latest with their absolutely gorgeous and totally mental Zonda R with a time of 6 mins and 47 seconds.  That is SOME time....

So, just for a bit of Friday fun, here is a collection of videos showing some laps of the Ring.

Corvette ZR1 - 7:26.4

Ferrari 599XX - 6:58.16

Nissan GT-R - 7:29.03

Porsche 911 GT2- 7:15.63

and finally, the Pagani Zonda F- 7:24.44

Enjoy....

The Most Important Week in US Auto History

This week is it.  The most important week in the US auto industry's history.  Tomorrow, Tesla, the makers of the iconic electric sports car, goes public on the American stock market.

Really...  This is the most important week in US history.  What about the bailout of the US car companies?  What about the incentives?  What about? What about?

Here's the story.  This is the first public offering for a new car company in this country since 1956 when Ford went public.  This is the first IPO for an American car company that has a unique place in an industry. No-one yet makes a car that is even close to the Roadster.

Before I go off on my little rant here, I need to say that I am not endorsed by Tesla, have not received anything from Tesla but I will be buying shares tomorrow.

I think we have a duty to support them.  Of course, there are going to be competitors like the Nissan Leaf, and the Chevy Volt, and all the other car companies that will eventually bring their weight and money to bear in the electric vehicle market, but I, for one, would prefer Tesla to succeed.  

As awesome as the AMG SLS E-Drive will be, or the Audi E-Tron, I really want Tesla to be the leading American producer of electric vehicles.

Its all about innovation and being the first to market.  The Roadster is a remarkable achievement.  It really is.  It is very difficult to explain to people until they drive it.  It is unlike anything you have ever driven, and it shows the way forward.  With our help and our backing, this American car company has a chance to achieve something that hasn't happened here in a long time.  

This company can be as big as Porsche if they do this right.  They aren't going to sell millions of these cars.  Even the Sedan.  They are planning 20,000 a year (which I still think is ambitious).  There are too many infrastructure issues in this country for that to happen in the next 5 to 10 years, but they have the opportunity to lead for a country that is in deep product debt to oil companies overseas, and has its own distinct issues domestically with the spill in the Gulf of Mexico being at the top of our thoughts. 

Tesla is uniquely positioned in this country to become one of the leading companies in the electric vehicle industry and be seen as a global leader in green, non-oil based transportation.

This country's automotive history is littered with car companies and brands that have bit the dust because of mis-management, lack of imagination and just plain business stupidity.  It's time for for a new company to step up. It is our time as consumers of these amazing cars to open our wallets and help them, and with splits and dividends, you may even make money.

Can't wait to see what happens.

Ferrari GTO video in the hills of Italy

This is from my favorite car magazine evo, and its the job we all wish we had.

Full screen it and turn the sound up.....

Glorious

Mercedes SLS AMG

The 300 SL Gullwing was one of the most iconic cars of the last century.  Built from 1955 to 1957, the 300 SL was the first car with fuel injection, as well as those distinctive Gull wing doors.  The six cylinder engine produced over 200 hp and could go over 150mph if you were brave enough. 

Pristine examples of the 300 change hands at auction every now and again at over a half a million dollars and they have become a very sought after collector's car.  Ralph Lauren has one that looks like it was made yesterday....

So, after Mercedes's partial success in their attempt with McLaren to create an iconic road car, they looked to their in house performance arm AMG to come up with something a little special, based on their iconic SL.

The result is the AMG Mercedes SLS.  Its about half the price of the SLR McLaren, and for my money about 80 times the value.

Its a lovely looking car.  There is a touch of the BMW Z8 in the back haunches, but they have created a very modern looking car with tons of character.  I think they could have done a better job with the front lights, but the overall dimensions provide a beautifully packaged car.  I'm not a huge fan of retro cars, and think the American's have over done it a bit with the Mustang, Challenger, Charger and Camaro, but this has the right blend of modern lines and a nod to the past.

The doors themselves are beautifully executed, and in true Mercedes fashion have some trick hinges that with blow apart if the car is upside down, but the car looks awesome with the doors open.

Under the hood, things have moved on a bit in the last 50 years.  A 6.2 liter V8 producing 571 hp should get your attention off the line and in traffic, and with a top speed at almost 200 mph, its got a little more grunt than the old one.

My absolute favorite part of this car is the interior.  Its a little snug in there, but its simple and wonderfully executed.  I love the dials.  You can go mental with the options sheet, and create something disgusting I'm sure, but its got everything you would ever need and nothing you don't.  The T-bar for the gear lever, and the dash that mimics the shape of the old car's.  Its marvelous.

Compared to the SLR, this car is a bargain at about $200k (I can't believe I actually typed that).  The SLR was almost $800k when it was introduced, although you could probably pick one up for about $350 these days.

One of the nicest executions of retro design I've ever seen.

Great news from Saab

I try and keep my blog posts related to exotic cars, but this news is too awesome to ignore, and now that Saab is owned by Spyker, I am pushing my own rules

Jason Castriota, the man responsible for the design of the Maserati GranTurismo, the birdcage show car, a rebodied Enzo Ferrari called the P4/5 and the mental looking Mantide has joined Saab to head up their design team.

Since Saab has joined the Spyker family, things look like they are headed in the right direction.  The new 9-5 is a really lovely looking car with shades of the old 99 about it, and if this guy can pen something delicious for the 9-3, then I think Saab could be back to where they were pre-GM in no time....

Outstanding

The Greatest Race - Le Mans

This weekend was the running of the greatest race on any calendar.  People can say all they want about the Indianapolis 500 or the Monaco Grand Prix, the Le Mans 24 race is the big daddy of them all.

In the US, the SPEED channel did a great job with their coverage, but as always, its the cars that are the story in this race.

Audi took first, second and third with their diesel powered, you read that correctly, R15.  It's a thing of beauty this car.  It's got a turbocharged 5.5 liter V10 producing over 590 horsepower and 774 ft-lb of torque in a carbon chassis that weighs less than 2000 lbs.  This year, the winning car had the distance record of 3362 miles in 24 hours. That's an average speed over 24 hours of 140mph.  That's absurd....

The favored Peugeot team, who had faster cars, did not have the reliability of the Audi's and all three of them retired before the race finished.

The Aston Martin team rolled in in 6th place in the 007 car.  How fitting.  

I think this is the most extreme test of a car company's mettle.  Porsche still reigns supreme here having won the race 16 times overall, but Audi is now level with Ferrari at 9 times....

An amazing spectacle.  

If you want to see how the Audi team works, check out this free movie on iTunes.

Audi - Truth in 24

Panoz Abruzzi - My eyes!! My eyes!!!

Continuing this week's theme of supercars that look they were designed in the dark, Panoz yesterday announced their new limited edition model called the Abruzzi.

Giving it an Italian name doesn't make it exotic or prettier, and believe me, this thing could use all the help it can get.  What on earth are they thinking?

Here's a link to the photos on Autoblog.  I can't even look at it.  It's beyond hideous.....  It makes a Pontiac Aztek look like a normal car.  

To soothe your eyes, here's a video of the Alfa Romeo 8C Spyder.....

Much better......

Tramontana - Supercar from Spain

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned the most exclusive car show on the planet in Monte Carlo, and Tramontana was one of the exhibitors at that show.  Well, one of them has turned up at Jay Leno's Garage for him to drive.

I think it's quite literally the ugliest car on earth, but you can't argue with the level of execution and build quality.  I feel sorry for the guy stuck in the back though.....

The finest 2 door sports car ever made?

Every old journalist column I read, and the majority of auto journalists in the American magazines are old, all talk about the golden age of the sports car.  The Muira. the Dino.  My ass.  There are a dearth of amazing sports cars available right now and in all shapes and sizes.  If you have a large enough wallet, or a great sports car club that you are a member of (cough cough PPG cough), then you have the option of driving things that are out of this world, with handling, comfort and levels of refinement that make the Muiras and Dinos of the world look like what they are.  Old cars.....

Here's a sample of 10 cars between $100k and $250k

• Maserati GranTurismo
• Porsche 911
• Ferrari 458 
• Lamborghini Gallardo
• McLaren MP4-12C
• Audi R8
• Aston Martin Vantage
• Bentley Continental GT
• Lotus Evora
• Mercedes SLS AMG

Look at that list.  Even if you prioritize them, and I would put in the following order:

1. McLaren
2. Ferrari
3. Gallardo
4. Aston
5. Audi
6. Bentley
7. Mercedes
8. Porsche
9. Maserati
10. Lotus

8,9 and 10 are still astonishing cars to drive.  I haven't driven 10 yet, but by all accounts, its one of the finest handling cars in the world.  

How can you even prioritize these cars?  You can drive the Audi R8 every day.  The Mercedes I'm sure is another one that could last forever.  I'm picking the McLaren based on the F1 and the absolute deliciousness of the interior.  

This doesn't even include the stratosphere of things like the Enzo, 599, Murcielago, Zonda, Koeniggsegg.

What's your favorite car currently made in this category?