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The new engine, derived from the Ford Duratec V6, was built in Britain by Cosworth Technology and produced 420bhp/400lb ft of torque. With four cams and four-valve heads, it was capable of 7,000rpm. Mated at first to a regular five-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, when the engineers introduced a ZF ‘Touchtronic’ gearbox, DB7 V12 Vantage drivers could enjoy instantaneous gearchanges via ‘+’ and ‘-’ buttons on the steering wheel. A six-speed manual was also available and did, in fact, give the model’s ultimate 184mph performance.
2013 will go down in the automotive history books, as Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche battle to win the New Age Hypercar Championship. Two of the contenders, the Ferrari ‘LaFerrari’ and McLaren P1, made an appearance at Geneva this week, while the Porsche 918 is still in the techno-gym, with an alleged appearance later this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The vehicle was a big success ‘in the bush’ and now Land Rover has built a further seven examples, all based on the current Defender 110. A day before the car’s debut at the Geneva Show, Land Rover allowed journalists to take it for a trip around the block – despite the lack of elephants or lions running wild in the Swiss city.
Taking expertise from Ferrari’s Formula 1 efforts, the new hypercar boasts a hybrid system with KERS technology. According to Ferrari, the electrical assistance it provides lower down in the rev range allowed the engineers to optimise the V12's performance at the noisy end of the rev spectrum (which tops out at 9,250rpm), while also allowing for a more linear power delivery. As a result, 62mph can be reached from standstill in less than three seconds, with 124mph breached in less than 7 seconds – it’s also five seconds quicker around Fiorano than its predecessor.
The concept's aim is to “renew the spirit of the extraordinary achievements born from Sergio Pininfarina’s pencil,” achievements which encompass the likes of the Alfa Romeo Duetto, Bentley Azure and, of course, numerous Ferraris.
Nothing against the industrial area of Arese, but how can such dreary surroundings produce something so elegant? It’s a 60-year-old question, as the first Disco Volante – the Alfa C52 of the early '50s – managed to spread glamour by floating between the same kind of anonymous post-War buildings. Touring stylist Federico Formenti had given the extra-terrestrial Alfa such an extraordinary form that, even six decades on, it still looks futuristic.
Going by the name ‘Veneno’, the new car celebrates the marque’s golden jubilee by placing focus on extrovert styling and aerodynamic efficiency.
So far, more than 14,000 examples of the GT3 have been sold; quite a considerable figure, given its track-biased dynamic set-up. But despite the model's obvious popularity, even the widely acclaimed ‘ultimate 911’ needs to move on, if only to stay ahead of the game rather than keep pace with it.
Registered new to one Mr A.C.B. Chapman of Lotus Cars Ltd, the mustard-coloured Rangie is one of the earlier two-door ‘Classics’, complete with the characteristic vertical door handles. It spent over five years in the ownership of Chapman, being briefly passed on to Team Lotus for use as an official car before returning to the Chapman estate soon afterwards. In total, it remained in Chapman/Lotus ownership for 13 years, and today – still bearing its original registration number XOK 567T – the odometer reads around 41,000 miles.
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