Audi U.K. celebrates Le Mans win with special-edition R8 V8 Limited

Audi is giving its U.K. fans a chance to celebrate the brand's 10th win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June with a special-edition R8, the R8 V8 Limited.

The price? The equivalent of $150,277, which includes a bunch of taxes. Production will be capped at 100 copies.

An Audi spokesman in the United States said there are no plans to offer the package here.

The Audi R8 V8 Limited package rolls with Audi's 4.2-liter V8, rated at 424 hp, mated to either a six-speed manual or the R-tronic dual-clutch transmission. Inside, there is a navigation system, magnetic ride suspension, the Audi Music Interface and a Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The exterior gets specific alloy wheels and red-painted brake calipers. Options include a titanium-look paint finish and a carbon trim package.

Mission: Impossible 4 movie gets green action with BMW electric supercar

The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics electric

 

BMW is casting a green starlet for its automotive role in Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol, slated to hit theaters in mid-December.

Behind the wheel, Tom Cruise will probably continue to defy all realities of city driving--but this time he'll at least be sending fewer emissions into the atmosphere.

He'll be driving a BMW Vision EfficientDynamics electric supercar, a concept vehicle that the company claims will evolve into the BMW i8 before it hits series production in a few years' time.

In concept form, the full-hybrid plug-in gets roughly 63 miles to the gallon, with a three-cylinder turbodiesel engine and an electric motor situated on each axle. It has regenerative braking capacity to recharge the 98 lithium-polymer batteries, and a thermoelectric generator for the on-board power supply.

“With its futuristic design and large glass surfaces, the car offers a fascinating perspective on the future of sheer driving pleasure, in combination with maximum efficiency,” BMW spokesman Ian Robertson said.

The few BMW-released photos of the Mission: Impossible 4 version of the supercar call to mind a crouching black panther waiting on its prey. And since this beast is only four feet tall, the villains battling Cruise will be lucky to see it coming.

Prices set for the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

The 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, the smallest vehicle in Land Rover's history, will carry a sticker price of $43,995 for the five-door model and $44,995 for the three-door model when they go on sale in the United States this fall. The prices include shipping charges.

The Range Rover Evoque is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 240 hp.

Land Rover points out that extensive use of lightweight materials keeps curb weight down to 3,680 pounds for the five-door and helps the new Evoque ring up fuel economy of 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.

In an effort to be environmentally friendly, the Range Rover Evoque uses recycled materials in the headliner, center console, air ducting, parcel shelf and engine cover.


Full Land Rover press release below:


PRICING & FUEL ECONOMY ANNOUNCED FOR THE ALL-NEW 2012 RANGE ROVER EVOQUE


With an impressive 28 highway MPG**, the Range Rover Evoque is the brand's most fuel efficient model to date and will arrive in showrooms in Fall 2011 for $43,995*.


MAHWAH, N.J., JUNE 30, 2011- Land Rover revealed today that the all-new 2012 Range Rover Evoque will have a starting price of $43,995* for the five-door, and $44,995* for the coupe. Both prices include Destination and Delivery.


As the lightest and most fuel efficient Range Rover ever, the Range Rover Evoque sends a powerful message that the company is serious about sustainability and is determined to deliver vehicles that are both relevant and highly desirable. The Range Rover Evoque addresses the growing consumer need for more environmentally friendly vehicles.


The Range Rover Evoque achieves 28 MPG** EPA highway and 19 MPG** EPA city. This excellent fuel economy is the result of new efficiency technologies, lightweight materials, and environmentally conscious design.


Weight saving was a primary objective in the development of the Range Rover Evoque, and engineers have applied a range of advanced lightweight materials to make this the lightest Range Rover model ever, with the five-door starting at just 3,680lbs (1,680 kg)***. Weight-saving technologies can be found throughout the bodyshell and chassis of the Range Rover Evoque, including a steel body structure with over 18%*** Boron/high strength steels in key load-bearing areas. Additional features include polymer and composite front fenders and tailgate, an aluminum hood, roof panels, front lower control arms and front/rear suspension knuckles, and a magnesium cross car beam.


As part of the comprehensive effort to minimize the car’s ecological impact, the Range Rover Evoque focuses on the use of more sustainable materials. Each vehicle uses approximately 35lbs (16kg)*** of recycled plastic material. Parts with recycled content include: headliner, center console, wheel arch liners, air cleaner, cooling fan and shroud, air ducting, side under trays, parcel shelf, engine cover and subwoofer box. In addition, the metal interior trim on the center console and dashboard is produced from recycled aluminum. The trim fabric used on the headlining and pillars is produced from recycled polyester.


This vehicle will be sold in 160 countries worldwide with North American deliveries beginning in Fall 2011.

Enormous Jaguar sculpture graces Goodwood

A 91-foot sculpture of the Jaguar E-type serves as a striking centerpiece for this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom.

It took 10 days for a bridge-building company to install the 330,690-pound statue in front of the Goodwood House. That is the weight equivalent of 122 life-size copies of the Series 1 E-type.

The statue comprises more than 1,700 feet of painted steel tubes that measure 47 inches in diameter. The tubes were originally intended for use in gasoline piping, but artist Gerry Judah said he thought they would be better suited for sculpting an E-type.

While previous Goodwood installations have incorporated actual cars into the design, Judah said he felt that the deviation was necessary for this year. The design process started in January.

"The E-type is famous for its shape but too small and delicate to hoist into the air," Judah said. "I thought I would like to express the form of the car itself without any embellishments."

Aside from the massive sculpture, visitors at Goodwood can see an array of Jaguars. The C- and D-type race cars and the XK120 are embarking on the Hillclimb course, and the XF, the XK and the XJ will also be in attendance, as will the C-X75 concept.

Bugatti Veyron crafted in porcelain, an insurance adjuster's dream

We've seen plastic in cars, steel, extruded aluminum, carbon fiber and plenty of other materials. But a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport in porcelain--that's a new one.

Bugatti joined with German automotive-art manufacturer Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin to create the wildly styled ride. The company unveiled the car on June 30 at the KPM workshops in Berlin. Not surprisingly, Bugatti claims this is a first.

“At first, it seems to be an unusual idea to use porcelain in a car, especially the world's fastest convertible,” Stefan Brungs, sales and marketing director, said in a statement. “But this is what Bugatti stands for: the realization of exceptional ideas while striving for the utmost in quality and aesthetics. This allows us to continue Ettore Bugatti's heritage, who loved to experiment with new materials.”

Sounds like a fantastic idea--take one of the most breakable substances on the planet and send it hurtling down the road at 200-plus mph. We assume there was no crash-testing.

The one-of-a-kind Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport “L'Or Blanc” will cost $2,391,510.