Autopartswarehouse

Supercars should never be ordinary hence the superlative that’s used everytime we refer to this car variety. Meanwhile, if you’ve every wondered about riding a car that seems like it was taken from a science-fiction model then it has to be the Birdcage Goodwood Speed from the renowned car maker Maserati. This car was built in collaboration with Motorola is considered one of the best supercars of this decade.

The car’s whole design adheres to the Maserati objective of designing in extreme fashion. Its chassis is made of carbon fiber making it superbly lightweight and it is also reinforced by a new material known as the Nomex honeycomb. Basically the Birdcage as it is called by the engineers from Maserati is the epitome of the supercar of the future. Its exterior is already awe-inspiring while it does not compromise its performance either. Basically, the Birdcage Goodwood pays tribute to one of the most dominant race cars of the 50’s which also came from Maserati.

Maserati is known for creating cars that are all about speed, power and elegance and without a doubt the Birdcage Goodwood captures all of those characteristics. Its V12 engine which can produce as much as 700 horsepower can surely blow you away and unfortunately this car is an exhibition car only meaning it is not for sale. One can definitely see that the chassis of this car has a delta shaped feature that allows for maximum aerodynamics minimizing the drag as much as possible.

The cars massive fenders allow the alloy wheels to which measure up to 20” in diameter. The contours of the car are extraordinary owing to the perfect craftsmanship that every Maserati car is endowed. The car shows you that it is built for speed and open road even if it is not moving. So why is it named Birdcage anyway if it doesn’t look one? Actually, the Maserati designers thought that the triangle-shaped tube construction resembles a birdcage believe it or not. On the other hand, even if the name does not come to terms with the performance of the car, it does not matter. The Birdcage Goodwood is one damn car nevertheless.

The Nose of the Birdcage features a trapezoidal shape with an oval mouth and horizontal headlights. When you go behind of the vehicle there isn’t much difference with its front because everything was done to perfection. It has a massive diffuser and aero panels at the surface. Furthermore, that kind of design provides the necessary stability that the car needs especially when it starts torching the road.

Overall, the Birdcage Goodwood is a real road devil that looks like a supercar from the future. I love how it looks and for sure there isn’t any of its kind when you go out there. Although the car is not meant for tough performance, it can surely blast to 60 miles in just a couple of seconds.  

The 2007 Seat Leon Cupra has been released way back in 2007 but I guess it’s still not too late for me to talk about this fantastic car. One look at the car made me think that it does not necessarily fit your prototypical “sports car” look until you finally get behind its wheels. In a nutshell, the Seat brand is obsessed with creating and manufacturing sports cars without costing too much and I guess they did a pretty decent job with the Leon Cupra, let me correct myself, they did a fantastic job actually. Thus far, the Leon Cupra is arguably the most powerful car that comes from the Seat assembly line, boasting a fantastic 240 bhp that its engine churns out. It’s not only a powerful sports car since it has great aesthetics that every car owner can be proud of.

 On a different note, I was introduced to the Leon Cupra through my old pal Billy who happens to be a big fine of Seat cars, Billy was once a part of the Autopartswarehouse team who went out to form his own car fans group. I was told that he was once a very active member and I felt bad bad that he’s no longer with the club. Meanwhile, the Leon Cupra stands above the competition mainly because of its clear and aggressive style. It has imposing front bumpers that are due to its massive air intakes that are needed to better cool its powerful engine. Aside from that, the Leon Cupra has its exhaust pipe polished to perfection while its perfectly designed wheels certainly show how much craftsmanship was needed in order to finish this car.

 I was actually able to step into the car and what I instantly noticed is its black interior finish that was so unlike the earlier versions which featured a grey one. The steering wheel is also very classy because it’s made of genuine leather, it’s basically a sporty car on the outside with a luxury motif inside. When you go to the technical details of the Leon Cupra, it’s definitely a sports car from the get-go. The 2.0 TFSI engine is capable of achieving 153 mph while it only takes more or less 6.2 seconds for it to accelerate from 0-62 mph. Aside from that, it is capable of surmounting 1000 meters in just 26.4 seconds. There’s no question that the Leon Cupra is built to bring to your destination at the shortest possible time. If you’re always in a hurry, you can cram in style with this auto.

The practical aspect of this car is pretty decent. Firstly, it’s only about 25 thousand Euros which is a pretty good bargain for the quality that it offers. Aside from that, it can cover very long distances without you having to worry about its performance on the road. It’s sports car that can do marathon rides as well so if ever you decide to get one, it’s a great deal overall. The creature comforts of this car can’t be taken for granted as well, its sound system will give you the impression that you’re inside a car concert while driving so that’s loads of entertainment value that can surely take off the stress. Meanwhile, while I was test driving the car, I felt like I wasn’t driving at all because of the very quiet engine that it has.

 Overall, the Leon Cupra is all about efficiency of a sports car without costing too much. I asked Billy if he is selling the car and he said that he will be in the next couple of months.

I’m into classic supercar posting after having been brought by my Autopartswarehouse club buddy in one car show which featured the 1939 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. Needless to say I’m a huge fan of cars although I’ve just recently discovered that classic cars aren’t any way lesser compared to modern ones.

The 30’s saw a lot of occurrences that pretty much tweaked the history of the world and in terms of the automotive industry it will never be complete without mentioning the 1934 Hispano-Suiza. The Hispano-Suizas are regarded one of the most luxurious, expensive and respected cars during that time and owning one tells a lot about you. The car is almost always associated with the most powerful and elite during that time because of its impressive power and speed.

The first two cars were envisioned and later crafted by Howard R. Darrin who decided to craft the car and gave it a formal, enclosed passenger compartment that had a quieter and less powerful engine. The aesthetics of the car featured parallel lines with two raked widescreens plus a teardrop rear end which according to experts can last for more than 50 years just as long as it can be properly maintained. Future designs of this car featured and afforded the passengers complete privacy because there were no rear windows.

There are very few remaining Hispano-Suiza these days and I doubt if it can meet the basic road standards to today but if ever you’re given the chance to own, there’s no way that you should pass up that kind of opportunity. Here are some pictures of the Hispano-Suiza that you might want to check out:

Last time, I featured one of the earliest if not the earliest “supercar” which was launched way back in the 1930’s. This time, I’m going to follow it up with another classic supercar from the same era which is called the 1934 Voisin C15 Saloit Roadster. This car would have been the preferred car for 30’s Hollywood and I’m not surprised since the Voisin had top-of-the-line technology during that period. The Voisin as it is much popularly known is a French car that has been on the road for more than 70 years. There isn’t much known about its history although it has been said that its humble beginnings started in a place called Etablissement Saliot in a suburb which can be found in LeVallios.

 A guy named Delacluse created a distinct and unique chassis that had a massive hood giving the car an imposing look that was unknown during those times. The car is definitely a throwback roadster that wouldn’t only make your grandpa salivate but everyone else 70 or more years later. In short, the Voisin was designed to stand the test of time which it ultimately achieved over the years. On the other hand, the car has its mystery that until now lots of people is still talking about. First and foremost, the chassis didn’t have a number and its type is until now being argued upon. Although claims have circulated that Delacluse received the chassis from someone and he just modified it.

 Today, the Voisin can be customized and restructured to have its interior look like any other modern car out there. If I’m not mistaken, I saw one not too long ago that had enhanced fenders, a revised cowl, massive headlights, and who would’ve thought, an ostrich skin interior that can’t get any classier. Overall, the Voisin has been the earliest symbol of class and power rolled into one. Although compared to modern supercars, its performance would be negligible, its look still remains to be a classic that cannot be taken for granted.

You think that supercars are all about modernity and fast-paced drives that only emerged a decade ago? The answer is of course no, since the 1920’s our grandfathers have been salivating on their own version of “supercars” which, during that time were the finest cars available with exceptional design and power. Of course, the supercars of today would be far too advanced but when it comes to aesthetics, the supercars of old can surely compete with the best this generation has to offer.

 For a change, I’ll be writing about different supercars that caught the attention of people over the years. They may be “forgotten supercars, modern supercars and classic supercars” but overall these cars had been the toast of the automotive world during their time and some of them can still draw awe from a lot of people. Meanwhile, I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of my favorite cars called the 1939 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic when I accompanied my buddy from the Autopartswarehouse club during one motor show. The experience was amazing because that has to be the oldest supercar that I’ve laid my eyes on.

 Arguably the very first “true” supercar that was ever constructed, the 1939 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic boasts of a 200 bhp engine while at the same time reaching 123 mph as its top speed. The first look at this car tells you that it’s so thirties but its style is so excellent it can compete with the best supercars of today. In short, it’s utterly beautiful despite of the age that it has accumulated over the years and needless to say even the average person can appreciate how much toil was needed to create this car especially during its time. The highlights of its design are the windscreen, riveted fins, oval doors and windows that are shaped like kidneys.

 On the other hand, the Atlantic had extremely complicated craftsmanship involved which resulted into a design that cannot be matched during its time. In fact, Jean Bugatti was even the one who selected the materials and the design needed for this car making this car a special one in the Bugatti world. One peculiar trait of the Atlantic is its riveted panel because initially the chosen material for the panel cannot be welded so the designers needed to use rivets to put things in place. Eventually, standard aluminum was chosen over the flammable electron when orders started to pour in after its exhibition because the latter was a lot more practical than the former.

 Over 75 years, the Atlantic’s chassis had been replaced by the Aerolithe Prototype, Chassis 57374, 57473 and 57391. The Aerolithe Prototype looked bigger because of its more massive radiator and aside from that it is the only one which used magnesium for its body. The 57374 on the other hand is the first production Atlantic that had a characteristic low-set headlight that is slightly protruding. Chassis 57473 didn’t have much difference from its predecessor while 57491 is arguably the most produced version. The 57491 had headlights that made it completely distinct from other cars.  

 1939 might have been a forgotten year even to our parents but the Bugatti Atlantic certainly made it a memorable one. It would be very tough and very expensive for anyone to get his or her hands on the Atlantic Bugatti but if you’re a fan of classic cars such as me get this one if you have the opportunity. The Bugatti Atlantic might have been around for 75 years but it paved the way for the how a “supercar” has too be made and the level of craftsmanship needed to make one.  If there’s one trait that every supercar has to possess is its timelessness which the Bugatti Atlantic certainly exhibited.

Another hybrid car? Maybe not. Toyota has announced that the new Prius will be powered not by a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain but by V6 engine and conventional automatic transmission!

"The Prius V6 bestows the same 'green chic' while delivering the performance and acceleration of a conventional mid-size sedan.", says a Toyota spokesperson.

In place of the HYBRID badge, the new Prius V6 will brag the new HY6RID badge-- which stands for "High-performance 6-cylinder Racing Inspired Design". "Now that's a better way of saying it", reckons my Autopartswarehouse buddies.

News from About.com

2008 has still 8 months to go, but I'm on the lookout for cars to watch out for 2009. Probably by then, I would have purchased another car. I don't know if I could still afford this, but just look at her eternal beauty:

Autopartswarehouse | Audi v-10

Audi RS8 will be officially released in the second quarter of 2009. It will called RS8 in line with Audi's quattro division heritage. Audi engineers have now rework the previous generation 5.2 liter to twin-turbo V-10! Now that's worth the disaster from previous attempts of installing the engine in R8, right? My Autopartswarehouse buddies will be enthusiastic about this!

Another Italian car maker is making huge waves in the super car industry. Although he hasn’t yet attained the level of an Enzo Ferrari nor a Ferruccio Lamborghini, Horacio Pagani can’t be taken for granted either as far as his accomplishment is concerned. When it comes to his curriculum vitae, Pagani was able to finish his very own super car in 1999 called Zonda C12 after several decades of working independently. The Zonda was named after an Andean mountain wind and just recently, Pagani updated this automobile by unleashing the Pagani Zonda R.

 The ultra-exclusive Zonda R has impressive credentials needless to say and because of this Pagani didn’t create this beauty for a cheap price. Right now, if you ever plan to buy this super car you have to at least be prepared to cough out 1.2 million USD and if you’re the regular dude, well it’s going to be very tough to purchase this one.  The Zonda R is not only about class but more importantly power, its 6.0 liter V12 engine is everything but mediocre. The engineers guarantee that the Zonda R does not look like the Zonda F although there is some similarity especially when it comes to the carbon-fiber monocoque frame. A lot of my friends from the Autopartswarehouse club compare the Zonda R with the Ferrari FXX and I am not surprised. Horacio Pagani honed his car-designing skills with team Ferrari before bolting out several years later. That certainly explains the same vibes that the Zonda R and Ferrari FXX emit.

 On the other hand, the interior of the Zonda R is totally grand and excellent. It has great space for a car of this status while at the same time it can provide the occupants enough creature comforts. If you think that it can only show off because of excessive power and looks then you’re absolutely wrong. This road masterpiece was also built to provide maximum handling for whoever is going to be behind the steering wheel. Needless to say, Pagani really made a huge leap from his former model to this one. The improvement and difference are too tangible not to be noticed even by the average super car fan.

 When it comes to practicality, well this one doesn’t really score that much in this category. The Zonda R is all about luxury and if you’re willing to spend more than a million dollars just to get this car then practicality is certainly not part of your vocabulary. The engineers of this car claim that it’ll take more than 3000 miles before this car will need to have some maintenance-check and I think that speaks a lot for the durability of the Zonda R.  

 Basically the Zonda R will never be an all-purpose car because of its exorbitant price and top of the line design. At the end of the day it’s all about the gratifying feeling that every car owner experiences after purchasing a car that you’ve always dreamed of. If this car is your dream car then I can’t blame you, it has every trait that will make you drool and think whether you’ll ever have the chance to drive this monster. If ever you would end up pocketing this magnificent machine, do me a favor by using it until it’s totally worn out. A lot of super car enthusiasts buy super cars and just store it somewhere while they contently watch it from afar. Super cars are made to be driven on the road and although they really look good use them as much as possible. If you’re intending to save some cash which is a whopping 1.2 million USD in order to buy the Zonda R someday then don’t count on it. Pagani only manufactured 24 pieces and unfortunately they get sold out immediately.

I spent the last five days in the Caribbean with my wife Laura and son Patrick preventing me to post anything here for quite a while. I must say that the trip went well and I finally got the chance to move out of my daily routine. I think the best things about having a vacation is not where you’ll go but with whom you’ll spend it with. But the again, if you can have both the people that you care for and the perfect place then you might as well go for both.

 So there, there’s no denying that the trip was one of the best in years, I enjoyed it so much that I didn’t know the five-day trip was already over. As much as my brain was telling me that I need to get back to work my body wasn’t ready to get back to the grindstone. Meanwhile, here’s the featured car that has the potential to make huge waves in the market: the 2007 Koenigsegg CCXR.

 The Koenigsegg brand isn’t as big as the other elite players in the super car industry but the engineers from this car brand are kind enough to prioritize the environment by creating the CCXR. The car is equipped with a bio-fuel consuming engine that would ensure that you wouldn’t be contributing to the pollutants like what diesel-powered engines do. The Koenigsegg CCXR does not only look like your typical sports car on the outside it does take you a step further by using ethanol as its fuel thereby cooling the car chambers more effectively.

 In terms of the numbers, the Koenigsegg CCXR boasts of a 1018 bhp at 7200 rpm and a torque of 740 lb-ft at 6100 rpm. On the other hand, looks-wise the Koenigsegg CCXR would make you feel like you’re Fred Astaire with its smooth curves and grooves.  It also has everything that a car owner can ask for when it comes to accessories and creature comforts. I bet the people from the Autopartswarehouse group would have a lot to say about this one.

After a grueling day from work I’ll finally get to blog again about a car that was released way back in 2006. I know that I haven’t been blogging that long that’ why this car was released even before I started posting the best race and super cars in this blog. Regardless, that wouldn’t stop me from featuring this fantastic car.

People rarely hear an Invicta being considered as part of the elite car manufacturers out there. But then again if they take a look at how it produced the Invicta SI 600 they will surely change their minds while dropping their jaws one by one. Although it looks quite ordinary if you line it up with more popular brands out there, this car has a lot more to offer if you take a deeper look at it. It looks basic and classy but in terms of power, it’s total devil that is waiting to be unleashed.

 Autopartswarehouse buddies gives me the specs of the car. The car’s engine is a 5.0 liter power generator that was designed by engineers from Ford Motors. Meanwhile, its lines and contours together with its polishing can’t be lower than top-caliber level. The Invicta S1 600 looks like it’s ready to speed up on any given road, any time of the day while making heads turn all the time. Overall, it has combined high power, massive torque and low weight in a slender and good-looking body that was designed seamlessly to stimulate you visually. Needless to say, I would gladly volunteer to be behind its wheels no matter what the cost is.

 The braking system of the Invicta S1 600 tells you that the engineers who handled this car know what they’re doing.  It boasts of cross-drilled and ventilated discs that are almost like a race car in many aspects. In fact, a professional race driver wouldn’t know the difference if he or she brings this one on the race track. The brake pads do not even produce sound and they don’t generate a single decibel when the road conditions are normal. In short, this one can make you feel like you’re driving nothing at all.

 The interior of the car is everything but cramped. It has a spacious cabin and there’s so much room for the heads and legs. That kind of feature is something that you don’t see in race cars everyday. Needless to say, you don’t feel like you’re strapped inside the car once you become a passenger inside of this. The car also has enough creature comforts that will make you forget that it has enough power that can pin you on your seat. The Invicta S1 600 has triple air vents, climate control mechanism and car audios. Now, Autopartswarehouse, how's that for a car?

 So the question would be shall you buy this road demon? Let’s see, it’s actually pegged around 150,000 pounds but since it has been in the market for quite a while, you should expect that it’s a lot cheaper now than it once was. The performance of this car is no laughing matter while the designers were kind enough to permit you to customize it as much as you can. It’s sleek, classy and basic look definitely fits the young business-type population. If you have the cash and the personality, this one should be a must-have no doubt.