Kia GT Concept

Kia launched the new GT concept at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show. The transformation at Kia has led to the company's strong sales growth in recent times and the creative design is apparent in the new offerings as well.

The Kia GT concept is the company's first ever rear-wheel drive sedan. Kia though about putting out a high-performance front-engine rear-drive car in 2010 and in 10 months it rolled out the GT concept, which says a lot about the company's commitment towards the project.

Unique Design

At first look, the GT concept makes you feel that it belongs to some marquee European sports brand. The aggressive design of the GT concept suggests that the car is roaring with energy and is poised to take-off. The design theme for GT concept revolves around aeronautics.

The elongated bonnet, potent rear shoulders and the truncated rear, exudes seminal strength and energy which was never seen before from Kia. Kia's Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer has been instrumental in turning around the way Kia vehicles look and is giving Kia cars an identity of its own. GT concept does reflect how some of the future Kia models would be styled.

Engine Performance

The GT concept is powered by a 3.3 liter V6 engine that churns out 395hp of power and 394 lb/ft of torque. The engine has been mated to an eight speed automatic transmission. This is the most powerful engine ever produced by Kia and it has surprised the industry with its specs. While the performance specs are not yet known, but the combination of powerful engine and aerodynamic design would surely churn out some staggering numbers.

Kia has shown its intent to take the GT concept to the production stage by 2013. The company is contemplating a comprehensive line-up of GT concept variants, which would include a sedan, a two door couple and even a station wagon.

Bentley Continental GT V8

Following up on its commitment to lowering CO2 emissions and boosting fuel economy, Bentley is introducing the 2013 Continental GT V8.

Combining a new 4-liter V8 engine and a power train that Bentley says requires 40% less fuel with no power sacrifice, the Continental GT promises to attain excellent benchmarks for power-to-emissions within the high luxury performance car marketplace.

This is going to translate into a high end luxury sports-car that will be able to travel in excess of 500 miles on a single tank of gas, Bentley says.

Performance

The lower fuel consumption of the Continental GT is achieved by means of a sophisticated cylinder deactivation system, providing a smooth transition from V8 to V4 modes while undergoing low throttle work-loads.

The Continental GT V8 engine features cutting edge technology, such as high pressure direct injection, ultra-low friction bearings, a superior thermal management system, energy retrieval by way of the charging system, and a revolutionary turbo charger housing for increased overall performance.

The Bentley GT will be capable of delivering 500 hp and 487 ft-lbs torque, and combined with a brand new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission it will reach 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds with a top speed of 188 mph.

Exterior & Interior

The new Bentley V8 will be available in two models, the Continental GT or the Continental GTC. Both are easy to recognized by their black glossy matrix grill, chrome frame and center bar, a red Bentley "B" logo, plus a black matrix three-segment front bumper which is divided into unique body-colored strakes.

At the back of the car there are special chrome "figure-eight" tailpipe exhausts, a dark low valence, and a red "B" logo on the trunk. Both of the Bentley models are equipped with 20 inch alloy wheels as basic options.

Also available are 21 inch 6-spoke style wheels in Diamond Black or Diamond Silver surface finishes.

The interior features an Eliade fabric headliner, fashionable Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus veneers, and an elective two-tone leather color split and short center console, to round out the classy theme of the car.

The new 2013 Bentley Continental GT does not sacrifice luxury, looks, or power, when it delivers its promise to provide a robust 4-liter V8 engine with better fuel economy, for the ultimate luxury sports-car driving experience.

Maserati GranCabrio Fendi

After the marriage of Gucci and Fiat, comes another fashion house/car collaboration, Maserati and Fendi.

Popular Italian car maker, Maserati, has teamed up with the Italian fashion design company Silvia Venturini Fendi and produced a special edition of the famous GranCabrio model.

Interior

Maserati's GranCabrio special edition is instantly recognizable due to the unique Grigio Fiamma paint job it has received. The paint job is actually 3 layers of color: two dark gray coats followed by a layer of iridescent gold.

The unique paint job isn't the only aspect of the special edition GranCabrio to drool over, however. The effect of the Fendi/Maserati collaboration is clearly visible throughout the exterior and the interior of the GranCabrio Fendi.

Exterior

Outside the car, the sleek design of Maserati's GranCabrio finished with the Fendi fashion house paint job says pretty much all you need to know. Inside the car, you'll find a specially crafted logo that features the Maserati Trident, Fendi logo plus the five digit series number located in several places.

The silver oval plaque bearing the specially designed collaboration logo is found on the dashboard, near the passenger’s seat plus on each side of the folding roof. Further marking the collaboration, is the presence of the Fendi double F logo on the seats, while the Maserati Trident is featured on each of the headrests.

Fendi's high quality leather adorns a lot of the interior, interspersed with wood trims around the doors, dashboard, gear lever and even the floor mats.

Performance

Despite all the changes that have been made to the GranCabrio's look, the technology remains the same - you still get to experience the power of the V8 engine. The 4.7 liter engine's 440 horsepower enables you to reach a top speed of close to 180mph.

The 2012 Maserati GranCabrio Fendi truly represents another perfect marriage between fashion house and car maker. The sleek redesign and the Maserati technology together make something that is truly unique and desirable.

Porsche Boxster

Porsche has introduced its all new 2013 Boxster, which has undergone significant changes and is looking pretty fresh.

The open-top entry level Boxster has been given a whole new platform and body work, which has helped the car shed some weight resulting in better fuel efficiency and power to weight ratio.

The car is scheduled to be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March, but Porsche has given out some preliminary details before unveiling the car.

Design Upgrade

Changes in design are more evolutionary than revolutionary. Still Porsche has managed to dish out a handsome design. The new square shaped headlamps, the wider stance and shorter overhangs, add to the character of the car. The new design seamlessly masks the increased length and width of the platform.

The new Boxster would be equipped with larger 20-inch alloys. The interior of the 2013 Boxster is inspired from the 2012 911. A fully electric top would close the cabin space and the company suggests that the cabin space for driver and passenger has increased in the new design.

Performance

Boxsters are known for their performance and the new model certainly won't disappoint. The standard Boxster will be powered by a 2.7 liter flat-six engine with direct fuel injection that churns out 265 horsepower, 10 hp higher than previous model.

The more powerful Boxster S would be powered by a 3.4 liter six cylinder engine generating 315 hp, which is a marginal increase over the previous model (by 5hp). The engine is available with a 7 speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or a 6 speed manual transmission.

The performance of the Boxster has always been top notch. The new standard Boxster does the 0-60mph dash in 5.4 seconds while the Boxster S takes 4.7 seconds for the same run, both with the automatic transmission.

The lighter chassis and body work of the new Boxster translates in better fuel economy as well and customers can expect an increase of 15%.

The 2013 Porsche Boxster is expected to hit the showrooms by summer. Expect the starting price tag to be around $49,500 for the standard model and $60,900 for the sportier Boxster S.

Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette Z06

In celebration of its 100th anniversary, Chevrolet launched the 2012 Corvette Centennial Edition Z06, which comes in a special Centennial Edition package.

The major changes in the 2012 Centennial Edition are almost purely cosmetic while most of the driving dynamics remain the same.

Exterior & Interior

The major changes in the 2012 Centennial Edition Z06 are more cosmetic which makes this Z06 strikingly different. The new Z06 gets the Centennial Edition package that includes exclusive Carbon Flash Metallic exteriors, car graphics in satin black color and characteristic Centennial wheels in Satin Black with Red outline and Red colored brake calipers.

Special badges including images of Louis Chevrolet have been placed at the B-pillar, Steering Wheel and Wheel Centre caps.

The wheels of the Centennial Z06 have been specially built with light weight Aluminum. The front wheels get 19-inch alloys while the rear wheels get 20-inch. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires have been used in the 2012 Z06, and these have been a significant performance enhancer for the car.

The black color scheme runs in the interiors as well. The instrument panel, doors, seats and gear-shift knob are wrapped with black leather with red stitching.

The car features racing inspired powertrain and suspension. Also, the car has been designed to reduce the overall weight by use of Aluminum frame and Carbon Fiber components.

Engine Performance

The Corvette Centennial Edition Z06 is fitted with a 7-litre V8 engine producing 505 horsepower. The car does the 0-60 mph sprint in 3.8 seconds and runs the quarter mile in about 11.9 seconds, a tad slower than some of its contemporaries like the Ferrari 458 Italia, Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 GT3 RS, though the Z06 is much cheaper than these cars.

This special edition can attain a top speed of 198 mph.

The 2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette Z06 is a perfect fit to celebrate the racing and performance heritage of Chevrolet. It's also a great tribute to Louis Chevrolet.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Black & Yellow

Bugatti has launched a special edition Veyron Grand Sport at the Qatar motor show in January 2012.

This special edition is a convertible and is no doubt the fastest convertible produced in the world with a top speed of 253 mph (407km/h) with speeds up to 217 mph (350km/h) achieved without the roof.

The Veyron Grand Sport features a catchy yellow and black theme for its exterior. This edition of the Grand Sport is the last of the Veyron’s to be built.

Exterior & Interior

The man behind Bugatti, Ettore Bugatti has always experimented with different color schemes and materials for his extreme cars. He has always preferred painting his cars in two color combinations. The Veyron Grand Sport is no exception and is colored in yellow and black. This interesting combination of yellow and black color is said to be one his all time favorite.

The two colors are split horizontally, with bright yellow covering the top part of the car with black carbon underneath it. The yellow and black theme is not only limited to exteriors, but also runs into the interiors with seats finished in yellow leather and black stitching.

The central console is colored in carbon black. The dashboard, gearshift and steering wheels are covered with black leather and yellow stitching.

Performance

Veyron Grand Sport's internal largely remains the same. The car is powered by the quad-turbocharged 8-litre W-16 engine which churns out whopping 1001-horsepower. The car can do 0 to 60 in 2.7 seconds.

Limited

The Veyron Grand Sport model would cost $2.05 million, which is more than 10% premium over the out of production original Veyron. The incremental changes are only cosmetic but the one planning to buy this car won't complain about the difference in price.

It's a limited edition and the company has decided to produce only 150 units of Grand Sport out of which nearly 2/3 slots are still available.

2012 ASMA Porsche Cayenne Turbo The Giant

The 2012 ASMA Porsche Cayenne Turbo "The Giant" body kit, by Erturul ASMA, is the latest offering to come out of the controversial tuning house in Germany, ASMA design.

Erturul ASMA is naturally claiming this design is perfection, but with no power upgrades made available with this Porsche Cayenne body kit, what makes the kit stand out?

Exterior Makeover

The visual impact of the Turbo 'The Giant' body kit is something that you really can’t miss - the wide body kit increases the Porsche Cayenne's width to over 2 meters wide! Nicknamed 'The Giant' for obvious reasons, this body kit would definitely get you noticed when you're on the road.

The body kit that makes up this Porsche Cayenne Turbo comes from genuine carbon fiber and does more than just increase the width of the Cayenne. It also redesigns the rear, adds a modified front bumper that comes with LED daytime lights, includes a new hood, wheel arch extensions, side skirts, tailgates, and low front/rear spoilers.

The rear bumper has been changed so that it now features two center fitted tailpipes and the front end has also been modified so that it contains a larger, more aggressive looking grill/air intake vents.

Also worthy of note are the added 22 inch black alloy wheels, which some say are the only worthy part of the body kit. Since the ASMA Porsche Cayenne Turbo kit has done nothing to the power output/performance aspect of the vehicle, we're left to decide whether the extremely wide, aerodynamic, body kit by itself is enough to impress.

Performance

The Porsche Cayenne is capable of 550HP with no modifications made by ASMA design, and the aggressively styled, sharp and wide, body kit certainly makes the Porsche Cayenne a formidable looking force on the road.

In the new age of customization, ASMA design has certainly produced something that looks impressive, despite the fact that they failed to make any upgrades to performance. But let's be honest, does the Porsche Cayenne really need it?