Shelby (AC) Cobra 1967

Carroll Shelby’s 1962 Cobra represents the pinnacle of the Anglo-American sports car, which combined a classic aluminum roadster body (in this case cribbed from a 1950s Ferrari Barchetta) with a tube space frame and lightweight American V-8 engine.

Shelby Cobra’s donor chassis came from AC. The AC Ace heretofore had utilized the pre-war BMW 2-liter, 6-cylinder engine, which was going out of production. Understanding that AC needed a replacement motor, Shelby tapped into his Ford connections to user their lightweight 260ci V-8. In the process, Shelby managed to get both sides to agree that the resultant sports car would be manufactured under the Shelby name.

The overall package was dynamite, weighing only 2,100 lbs, with a 260-hp engine mated to a four-speed transmission. Top speed was about 140 mph and 75 were built in 1962 and 1963 before the engine was replaced by Ford’s 271-hp, 289-cid V-8. In race-prepped guise, the engine generated up to 370 hp, and the cars were quite successful on the track. Between 1963 and 1965, 580 Shelby 289 Cobras were sold in the CSX 2000 series. All this power stretched the chassis capabilities, motivating Shelby to refine it with rack-and-pinion steering in place of the ancient worm and sector design.

First person driving the Shelby (AC) Cobra:

By 1965, Shelby needed more power still, and driver and constructor Ken Miles thought a big block V-8 was the best choice. The big-block, 510-hp, 427-cid “side-oiler” V-8 that Shelby was going to use, however, needed a new approach. The answer was a much bigger tube frame that was five inches wider, with coil spring suspension and flared fenders to accommodate the wider wheels. These cars were numbered in the CSX 3000 series.

The rest of the package remained the same minimalist, lightweight sports racer, and with the huge new motor, more racing successes followed. Shelby built 348 427 Cobras from 1965 to 1967, though about 100 of them had the less powerful, but cheaper 355-hp, 428-cid V-8.

Both 289 and 427 Shelby Cobras are the apogee of bare-bone sports racers, and demand is fierce for these cars. They are one of the few blue-chip collectible American cars, with eager buyers residing the world over, so provenance is vital. Luckily, Shelby records are remarkably complete and correct cars will be accurately documented. Enthusiasts debate whether the sheer brute force of the 427 cars is preferable over the 289’s superior livability, but either way there is a Cobra to suit any taste (provided the taste is towards hair-raising motoring in one form or another).

Replicas flooded the market from the 1970s onwards, and Shelby himself used “leftover” original frames in the 1980s to produce the CSX 4000 series “continuation” cars. These cars provide a cheaper alternative for driver to pursue, though build quality on the non-Shelby cars varies and the replicas tend to have lived full lives, so thorough research is a necessity

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Ford Mustang Boss 1969

You can ask each muscle car enthuziast about this car and he will talk to you for hours! This is how popular the Mustang had become over the years.

In 1969 there were 859 Boss 429s made by Ford Motor Company. 2 of which were Cougars for Lincoln/Mercury Race Division. There were five different colors available in 1969 (Raven Black, Wimbledon White, Royal Maroon, Candyapple Red, and Black Jade), and the only color for the interior was black. The fully functional hood scoop was the same color as the car, and noticeably larger than anything else offered on any Ford product at the time, with the exception of the 2 Boss 429 Cougars. This scoop would carry over to the 1970 model year but would be painted black on all cars. To this day, it is the largest factory hood scoop ever installed on a factory produced Mustang. All these cars were a manual transmission, and there was no air conditioning available due to the size of the engine. Though not originally offered as an option, it is common to add a spoiler and window louvers commonly seen on 1969-1970 Mach 1's and Boss 302's. Some early cars were known as "S" code cars and as such had a slightly different engine. These cars had magnesium valve covers, NASCAR style forged internals, nearly no smog or emissions equipment and are said to be more powerful than the later "T" and "A" code engines which had the emissions related equipment to satisfy government regulations. The engines in some cases were removed from the cars for use in other applications such as tractor pulling, due to the extreme torque and horsepower the engine was capable of producing.

The Camaro/Mustang rivalry had begun in 1967 with the introduction of the Chevrolet Camaro by General Motors. The Camaro was the largest threat to the lead Ford had in the "pony car" field, a market segment largely created by Ford with the introduction of the Mustang in mid-year 1964. The performance of the Mustang with 289 and 390 engines was not up to the Camaro, with its small block and big block V8. In an effort to improve the Mustang's image, Ford made optional the 428 Cobra Jet V8 in mid-year 1968, and in 1969, the Ford Boss 302 engine. The 302 was a composite engine using the "tunnel port" Windsor block and large Cleveland heads. This optional engine was available for the express purpose of meeting the homologation guidelines to compete in the Trans-Am series.

The Boss 302 Mustang was designed by Larry Shinoda, a former GM employee. The car featured reflective "c-stripe" and the fake rear fender scoops of the regular 1969 Mustangs was eliminated. Optional were black horizontal rear window shades and a blackout hood. It was one of the first production models with a front spoiler and rear deck wing. The name "Boss" came about when Shinoda was asked what project he was working on, he answered "the boss's car" because the project was a secret. Also Shinoda had called it the "Boss" as an homage to the new President of Ford Semon "Bunkie" Knudson who had brought Shinoda over from GM when Knudson had left.

Changes for the 1970 model year included side "hockey stick" stripes which started along the top of the hood, along with the 1970 grille which replaced the 4 headlights with two vents in the outside position while retaining dual headlights within the grille opening. The dual exhaust system was redesigned, along with the competition suspension and a standard Hurst shifter. The intake valves were smaller, and aluminum valve covers replaced the chrome. With a suggested price of offered for $3,720, a total of 7,013 were sold.

Standard were disc brakes on the front, larger sway bars,a lower ride height, heavier duty spindles, reinforced shock towers, a four speed manual transmission, and the solid-lifter Boss 302 V8 engine with its free-breathing Cleveland style heads, which had valves larger than most motors over a third larger in displacement. This "G Code" engine was rated at 290 hp (216 kW), however modern day tests show the engine may have been largely underrated, with dyno's showing in excess of 380 horsepower in some cases.

The 1970 car could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 6.9 seconds. The quarter mile (~400 m) took 14.6 seconds at 98 mph (158 km/h).

Although Ford's Drag Pack option with a special oil cooler was never formally offered on the Boss 302, it was often included with the 4.30:1 rear axle ratio. This coveted option is recognizable when the hood is opened to reveal Ford's vertically mounted oil cooler in front of the radiator. Ford also had a option for Boss 302's and 429's for deluxe interior rather than standard interior.

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Aston Martin DBS V12

The V12 from Aston Martin has always been one of my dream cars. It impresses with it's look: agile and classy but also with it's specifications.

The DBS was seen in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, the first film in which Bond was played by Daniel Craig, as a result of a product placement deal with Aston Martin's parent company at the time, Ford.
Although the company sold over 90% of Aston Martin Lagonda Limited in 2007, the DBS returned for the pre-credits car chase around Lake Garda in the 2008 Bond film Quantum of Solace.

There's a new seven-speed automated "Sportshift II" transmission, which is lighter and more compact than the six-speed manual gearbox in the previous V12 Vantage and provides 20 per cent quicker shifts than the automated 'box in the V8 Vantage.

On paper this all sounds great; in practice the V12 sounds spectacular. Not as lairy as a Ferrari 458's V8, but there's an ever-present, deep-throated hum that rises to a (loud) cultured bellow at high revs.
Inevitably, the engine's character is quite different to that of the six-, eight- or even 10-cylinder units in its rivals: you don't get the twin-turbo thump of a Porsche 911 Turbo, and you don't need to send it screaming to 9,000rpm to get peak power, as you do with a Ferrari 458. Instead, there's a swift, steady increase in pace as you push the pedal to the floor.

Once you get used to the single-clutch transmission's quirks, that is. Leave it in full auto mode or keep your foot in and shifts are rather jerky; take control using the steering column-mounted paddles - and lift off slightly before you change up - and things are much smoother.



Specifications:

• Engine: 5,935 cc 48-valve V12
• Transmission: 6-Speed Manual (optional 6-Speed Automatic)
• Drivetrain: RWD (Rear Wheel Drive)
• Curb Weight: 1,695 kg (3,737 lb)
• City fuel economy: 12 mpg_-US (20 L/100 km; 14 mpg_-imp)
• Highway fuel economy: 18 mpg_-US (13 L/100 km; 22 mpg_-imp)
• Horsepower: 510 hp (380 kW; 517 PS) at 6500 rpm
• Torque: 420 lb·ft (569 N·m) at 5750 rpm
• Wheelbase: 107.9 in (2,741 mm)
• Length: 185.9 in (4,722 mm)
• Width: 75.0 in (1,905 mm)
• Height: 50.4 in (1,280 mm)

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Nissan GTR

With a predecessor like the Nissan Skyline GTR, the simple GTR from Nissan was already destined to success.

The production version of the GT-R debuted at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, launching in the Japanese market on December 6, 2007. The U.S. official launch was seven months later on July 7, 2008. Universal Nissan in Los Angeles provided a customer with the delivery of a new GT-R, fresh from the production line at 12:01 am, on July 7, 2008. The Canadian launch was also in July 2008. Europe became the third consumer market, where it launched in March 2009. The large disparity in initial marketing between these regional releases is due to Nissan having to build GT-R performance centers where the car is serviced. Also the engine and rear-mounted dual-clutch gearbox are assembled by hand, thus limiting global production capacity to around 1000 cars a month.

Video about the Nissan GTR:

Optional features

The Premium Nissan GT-R has a body-colored rear spoiler whereas the Black Edition has a dry carbon-fiber rear spoiler. Both the Premium and Black Edition GT-R are fitted with high intensity discharge (HID) headlights, automatic on/off headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights and brake lights, dual heated body-color power outside mirrors, power folding outside mirrors, flush-mounted aluminum door handles, four 5" exhaust outlets with polished tips and UV-reducing solar glass.

For the 2014 model year, Nissan introduced a limited production Track Edition GT-R which deletes the rear seats (saving 22 lbs over the Black Edition) and adds more aggressive suspension, carbon fiber air inlets, improved brake cooling, a unique front spoiler, and new black and gray leather Recaro front seats.

The Nissan GT-R is a 2 door sports coupe produced by Nissan and first released in Japan in 2007. It is the successor to the Nissan Skyline GT-R although it is no longer part of the Skyline range.

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Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster (EN,RO)

EN: The legend continues: fast, strong and unique

 On the Costa del Sol, it's still cool in the early morning as the first rays of sunshine immerse the Andalusian mountains in a warm light, whilst the entrance to the traditional Marbella Club still sits in the shade. One's heart quickly warms upon the arrival on centre stage of the latest offspring from the automotive dynasty with its 60 years of history. The design of the new SL draws all the attention – it is now more marked and sharper. But the SL hasn't lost its elegance and charisma – it is and will remain an aesthete. As no other before it, the SL offers a unique combination of sportiness and comfort.


Awaiting you in the modern cockpit, with its lovingly created details, is a plethora of new features such as the latest version of COMAND Online with internet connectivity. Its operation is pleasant and intuitive right from the outset. The concept has proved itself even as a two-seater: the SL scores points with its many useful stowage compartments and with its well thought out, detailed solutions for everyday use. The quality of the materials and the level of craftsmanship are highly impressive. The fine leather is a pleasure for all of the senses. Thanks to a newly developed coating, it reflects the sun's rays and therefore doesn't heat up as much. Additional cooling is provided by the seat ventilation, whilst the seat heating takes care of our early morning start and the innovative AIRSCARF impresses with its heating of the area around the head. In the liberally sized mutlicontour seats with their multiple electrical adjustment and their massage function, a feeling of well-being and security is instantaneous.

A world first is the Frontbass system, fitted as standard. Particularly in combination with the optionally available surround sound systems from Harman Kardon® or Bang&Olufsen, it offers a concert hall atmosphere and powerful bass tones even when driving with the roof down. This is made possible by the low tones being generated in the driver's and passenger's footwell in a specially constructed hollow area of the new and innovative aluminium bodyshell. This not only improves the sound characteristics, but also increases the space available for stowage compartments in the doors and for luggage in the practical boot. Now there's nothing standing in the way of a long journey! Typically, Mercedes-Benz is the range of extremely modern assistance and safety systems which further increase the level of luxury and actively help avoid danger.



RO: Legenda continuă - rapid, puternic și inconfundabil

Încă de la lansarea legendarului SL 300, în 1954, modelul SL este recunoscut ca fiind unul dintre cele mai impunătoare autovehicule din lume. Pentru Mercedes-Benz, aceste două litere simbolizează eleganță, conducere sportivă și tehnologie inovatoare. Noua generație SL respectă, de asemenea, această tradiție. Modelul Roadster combină caracterul sportiv și cel mai înalt nivel de confort cu plăcerea de a conduce cu acoperișul coborât, sub cerul liber.Scaunul activ multicontur se adaptează foarte bine la cerinţele individuale ale fiecărui ocupant. Acesta se adaptează continuu la fiecare situaţie de conducere, masează muşchii spatelui şi reduce riscul de rănire în cazul unui accident. Plafonul vario panoramic cu MAGIC SKY CONTROL reprezintă o inovaţie pentru noul SL. Suprafaţa din sticlă a acoperişului îşi modifică nuanţa în doar câteva secunde de la fumuriu la transparent şi vice-versa prin simpla atingere a unui buton. Astfel, şoferul şi pasagerul din dreapta se pot bucura de cerul liber chiar şi atunci când plafonul este ridicat. Iar când sticla devine fumurie, nivelul de încălzire a habitaclului este redus considerabil. Sunt necesare mai puţin de 20 de secunde pentru a coborî sau a ridica plafonul. Acesta poate fi coborât sau ridicat standard şi din exterior utilizând cheia autovehiculului, prin intermediul unui semnal în infraroşu.

Noul SL este echipat cu scaune la cele mai înalte standarde de calitate. O noutate o reprezintă pielea reflectorizantă cu care sunt tapiţate scaunele.
Printr-o procedură specială de tratare a suprafeţei, tapiţeria din piele reflectă razele solare, reducând în mod semnificativ încălzirea scaunelor, în special în cazul celor de culoare închisă. Împreună cu funcţia de climatizare a scaunelor, disponibilă opţional, aceasta sporeşte în mod considerabil confortul în partea superioară a coapsei şi zona lombară a ocupanţilor când lumina solară este puternică. Pentru a evita curenţii de aer asociaţi, de obicei, cu autovehiculele decapotabile, paravântul pliabil este inclus în dotarea standard. Acesta este confecţionat dintr-un material textil fin şi, dacă este necesar, poate fi instalat manual în spatele scaunelor.
Noul paravânt cu acţionare electrică asigură protecţia pasagerilor împotriva curenţilor de aer prin simpla atingere a unui buton. Este confecţionat dintr-un material textil fin, iar atunci când este retras, acesta se integrează complet în spatele scaunelor din faţă. Read more

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

EN: The Giulietta was created with its own style. In an age when it is increasingly easy to be just like all the others, it defines its own rules.

The keywords that distinguish the stylistic nature of this car are fluidity, flair and reliability. A perfect blend of sportiness and style, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta redefines the Brand's technological standards and emotional values. Sportiness that becomes pure dynamism.

A five door car with side musculature containing practical styling details (such as the aerodynamic spoiler). A determined, elegant front end, set off to perfection by large headlights with LED DRLs. Present also at the rear, LED headlights emphasise the look of the light clusters built into the tail end.
The personality-packed profile also suggests the model's agility and substance, particularly due to its side windows reminiscent of a coupé.

Inside the Giulietta, the overriding concept is that of lightness: taut lines and a dashboard that extends sideways. The passenger compartment, the superlative example of Italian style, consists of wraparound seats located in a mainly monochromatic environment stylishly enhanced by precious gleams of light.

Technology and safety as standard
The standard equipment of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta includes state-of-the-art electronic systems for dynamic control and safety. The advanced McPherson front suspension and MULTILINK rear suspension have been designed to provide perfect balance even at the limit.
Furthermore, the Giulietta ensures the best driving conditions at all times using the Alfa DNA selector which selects three driving modes: Dynamic, Natural and All Weather.
All these systems guarantee genuine Alfa Romeo driving safety, vehicle traction and performance. The Giulietta suspension system expresses its dual spirit: sporty and entertaining, yet dominable and comfortable.

Alfa Romeo DNA
The system allows the car's personality to be adapted to the needs of the driver and different road conditions
When the selector is in DYNAMIC position, the car's performance is exactly as you would expect from the sporting spirit of any Alfa Romeo: the engine response is immediate, delivery is substantial due to the overboost, while the Electronic Q2 differential allows corners to be tackled in complete safety
With the selector set to NATURAL, even everyday driving becomes more fun, guaranteeing a comfortable, smooth drive at all times. Fuel consumption will be reduced to the minimum.
In ALL WEATHER mode, the Giulietta girds itself to face the most difficult grip conditions, alerting all its active safety systems, including the VDC and Electronic Q2. The engine response will become more gradual and controlled.

The car that has already won over international judging panels:

- The safest in its category
- The car with efficient performance but running costs among the lowest
- An elegant and distinctive style with a comfortable passenger compartment
- An Italian brand with the best preservation of market value over time Read more

Audi S3 Saloon

EN:

Comfortable, stylish and warm
The Sports seats, with a supportive design and upholstered in Fine Nappa leather upholstery, are fitted as standard on the Audi S3 Saloon. The seats are warmed with the standard heated seats and are also available in Alcantara/leather combination as a no cost option.

Twin tailpipes
The Audi S3 Saloon’s twin oval tailpipes feature chrome tips. Angled to each side, the tailpipes and integrated rear platinum grey diffuser also help accentuate the car’s low stance and impressive width.

Satellite navigation for stress-free motoring
The Audi S3 Saloon comes with a range of optional satellite navigation systems, which means that being lost becomes a thing of the past. Simply enter a destination using the Multi Media Interface in the centre console, or just say where you want to go, using the advanced voice recognition system.
The most advanced system, MMI navigation plus, features MMI Touch integrated into a rotary pushbutton – enabling users to simply ‘write’ their entry on a touchpad rather than selecting each letter as used in traditional systems.
A high resolution colour screen provides a clear map of your route and incorporates the latest traffic situation into your route helping make the Audi S3 Saloon satellite navigation system as user friendly and effective as possible.

Amazing agility
The Audi S3 Saloon’s special sports suspension means springs and dampers are tuned for sportier handling to complement perfectly Audi’s legendary quattro all-wheel-drive.

TFSI explained
TFSI technology unlocks superior power, more dynamic performance and better economy from petrol engines.
For example, the turbocharged 2.0-litre TFSI engine in the Audi S3 Saloon generates a staggering 300PS of power, which is enough to blast from 0 to 62mph in just 4.9* seconds (manual 5.3 seconds) and up to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.
You’ll notice enhanced driving enjoyment with spontaneous and dynamic torque build up. In turn, this encourages you to change up earlier so you don’t feel the need to rev the engine so much, promoting greater efficiency.
*S tronic transmission


RO:  
Confortabil, elegant și cald
Scaunele sport, cu un design de sustinere si tapitate in Fine tapițerie din piele Nappa, sunt ca dotare standard pe S3 Limuzina Audi. Scaunele sunt încălzite cu scaunele standard, încălzite și sunt, de asemenea, disponibile în Alcantara / piele combinatie ca o opțiune fără nici un cost.

Țevi de eșapament duble
Tevi de esapament duble, ovale Audi S3 Salonul sunt dotate cu sfaturi cromate. Unghi de fiecare parte, țevile de eșapament și difuzor de aer integrat gri platină spate ajuta, de asemenea, accentua poziția scăzut al mașinii și lățimea impresionant.

Navigație prin satelit pentru automobilism fără stres
Audi S3 Sedan vine cu o serie de sisteme opționale de navigație prin satelit, ceea ce înseamnă că se pierde devine un lucru de domeniul trecutului. Pur și simplu introduceți o destinație, prin intermediul Multi Media Interface în consola centrală, sau pur și simplu spus unde vrei să mergi, folosind sistemul avansat de recunoaștere a vocii.
Cel mai avansat sistem, sistemul de navigatie MMI plus, are MMI Touch integrate într-un buton rotativ - permițând utilizatorilor să pur și simplu "a scrie", intrarea lor pe un touchpad, mai degrabă decât selectarea fiecare literă așa cum este folosit în sistemele tradiționale.
Un ecran color de înaltă rezoluție oferă o hartă clară a traseului și încorporează cele mai recente situația traficului în traseul ajuta face S3 Salonul sistem de navigație prin satelit Audi la fel de ușor de utilizat și mai eficace posibil.

Agilitate uimitoare
Special suspensie sport Audi S3 Salonul înseamnă arcuri și amortizoare sunt reglate pentru sportiva de manipulare a completa perfect quattro legendarul Audi all-wheel-drive.

TFSI explicat
Tehnologia TFSI deblocheaza puterea superioară, performanțe mai dinamice și mai bine economia de motoare pe benzină.
De exemplu, motorul turbo TFSI de 2.0 litri în S3 Limuzina Audi generează o putere de 300 CP uimitor, care este suficient pentru a distruge de la 0 la 62 mph in doar 4.9 secunde * (manuale 5.3 secunde) si pana la o viteza maxima limitata electronic la 155 mph.
Veți observa îmbunătățită plăcerea de a conduce cu un cuplu spontana si dinamica construi. La rândul său, aceasta vă încurajează să se schimbe mai devreme, astfel încât să nu simt nevoia de a rev motorul atât de mult, promovând o mai mare eficiență.

* Transmisie S tronic  (Tradus: Engleza---Romana prin Google Translate)

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