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Carroll Shelby's personal Cobra brings $5 MIL

1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Supersnake -- Lot #1301 Sold at $5,000,000
From Autoblog:

The only surviving dual supercharged factory Cobra, this Supersnake was Carroll Shelby's personal car. "When I built this dual supercharged 427 Cobra in 1966, I wanted it to be the fastest, meanest car on the road," said Shelby. "Forty years later, it will still kick the tail of just about anything in the world." Unfortunately, after selling for a gavel price of $5 MIL, it's unlikely this car will see any more roads, let alone kicking tail.

CSX3015 started out as one of the 19 production Competition Cobras and was then cranked up a notch to produce 800 supercharged horsepower. The twin Paxton supercharged 427 was mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. One other Supersnake was built for comedian Bill Cosby, but was wrecked, making this one the only factory survivor. The huge rush of having this extraordinary vehicle bring such a well-deserved insane top bid could be felt for miles around Westworld. We didn't get a chance to ask Shelby about the car during lunch, but we can guess that he was pretty happy with the result.

New Swiss Supercar – the Beck LM 800

Though not known for its auto industry, Switzerland can boast at least two supercar builders: Rinspeed and now Beck Engineering and Composites. Beck showed off its LM800 this week at the Luxus Motor Show in Vienna. It's powered by a 4.2 liter, 650 hp, turbocharged, MTM V8, attached to a 7-speed semi-sequential gearbox. The car's description sounds more Formula 1 than street car: Kevlar, carbon fiber, pneumatic jacks. But it also has luxuries, including air conditioning, satellite navigation, keyless entry, and leather seats. The only options on the $600,500 car are power windows, an LCD screen, additional airbags and a higher output engine.

At just under 2,000 pounds including driver and a full tank of gas, Beck's claim of 0-60 in three seconds and top speed near 217 MPH is believable. Performance must be Veyron-like with the upgraded 1,000 hp engine.

VIDEO: Live demo of Ford/Microsoft's Sync

From Autoblog:

Our car-culture obsessive friends over at Jalopnik traveled into the bowels of FoMoCo to get some exclusive playtime with the Sync, the infotainment progeny of the Ford and Microsoft partnership.

You can view the first installment, as Ray Wert sits down with one of Ford's techy PR people for a demo and comes away more than just impressed. Once you see the video, you'll understand why, as the Sync seemed to make everything look, well, easy. Does it get any simpler than just plugging any USB equipped music player (or simple flash drive) into a port in the armrest, speaking the name of the song and then forgetting about it?

Just the fact that they got a speech recognition function to work is enough to impress, but what if you don't have your iPod isn't at, but you're Bluetooth phone can stream music? Even simpler. The system integrates with the phone and, as long as you have Microsoft Windows Media Player and an internet connection, you can stream whatever you like: music, talk radio, our podcasts and whatever else you can find online.

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1,054 hp for a new World Record for Street-Legal Cars

MISSION 400 PLUS Based on Porsche 997

1,054 hp for a new World Record for Street-Legal Cars

MISSION 400 PLUS - under this project name H &R presents an especially spectacular world premiere at the ESSEN-MOTOR-SHOW 2006. Jürgen Alzen Motorsport, long-time partner of H&R in the long-distance championship on the Nürburgring, engine tuner RS Tuning and H&R have jointly developed a sports car based on the Porsche 997. It is destined to win the Blue Ribbon for the world's fastest street-legal sports car next year, with a top speed of more than 400 km/h.

The idea to tackle the world record was born in August 2006 at the Six-Hour Race on the Nürburgring: After the H&R-sponsored Alzen Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 fell victim to an accident in only the second lap, team boss Jürgen Alzen and H&R marketing director Hardy von der Brake had time to discuss means to better demonstrate the technology transfer from motorsports to the development of sporty suspension components.

The idea quickly turned into the MISSION 400 PLUS concept, whose prototype now celebrated its world debut at the ESSEN-MOTOR-SHOW 2006. The three companies that have joined forces to turn this concept into reality have proven their potential in building super-fast sports cars numerous times before.

The experienced team of technicians from Jürgen Alzen Motorsport in Betzdorf is responsible for the technical design and for building the car. The engine is based on that of the latest 997-series Porsche 911 Turbo, and comes from RS Tuning. H&R contributes its immense know-how in the field of suspension design and setup.

Favorable aerodynamic properties are essential for a car that is designed to break the 400-km/h barrier. Minimizing frontal surface area is absolutely elementary, which is why Jürgen Alzen decided to lower the roof by 75 millimeters. At the same time the A-pillars were tilted back further by 5.5 degrees. To give the coupe a homogenous overall appearance the tilt of B- and C-pillars was adjusted accordingly. Special flush-mounted polycarbonate windows all around complete the roof conversion.

Also part of the MISSION 400 PLUS aerodynamics concept are numerous other modifications that were developed and tested in the wind tunnel. Among them are a long rear with pronounced separation edge and the absence of rain channels. Streamlined cowlings for the 18-inch BBS light-alloy wheels will reduce air turbulence on the vehicle's sides during the record run.

The MISSION 400 PLUS engine is built by RS Tuning in Kirchhaslach, where the racing engines for Jürgen Alzen Motorsport have been created for many years. The displacement of the six-cylinder flat engine is increased from 3.6 to 3.8 liters and the engine is reworked entirely. Company owner Reinhold Schmirler's power cocktail also includes special combustion chamber shapes as well as precision-machined cylinder heads with larger valves, and high-performance camshafts.

The engine's peripherals are also completely new. In addition to an intake manifold with larger and smoothened ports the engine is equipped with a more powerful turbocharging system and a high-performance exhaust.

The stock turbos with variable turbine geometry are replaced by larger conventional ones, which are supplied with optimal amounts of exhaust gas by the custom-tailored stainless-steel exhaust manifolds. Higher capacity intercoolers provide cooler charge air for maximum power output, aided on the exhaust side by a stainless-steel sport exhaust with metal catalysts.

RS Tuning's stationary test bench is used to fine-tune the perfect interaction of all individual components with special 100-octane fuel mapping for the Bosch-developed engine electronics.

With a boost pressure of 1.5 bar the engine develops 1,054 hp / 775.7 kW at 7,700 rpm and a peak torque of 1,030 Nm at 5,800 rpm. And yet, the speed-record hunter meets stringent EURO IV emission limits.

Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a high-performance clutch and a modified high-geared six-speed transmission.

The high-speed track in Nardo, where the world record is supposed to be set next year, places extreme demands on the MISSION 400 PLUS suspension, due to its undulated surface. H &R has custom-developed a special version of its H&R HIGH-END suspension specifically for this purpose.

The top-of-the-line product in the H &R lineup distinctly sets itself apart from conventional sport suspensions. In addition to special struts with sporty springs and shocks the H&R HIGH-END suspension further consists of bearings made from especially high-quality harder materials, custom-made aluminum lower A-arms as well as special tie rods and newly designed upper rear axle links.

Installing this almost infinitely adjustable suspension results in even more strength and more direct response. It also allows an even more precise setup of the record car to account for the banked track at Nardo. The MISSION 400 PLUS is further equipped with adjustable H&R sport sway bars on front and rear axle.

The overall lightweight design is completed with Carbon-made doors and hoods and a Spartan interior with Recaro carbon-fiber racing seats and a roll cage.

MISSION 400 PLUS will hunt for the record in Nardo in the first half of 2007. Creator and race driver Jürgen Alzen will pilot the ultra-low-profile coupe.

Porche Carrera GT eats pole

Hot on the heels of the Suleiman Kerimov/female passenger/Ferrari Enzo/Promenade des Anglais crash comes this Carrera GT single-car pileup in what we glean to be New York. Apparently the driver escaped with minimal fractures, but the car seems to be very, very broken. [Thanks to Alex for the tip.] – Davey G. Johnson

500hp twin turbo Volvo 740 Wagon

America's fastest cars

#10 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 (tie)
Base price: $40,800
Engine: 6.1-liter, 420-hp V-8
Top speed: 155 miles per hour#10 Ford Shelby GT500 (tie)
Base price: $41,000 (estimated)
Engine: Supercharged, 5.4-liter, 500-hp V-8
Top speed: 155 miles per hour#10 Cadillac XLR-V (tie)
Base price: $98,300
Engine: Supercharged, 4.4-liter, 443-hp V-8
Top speed: 155 miles per hour#10 Cadillac STS-V (tie)
Base price: $77,715
Engine: Supercharged, 4.4-liter, 469-hp V-8
Top speed: 155 miles per hour#9 Cadillac CTS-V
Base price: $53,370
Engine: 6.0-liter, 400-hp V-8
Top speed: 163 miles per hour#8 Chrysler 300C SRT8, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Dodge Magnum SRT8
Base price: $43,195 (300C); $38,695 (Charger); $38,345 (Magnum)
Engine: 6.1-liter, 425-hp V-8
Top speed: 165 to 170 miles per hour
* Pictured here: Dodge Charger SRT8#7 Panoz Esperante GTLM (tie)
Base price: $121,325
Engine: Supercharged, 4.6-liter, 420-hp V-8
Top speed: 180 miles per hour#7 Mullen GT (tie)
Base price: $89,950
Engine: 400-hp V-8
Top speed: 180 miles per hour#6 Mosler MT 900S
Base price: $189,000
Engine: 5.7-liter, 435-hp V-8
Top speed: 180-plus miles per hour#5 Dodge Viper SRT-10
Base price: $85,745
Engine: 8.3-liter, 510-hp V-10
Top speed: 190 miles per hour (estimated)#4 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Base price: $70,000
Engine: 7.0-liter, 505-hp V-8
Top speed: 198 miles per hour#3 Silva Exotic Cars GT1 and GT3
Base price: $170,000 to $175,000 (estimated)
Engine: 7.0-liter, 550-hp V-8 (optional)
Top speed: 206 miles per hour#2 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
Base price: $555,000
Engine: Twin turbo, 7.0-liter, 750-horsepower V-8
Top speed: 240 to 260 miles per hour (estimated)#1 SSC Ultimate Aero TT
Base price: $525,000
Engine: Twin turbo, 6.3-liter, 1,180-horsepower V-8
Top speed: 273 mph

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Super car shootout

Foose Hemisfear

SEMA may have been overrun with sport compacts and speaker boxes years ago, but the hot rod still rules and the Foose Hemisfear found at the DaimlerChrysler display is one of the best we've seen this trip. It's a car that's captivating from every angle. From the exposed carbon fiber to the glass-top roof to the completely exposed steering and braking hardware that's polished brighter than your grandma's Sunday silver, the Hemisfear will not let you break eye-contact until you've inspected every inch of it. Eventually you'll find your way to the rear where Chrysler's new HEMI 392 crate motor resides amidship under the aforementioned glass top roof. The engine itself is a work of art, though its 500 horsepower and 472 ft-lbs. of torque are meant for more than just display. What's unusual about the Hemisfear compared to most of the other cars at SEMA is that you can actually buy it. It will be sold as unfinished kit from Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters. In fact, this particular one is under private ownership.

Obsidian CoupeR Mustang

Outside the halls of the SEMA show looks like an L.A. expressway during rush hour. A sea of custom cars are double, triple and quadruple parked on sidewalks and access roads. The cumulative effect of so many incredible rides is that it's tough for any single set of wheels to stand out. The Obsidian CoupeR Mustang, however, stood out. It may have been because it was parked in a spot of honor, directly outside a set of main doors in the middle of the pathway with no cars in front, in back or beside it to divert attention. It may also have been its 900 hp, twin-supercharged engine. When a representative of CoupeR Design, the company who built this custom '67 Mustang, would lift the hood, you would think one of the SEMA girls just dropped her top by the size of the crowd that gathered. Everything about this car, however, attracts attention, from the front end that scowls behind a custom air dam and lethal looking hood scoop to the onboard 2.4Ghz computer packing a 60GB hard drive and controlled via a 10.5-inch touchscreen custom installed in the dash, the Obsidian is a particularly obscene example of SEMA-style tuning.

800 MPH: Fossett Aims for Land Speed Record

From Edmunds:

DENVER — Steve Fossett, the adventurer known for his record-setting sailboating and solo ballooning exploits, said his next big challenge is to break the land speed record.

The car Fossett will use is a dart-shaped, 47-foot-long, 9000-pound vehicle that looks like a jet airplane without the wings. The car's jet engine is taken from an Air Force F-4 Phantom fighter. The attempt to break the land speed record will be based in Reno, Nevada, with record attempts scheduled from July through October. Fossett said he is seeking a title sponsor and is arranging television documentary and publishing rights.

"This is surely the most dramatic of all world records, the oldest and most famous record in world motorsport," Fossett said in a news release. "I am very, very excited by the opportunity to meet this challenge — to drive through the speed of sound and reach 800 mph. This is a great goal — and we have the car to achieve it."

What this means to you: Everyone wants to be number one. Record-breaking attempts like this tend to inspire the imagination and grow the next generation of trailblazers.

Baldwin-Motion, Lingenfelter Team up on New Powerplant

From Jalopnik:

What happens when you match up the displacement freaks at Baldwin-Motion with the turbo- and supercharger-drunk labcoats at Lingenfelter? We're not exactly sure, but apparently you get something like the new Lingenfelter/Motion Big-Block. Tech specs will be released at the SEMA show in a week or so, but we know the powerplant will be used as fire for Baldwin's pricey SS-427, Phase III 540 and Super Series Camaro replicas. We also know it's a 540 ci. monster producing 660 hp and 640 ft. lbs. torque (on 93 octane, natch). Other than that, it's all about as clear as 10W-40.

60 Minutes on the Lamborghini Countach

Holden shows wild Hot Rod concept

The full story: the 350 kmh 700 bhp Fulda Maybach Exelero