The last Lexus LFA has been built!  The final LFA is a Nurburgring Edition with a special order white tricoat with blue base coat for a blue-white look under fluorescent light – it’s always good to know the owner plans on driving it.

This LFA marks the end of the run for what seemed like a great supercar.  The only problem was that Toyota/Lexus took so long to design it that the LFA could be out-run and out-turned by a Porsche 911 Turbo S for about half the money.

Oh what price, exclusivity?

Source: Jalopnik

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

The shortlist for European Car of the Year has been released with eight entries making the cut – up from the typical seven.

This year’s finalists include the enthusiat favorite Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86.  The Ford B-Max, Hyundai i30, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Volkswagen Golf and Volvo V40, make up the rest of the nominees.

Of note is that the BRZ/GT86 represents the only rear-wheel-drive car and the only Japanese car to be shortlisted.

Last year’s winner was the Chevy Volt/Vauxhall Ampera – making one wonder if one of the new measurements to deterimine the winner is a car’s tendency to spontaneously combust a few days after a crash.

Source: Autocar

Image Source: Autoweek

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

Porsche has released the first official photos and details on the re-designed 2013 Boxster on the heels of the Detroit debut of the 911 Cabriolet and ahead of the Boxster’s first public appearance in Geneva.

According to Porsche, the new aluminum-bodied Boxster is not only wearing new skin reminiscent of past exotics (especially th Carrera GT) and looking a bit more gown-up, but is also 15 percent more fuel effecient than previous models.  The new Boxster boasts increased dimensions in wheelbase and width, coupled with  enhancing the Boxster’s already incredible handling.

The new base Boxster loses 200cc’s of displacement but gains 10 horsepower, bringing the 2.7L direct-injected flat 6′s total to 265 horsepower.  The Boxster S’ 3.4L unit gets a slight bump to 315 horses.  Both models come standard with one of Porsche’s fine-shifitng 6-speed manuals with the option of going with the 7-speed dual clutch PDK.

Acceleration times?  Well, the factory’s numbers (which are notoriously conservative) say the Boxster will sprint to 60 in 5.4 seconds and the S will do the same in 4.7 seconds.

All this fun doesn’t come cheap, however.  The 2013 Boxster will base at $49,500 with the Boxster S demanding $60,900 (plus a $950 destination fee for either one).

Source:  Porsche

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

Speeding safely, or more appropriately, on a race track, is understandable.  Speeding on a crowded highway with all your my-Lambo-replaced-my-inadequate-manhood cronies probably isn’t the best idea.

Needless to say, the lesson is learned.  Watch as two Gallardos come a bit close after over-taking the car taking the video, causing the driver of a green Gallardo overcorrect (despite having plenty of room), losing control and meeting the retaining wall on the left side of the highway.

Source:  YouTube

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

The VW Caddy may have been one of those cars that some may want to destroy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean one should go out of their way to kill one.

The Caddy was no more than a re-badged Seat (also owned by VW Group) Ibiza with a camper shell, and was thusly cheap to produce.  Like most cars, however, it flies like a brick.

Source:  YouTube

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

In Porsche’s latest video featuring the new 911 (991), the newest iteration of their iconic sports car gets put to work at the Porsche Experience Centre Silverstone.

Gordon Robertson also explains to us Porschephiles how the new 911 stays true to its roots, despite the move up-market and squarely targeting a customer base that has favored two-door GT cars in the past.

Source:  Porsche via YouTube

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

Somewhat quietly in Germany, Audi has unveiled the new 2013 A6 Allroad while the A4 Allroad was strutting around the Detroit Auto Show.

Based on the A6 Avant (just as the first Allroad), the new A6 Allroad measures 16.21 feet long, 6.23 feet wide, and 4.82 feet tall, out sizing the estate its based on.  Also like previous generations, the new A6 Allroad sits higher – a full 60mm higher.  Enthusiats shouldn’t fret, however.  The new A6 Allroad’s standard adaptive air suspension drops the body 15mm at high speed, and raises it by 35mm on demand – handy for deep snow or limited trail conquering.  Need more low speed clearance?  Done.  The push of a button will raise the suspension an additional 10mm should you need to show the blizzard who’s boss.

Motivation for the A6 Allroad comes from a selection of one gasoline and three diesel engines.  The gasoline engine is the same familial supercharged 3.0L V6 used in the A6, A7 and S4, putting down 310 horsepower and launching the A6 Allroad to 60mph in 5.9 seconds (wait until Stasis Engineering comes out with a tuning program for the A6 Allroad – could be a 400-horsepower monster).  The economical turbo diesel (TDI) engines produce 204 and 245 horsepower, respectively.  The top level diesel throws down 313 horsepower with the help of twin turbochargers and is mated to an 8-speed automatic that together thrust the pedestrian-seeming wagon to 60 in 5.6 seconds.  All the TDI engines are based on Audi’s existing 3.0L V6 TDI and all are mated to Audi’s 7-speed dual-clutch transmission except the twin-turbo diesel V6.

On the outside, the Allroad variant of the A6 gains new bumpers, wider fenders, front and rear skid plates, beefier roof rails, a massive, vertical slat grille, and model specific split-five-spoke 18-inch wheels shod in 235mm rubber with 19s and 20s optional.

Unfortunately, the U.S. may never see the A6 Allroad, but in Europe the new estate will base at 54,600 Euros, or roughly $70,000.

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

Sure, the F40 is from the late 1980s/early 1990s, but it’s still one of the baddest cars around – and the LM variant is even more so.  A beautiful, ‘I will eat you’ exhaust note driven home by flames.

Best music video ever!

Source:  YouTube

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

Toyota has released another teaser for its upcoming NS4 plug-in hybrid prior to the car’s unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show.

About the size of the existing Yaris, details on the NS4 are scarce, but will have better fuel economy than the existing Prius and will be what Toyota is calling an “advanced plug-in hybrid.”

Source:  Toyota via YouTube

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.

Road & Track’s Ian Adcock lived a dream and was invited to ride shotgun in Bentley’s Speed 8, the famed British marque’s LMP entry from 2001-2003, at Silverstone in England.  The video chronicles his experience.

The Bentley Speed 8 competed at Le Mans for three years, finally winning the overall victory in 2003, marking Bentley’s last overall win at Le Mans to date.

Source:  Road & Track

ModMyAuto - Auto and racing news.